Fri, Jan 30, 2015 page3

• Ko names Annie Lee to Taipei commission

  • By Abraham Gerber / Staff reporter
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  Former president Lee Teng-hui’s (李登輝) daughter was yesterday named as one of the members for Taipei’s new Clean Government Commission.

  Of the commission’s 14 outside commissioners, eight were invited directly by Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je’s (柯文哲) office, while the remaining six were chosen by his office from a range of applicants who applied online.

  Outside commissioners come from a variety of law, academic and media backgrounds, including Annie Lee (李安妮), who drew the greatest interest from the media.

  “I’m already 60 and do not have to report everything to my father,” she said in response to questions over whether her father knew about her decision to apply.

  While the commission was originally to be set up in March, its formation was brought forward following a number of controversial development projects outsourced by previous municipal administrations.

  After the commissioners’ first meeting yesterday afternoon, Ko said that — even more than investigating past problems — the commission’s most important task was to establish processes to prevent problems from arising in the future.

  “The greater objective of the commission is to investigate how to create a system for transparency and clean government within the city government,” Ko said.

  “Society is often greatly interested in investigating corruption cases, but shows far less interest in establishing systems to avoid corruption,” he said.

  Another major objective of the commission is to ensure that his own administration stays clean, he said.

  “This time, the number of commissioners from outside the city government is greater,” Ko said.

  “While previously the government could use its majority to push through cases, the ratio of outside to government commissioners is now two to one,” he added.

  Commission member Kao Tsung-liang (高宗良) said that after drawing lots, the commissioners had been divided into five small working groups charged separately with investigating the controversial cases of the Taipei Dome, Taipei Twin Towers, Taipei New Horizon, Syntrend Creative Park and MeHAS City development projects.

  Ko said that as part of the division process, commissioners such as Wang Hsiao-yu (王小玉) — who owns property on the Taipei Twin Towers site — are duty-bound to decline assignment to any case in which they had a conflict of interests.

  They are also bound to wait until the commission’s final conclusions are passed by the full committee before releasing any information, he added.

  Kao said that after he was fully familiar with the documents surrounding the Taipei New Horizon contract, which he has been assigned to investigate, he was prepared to “pound the table” in talks to hold contractor Fubon Financial Holding Co accountable.

  “From the perspective of social justice, just because something meets procedural requirements, it doesn’t make it legal,” he said, adding that if no problems are found, he would frankly acknowledge the fact to the firm.
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