Keelung Mayor George Hsieh (謝國樑) yesterday apologized over alleged illegal data access by a former Civil Affairs Department director amid recall campaigns targeting local councilors from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
Hsieh, a member of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), bowed deeply to DPP City Councilor Cheng Wen-ting (鄭文婷) during a city council meeting, and also apologized to the council and Keelung residents for the alleged abuse of power by Chang Yuan-hsiang (張淵翔) under his leadership.
The bow might seem belated, Hsieh said, adding that he had been “surprised and saddened” to learn of Chang’s alleged actions and was waiting for the results of an investigation to determine whether other officials were involved.
Photo: Yu Chao-fu, Taipei Times
Last month, prosecutors were investigating alleged forgery in recall campaigns across the country after the Central Election Commission found petitions bearing the names of deceased people.
The campaigns included petitions targeting DPP Keelung councilors Cheng and Jiho Tiun (張之豪).
Under recall law, campaigners must submit petitions signed by constituents of the target’s district to initiate a recall.
Following a review of material collected in raids and questioning, Keelung prosecutors said they suspected that Chang had illegally accessed household registration data to help revise and verify a KMT membership list in the city.
Prosecutors on April 29 sought approval to detain him incommunicado from the district court, which on May 6 approved the request.
Prosecutors said that Chang had told them he had accessed the system.
He has resigned from his post.
Meanwhile, two officials at Keelung’s Jhongjheng Household Registration Office were questioned and released on bail for allegedly contravening the Personal Data Protection Act (個人資料保護法).
Hsieh said that the two officials were also expected to resign.
Cheng accepted Hsieh’s apology, calling it “the foundation of a responsible government.”
Local citizens would be glad that Hsieh has finally apologized, she said.
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