Prosecutors question Chen,
raid home
DOUBLE TROUBLE: Tainan District prosecutors also raided the residence of
former first lady Wu Shu-jen’s brother, Wu Ching-mao, reportedly seizing some
documents
By Jimmy Chuang
STAFF REPORTER, WITH AGENCIES
Sunday, Aug 17, 2008, Page 1
Former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and his wife Wu Shu-jen (吳淑珍) were
questioned yesterday and their home searched on suspicion of money laundering, a
prosecutor said.
“We went to Chen’s residence and his office to probe the case ... The former
president and his wife explained the fund transfers,” said Chu Chao-liang (朱朝亮),
a spokesman for the Special Investigation Panel (SPI) of the Supreme
Prosecutors’ Office.
Chu said prosecutors did not have warrants, but that Chen and Wu had been
cooperative.
“The couple told us that the money in the [overseas] bank accounts had nothing
to do with any scandals and that the money was intended for use as public
funds,” Chu said.
The prosecution will next study documents and information gathered at the house,
he said.
Because Wu appeared to be in poor health, the prosecutors agreed not to record
her remarks as an affidavit, he said.
At 4pm yesterday, Tainan District prosecutor Chou Wen-hsiang (周文祥) was also
commissioned by the SPI and led a team in raiding the residence of the former
first lady’s brother, Wu Ching-mao (吳景茂), in Tainan. The investigators
reportedly left with some documents.
On Thursday, Chen apologized to the public for not clearly accounting for his
campaign contributions, admitting that the failure to report campaign funds in
full was “not permitted by the law.” Chen said Wu had wired abroad funds left
over from his election campaigns without his knowledge.
Earlier that same day, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Hung Hsiu-chu
(洪秀柱) made public copies of documents showing the Federal Department of Justice
and Police of the Swiss Confederation had requested assistance from Taiwan in a
case of suspected money laundering by Chen’s son, Chen Chih-chung (陳致中), and
daughter-in-law, Huang Jui-ching (黃睿靚), through two Swiss bank accounts.
The former president has denied involvement in money laundering.
On Friday, he withdrew from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and
apologized for mismanaging campaign funds.
A Taiwanese prosecutor left for Switzerland and is expected to review the
accounts under the name Huang at Merrill Lynch Bank.
Chen Chih-chung and Huang left for the US on Saturday last week. Chu said
yesterday that prosecutors had asked the former president and first lady to urge
the pair to return to Taiwan as soon as possible to answer questions.
Chen Shui-bian is also battling charges he misused public funds.
Wu Shu-jen was charged with corruption and forgery in 2006 for using receipts
provided by others to claim reimbursements from the president’s “state affairs
fund.”
Chen Shui-bian, who was immune from prosecution while in office, was named as a
co-defendant in the case after he completed his second presidential term in May.
Meanwhile, Cabinet Secretary-General Hsueh Hsiang-chuan (薛香川) yesterday
dismissed allegations by DPP caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) that he leaked
information to Hung to manipulate the case against the former president.
Ker’s claim is groundless, Hsueh was quoted by the Central News Agency as
saying.
Also See: Chairwoman calls on DPP to
unite
Respect for the civil service
system
By Tsai Ing-Wen 蔡英文
Sunday, Aug 17, 2008, Page 8
Less than a month after President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) and his
administration took office, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislative
caucus demanded that the Cabinet conduct a thorough examination of staffers from
the former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government, with Premier Liu
Chao-hsiuan (劉兆玄) promising to come up with an appropriate response to fulfill
public expectations.
This was followed by the Cabinet’s order for all ministries to replace officials
who cling to the “old mindset” — an apparent reference to the old
administration. One official who rejected the KMT administration’s move to purge
career civil servants was then deputy secretary-general of the Cabinet Chen Mei-ling
(陳美伶), who refused an unexpected transfer to another civil post and chose to
retire.
The way the Ma administration has treated the civil service system since its
accession to power highlights a serious problem: Even though Taiwan has
experienced two transfers of power, the administration still questions the
mindset and party loyalties of the nation’s civil servants. The public should
pay attention to the possible “chilling effect” that this might have: Civil
servants could become obsequious, afraid to speak their mind and assume
responsibility for fear of being a target of criticism after a transition of
power.
Although the KMT had earlier ruled as an authoritarian party-state regime, it
did undertake a complete privatization of the civil service system. It cannot be
denied that the DPP also made some changes as to who was employed as civil
servants after taking power in 2000 and that better approaches could have been
adopted. These are mistakes that the DPP made and we should examine where the
party went wrong. Although there was some friction between the administration
and the civil service system during its eight years in power, the DPP did put
the system on the right path to “nationalization.”
As ruling parties change in a democratic regime, political appointees also come
and go. However, career civil servants are different. These are the people that
protect a nation’s interests. They are human resources that the nation has
cultivated for a long time — an important asset as well as the backbone of the
country. These people should not be tainted by any political party nor purged.
Civil officials or public servants play a significant role in a democratic
political system. No matter how many times power changes hands or the Cabinet is
reshuffled, a solid network of professional civil servants could contribute to
government stability. As Taiwan has been through two major power transitions,
the majority of civil officials have experienced working under different
political parties in power. They are well acquainted with what democracy means
and have a strong association with the country. For them, the transfer of power
is a democratic norm. Their loyalties lie not with any political party, but with
the public. The nation has outstanding civil servants and I cannot understand
how those in power can be so hardhearted as to make this group of workers afraid
that they might be replaced any time.
The nation has made amazing progress in democracy, but there is still much room
for improvement. This is why the DPP has been devoted to pushing forward a new
political culture. To end this vicious conflict between the pan-blue and
pan-green camps and bring real peace to society, a new political culture should
be a goal that all Taiwanese strive for.
A new political culture involves establishing a professional, stable, worry-free
and non-partisan civil service system. Public servants should be the backbone of
the country instead of a tool for political maneuvering. A ruling party can be
replaced, and so can the president. However, professional civil servants and
systems should remain fixed to ensure consistency and continuity within the
administrative system. Civil officials who assume responsibility for their
duties and focus on serving public and national interests are excellent civil
servants. They are not a product of the outdated mindsets left behind from the
last government, nor should they be scapegoats for the impotence of the current
government.
The civil service system is a network of professionals that works on equal
division of labor and cooperation. It should not be affiliated with either the
pan-green camp or the pan-blue camp. Purging career civil officials will
undermine not only their morale but also government stability.
We truly hope that the Ma administration will stop these purges immediately and
make this outdated political thinking a thing of the past. Regardless of which
party rules in the future, the highest respect should be shown to the civil
service system. The promotion of a new political culture following the transfer
of power should begin with respecting the professional skills of our civil
servants.
Tsai Ing-wen is the chairwoman of the Democratic Progressive Party.
TRANSLATED BY TED YANG
EDITORIAL: Hey Ma, that little
girl wasn’t singing
Sunday, Aug 17, 2008, Page 8
So gullible is the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) when it comes to
Beijing’s “promises” that party members are probably the only ones who still
believe that the angelic voice heard during the Olympic Games’ opening ceremony
belonged to the pig-tailed beauty on stage. It is one thing to believe in
something, but quite another to obstinately “want” to believe — which is what
the KMT has been doing since it entered talks with Beijing.
As he continues to portray his Chinese counterparts in cross-strait negotiations
as honest brokers, President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) has been whittling away at the
nation’s sovereignty by dropping references to its official name. His rationale
for doing so is that the emotional baggage of nationalism — as used by the
former Democratic Progressive Party government — took us nowhere and should be
substituted for “pragmatism,” which in his view would be more acceptable to
Beijing and would increase Taiwan’s chances of being allowed to participate in
international organizations. Gone, therefore, are references to “Taiwan” in the
country’s applications to join world bodies, or the quest for full membership at
the UN. The focus is now on “meaningful” participation, however ill-defined and
dangerously flexible the term.
There is nothing intrinsically wrong with “pragmatism” and “meaningful”
participation, and on paper this approach may reflect an understanding by the Ma
administration that seeking more at this point would be in vain, given Beijing’s
obstruction and the international community’s refusal to grant Taiwan access to
institutions that require statehood.
The problem, however, is that while Taiwan has been giving in to Beijing’s
pressure on the name and sovereignty issue, all that the other side has done is
take what it can, with no promise of reciprocity in sight. What this means is
that for Ma’s change of course to be successful, Beijing will have to start
delivering on its promises and allow Taiwan to make a space for itself on the
international stage. As Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrew Hsia (夏立言)
said last week, if, as it claims, China wants to win the hearts and minds of
Taiwanese, it should stop obstructing Taiwan’s bids to join organizations. The
coming months will show us whether the KMT’s affair with China is a case of
unrequited love or a springing relationship in which both sides gain something.
In the end, however, this is all small fry, as without permanent official
membership at international institutions, whatever Beijing “gives” Taiwan can
just as readily be taken away. An institutional limbo is not a position Taipei
wants to finds itself in, as its participation would continue to be held hostage
by the vagaries of Chinese politics.
Even more fundamental is China’s refusal to disarm, or redirect, the 1,400
missiles or so it points at Taiwan — a clear indication that in Beijing
decision-making circles, hard power continues to have more traction than the
“soft” power of diplomacy.
The neighborhood bully may have promised to stop cornering the weakling, but the
cudgel remains within his reach and the intention to use it is undiminished. If
Ma’s so-called “win-win” approach to cross-strait talks is to have any meaning
for Taiwan, the missile threat must go. Otherwise, Beijing’s promises will be as
illusory as the red-clad little girl who charmed the world.
Pro-localization groups prepare
for rally on Aug. 30
By Su Yung-Yao
STAFF REPORTER
Sunday, Aug 17, 2008, Page 3
A number of pro-localization groups including the Taiwan Society
(台灣社) will jointly stage a parade on Aug. 30 to protest against President Ma
Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) China-leaning policies.
The date of the protest was chosen to coincide with the Ma administration’s
100th day in office.
In addition to demanding a healthier economy and protection for Taiwan’s
sovereignty, the parade will also demand that the government first obtain public
consent through referendum on any major cross-strait agreements in the future,
the groups said, adding that Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) has also
expressed the same view in the past.
The parade is slated to begin at 3pm on Aug. 30 with a grand finale in front of
the Presidential Office.
A Central News Agency report, however, said that over one hundred people have
backed out from the event after allegations surfaced about money-laundering by
former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) on Thursday.
A Kaohsiung City Councilor and member of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP),
Cheng Kwang-fen (鄭光峰), said he had received lots of angry feedback from the
grassroots party members. He expressed concerns that the four buses he scheduled
to bring people to the event might not be filled to capacity.
Another DPP Kaohsiung City Councilor, Lee Wen-liang (李文良), also lamented
yesterday over the sudden pull-out and feared that the party’s efforts to
recruit permanent members — who are required to pay NT$10,000 in dues — will be
tougher than ever.
While acknowledging that the recent scandal surrounding the former president’s
alleged money laundering activities has impacted the morale of the pan-green
camp, the Taiwan Society said the allegations against Chen and Ma’s problematic
leadership are two separate issues.
The goal of the protest, the group said, is to shun the pro-China direction that
the administration espouses.
If the public fails to stand up and safeguard Taiwan’s survival and sovereignty,
the problem will only escalate, the group said.
DPP Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) is a confirmed participant of the rally and
agreed to help mobilize the protesters. Former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) will
not attend the parade.
When asked by reporters yesterday whether he would attend the rally, Lee said he
would not attend any “political activities.”
Additional reporting by Mo Yan-chih
Games an invitation to show off
nationalism
By Wang Yu-Fong 王御風
Sunday, Aug 17, 2008, Page 8
‘With Taiwan still confused over its own national identity, what type of
nationalism should it display
— Taiwanese or Chinese?’
THE QUESTION OF whether the Beijing Olympics can be compared to the
1936 Berlin Olympics has recently become a popular topic of conversation.
Watching the opening ceremony, where renowned Chinese director Zhang Yimou (張藝謀)
mobilized a large number of performers to extol ancient Chinese culture, it was
hard not to think of the well-known documentary Leni Riefenstahl made about the
Berlin Olympics.
Certainly, anyone comparing the Beijing Olympics with the Berlin Olympics is not
doing so out of good will to Beijing. After all, Hitler used the Berlin
Olympics, where Germany grabbed the most gold medals, to furbish the reputation
of the Nazis before launching what developed into World War II. Those who loathe
China have rushed to compare these two Olympic events, while those who support
it have denounced such comparisons as meaningless.
Speaking of the Berlin Olympics, a competitor who is neither Taiwanese nor
Chinese comes to mind — Sohn Kee-chung, the first Korean to win an Olympic gold
at the Berlin Olympics marathon. Korea was then occupied by Japan, so Sohn
represented Japan at the event. However, when the Japanese flag was raised at
the awarding eremony, he hid the Japanese flag on his shirt with a laurel
awarded as part of the ceremony. Sohn made it clear during an interview that
Korea was his home country. This made him a Korean national hero, and he was the
one who carried the Olympic torch at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
What does this Korean national hero have to do with Taiwan? I was born in the
1960s and Sohn’s story was included in elementary textbooks then. The story was
introduced in Taiwan because the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) government
hoped that the Taiwanese, who had also been colonized by Japan, would emulate
Sohn’s national consciousness and cast off the shadow of Japanese colonialism to
become full and dignified Republic of China nationals.
This story appears rather embarrassing in the context of the Beijing Olympics.
The national title, “Republic of China,” is all but invisible and Taiwanese
athletes can only be “full and dignified” representatives of Zhonghua Taibei
(中華台北, Chinese Taipei).
Some supporters of the old party-state regime have called on Taiwanese athletes
to follow the example of Sohn by displaying Taiwan’s “real flag” if they win. It
is ironic then to see top-ranking leaders of the KMT — the party that
established the old party-state system — shaking hands with Chinese President Hu
Jintao (胡錦濤) and telling the Taiwanese public that Taiwan has the “home
advantage” in Beijing. This makes one wonder which national flag the athletes
should display when they win a medal.
The spirit of nationalism abounds in this type of sporting event, where
countries compete with one another. But with Taiwan still confused over its own
national identity, what type of nationalism should it display — Taiwanese or
Chinese? This is the tragedy of Taiwan.
Wang Yu-fong is a director of the North Pingtung Community College.
TRANSLATED BY TED YANG
