Elephants fans rally to show support
　

MORE INNINGS? : The Sports Affairs Council minister said the council would do everything it could to keep the Brother Elephants alive — as well as the league
　

By Shelley Shan, Shelley Huang and Flora Wang
STAFF REPORTERS
Saturday, Oct 31, 2009, Page 1
　

Brother Elephants fans began rallying in front of the team’s Taipei dormitory yesterday morning in a show of support for the beleaguered baseball team, whose fate is up in the air amid a game-fixing scandal involving several of its players.

The fans waved posters and launched a signature drive for a petition to the team’s owners to keep the team alive. They urged the government to cherish good players and weed out bad apples.

Sports Affairs Council Minister Tai Hsia-ling (戴遐齡) met Brother Elephants Baseball Club general manager Hung Jui-ho (洪瑞河) yesterday to discuss the crisis facing one of the nation’s oldest professional baseball teams.

Hung said on Thursday night that the club would not extend its contracts with former Major League pitcher Tsao Chin-hui (曹錦輝) and team manager Nakagomi Shin.

Tsao, Shin and several other team members are under investigation for game-fixing.

Tai said yesterday the council would do everything it could to save the Elephants and the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL). She said fans would still be able to watch local professional baseball next year.
　

The council would try to find companies willing to take over the Elephants if the current sponsor decided to dismiss the team, she said.

Hong said the government must take a more active role in helping foster a healthy environment for professional baseball.

“The team doesn’t have the authority to go after organized crime. All we can do is try to resolve the problems of our players,” Hong said. “It is up to the government to decide whether the Brother Elephants can continue.”

Speaking to the fans gathered outside the dorm late last night, Hong expressed optimism, saying the Elephants would “not easily be disbanded,” and criticized prosecutors for overzealousness.

“Even if the Brother Elephants do not disappear, the prosecution will make sure we do,” he said.

In a separate annoucement, the team terminated the contracts of pitchers Wang Jin-li (王勁力), Wu Pao-hsien (吳保賢) and Chu Hung-sheng (朱鴻森) and Li Hao-ren (李濠任) yesterday for their alleged involvement in the gambling ring.

Earlier in the day, Wang went to the Banciao District Prosecutors’ Office to hand over more than NT$100,000 he allegedly received for fixing games.

Wang and Wu, both of whom have been listed as defendants, have confessed to fixing games and soliciting other team members to take money to fix games. Prosecutors confirmed that Wang and Wu went to their office to return the money.

Wang’s confession may be one of the reasons the district court did not detain him.

La New Bears player Chang Chih-chia (張誌家) has reportedly admitted accepting a Mercedes-Benz and NT$1 million (US$30,800) from Tsai Cheng-yi (蔡政宜), the alleged head of the “Windshield Wipers” gang and Tsai’s middlemen, although prosecutors have declined to confirm the report.

Prosecutors have listed 10 players as defendants, including Chang, Tsao and Hsieh Chia-hsien (謝佳賢) of the Sinon Bulls. In a sign the probe was widening, investigators and prosecutors brought Brother Elephants pitcher Huang Jung-yi (黃榮義) in for questioning yesterday.

This is the fifth time in 20 years that pro baseball players in Taiwan have been investigated for throwing games.

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus deputy secretary-general Justin Chou (周守訓) said yesterday the caucus has proposed amending the Criminal Code to toughen punishment for those who entice or force players to cheat.

People who are found to have coerced or enticed players in a bid to influence the outcome of a game will face jail terms of between three and 15 years and a maximum fine of NT$30 million if the legislature passes the proposal, he said.

Those who run illegal sports gambling operations could face up to 10 years in prison and NT$10 million in fines if the amendment passes, Chou said, adding that he hoped to push through the amendment by the end of the current legislative session.

He said he could not bear to see the nation’s professional baseball league disappear.
　

DPP lawmakers want Chinese PLA singer banned
　

By Jenny W. Hsu
STAFF REPORTER, WITH AFP
Saturday, Oct 31, 2009, Page 1

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers urged the government yesterday to ban a Chinese singer from performing in Taipei, citing security concerns.

Chen Sisi (�佷佷), attached to the People's Liberation Army's (PLA) Second Artillery Corps, which is in charge of missiles and nuclear weapons, is scheduled to give a concert at the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall today.

The 33-year-old Chen gained fame last year by singing at the closing of the Beijing Olympics.

DPP Legislator William Lai (�ラ肅) said Chen's performance would give a deceptively friendly impression of the PLA.

"This will dissolve the public's vigilance and hurt our national defense," Lai said.

Lai said lyrist Qu Yuan (И靮) and music teacher Li Shuanjiang (燠褞蔬) who are accompanying Chen on this trip are also PLA members.

Citing the Regulations Governing Entry Permission to the Taiwan Area for People from Mainland China (湮�華诃ｳ鏍筳ﾌ怢鍸華诃偝褫煇楊), Lai said the three should be deported at once for failing to disclose their PLA status when applying to enter Taiwan.

The trio pose a grave national security threat and the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) should have never approved their entry, Lai added.

"Although the council and other agencies were hesitant about their applications, a certain lawmaker lobbied on their behalf and ultimately made their visit possible," Lai said.

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Justin Chou (笚忐�) said the organizers did "appeal" to him, but he denied asked any agency to cut the organizers some slack.

"Cultural exchanges should not be politicized," he said.

When asked for comments, MAC Deputy Minister Liu Te-shun (讶肅氩) said the performers were visiting to attend art and cultural activities, and their trip did not have any military implications.

Ministry of National Defense Spokesman Yu Sy-tue (訒佷逌) said Chen's performances has nothing to do with military affairs.

"It is my understanding that she is not involved in any military-related activity during her time in Taiwan. She simply came for the concert, a cultural activity," Yu said.
　

Chen, Wu families plead for leniency from the High Court
　

By Shelley Huang
STAFF REPORTER
Saturday, Oct 31, 2009, Page 3

Former president Chen Shui-bian’s (陳水扁) son Chen Chih-chung (陳致中) and daughter-in-law Huang Jui-ching (黃睿靚) yesterday said in court that they hoped the High Court would reduce their prison sentences and fines.

Taiwan High Court yesterday summoned the couple for a pre-trial hearing. The two maintained their stance of confessing to the charges against them in hopes of attaining leniency. The case is currently in its second review.

On Sept. 11, Chen Chih-chung, convicted in the first instance by the Taipei District Court of money laundering, was sentenced to two years and six months, as well as a fine of NT$150 million (US$4.6 million), for helping his parents wire money to overseas bank accounts.

Chen Chih-chung’s wife was sentenced to one year and eight months and fined NT$150 million on money laundering charges.

During the hearing, Chen Chih-chung said although he still pled guilty to the charges, he believed the prison sentence and fines handed down by the Taipei District Court were too heavy.

Chen Chih-chung’s and Huang’s attorney Yeh Ta-hui (葉大慧) spoke on behalf of the couple, saying they were unable to afford the fines, as their overseas funds have been frozen by Swiss authorities. He said he hoped the High Court would consider a lighter sentence for the two since their crimes were committed because of immediate family members.

Some of former first lady Wu Shu-jen’s (吳淑珍) family members who had been involved in the money laundering case also pleaded guilty and asked for more lenient sentences.

Wu’s brother Wu Ching-mao (吳景茂) told the court he hoped the High Court would reduce by half the fines handed down to him and his wife.

Wu Ching-mao and his wife, Chen Chun-ying (陳俊英), who pleaded guilty to helping the former first lady launder money through overseas accounts, were each sentenced to two years in prison, five years’ probation and a fine of NT$3 million.

DPP blocks legislature on beef imports
　

PARALYSIS: With 40 bills on the agenda for the plenary session, DPP lawmakers occupied the speaker’s podium, which makes it impossible for the chamber to proceed

By Flora Wang
STAFF REPORTER
Saturday, Oct 31, 2009, Page 3
　

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators yesterday paralyzed the legislature’s plenary session to demand new negotiations with the US over the government’s agreement to relax US beef import regulations.

The Legislative Yuan had scheduled 40 bills for the plenary session for yesterday and Tuesday, including a vote on the Executive Yuan’s nominees for the Central Election Commission.

DPP lawmakers occupied the speaker’s podium after the legislature’s state affairs forum ended early yesterday morning, stacking the podium with posters that read “Rescind the agreement and renegotiate [imports]” and “Immediately amend laws to ban cow’s internal organs and ground beef from mad-cow disease areas.”

The DPP’s boycott made it impossible for the legislature to proceed with the agenda.

DPP caucus deputy secretary-general Huang Wei-cher (黃偉哲) told the press that the DPP needed “to do something” in response to the US beef controversy because the public had reacted “very negatively to the government’s relaxation” of US beef imports.

DPP Policy Research Committee head Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) threatened to boycott the review of the central government’s fiscal budget request for next year as well, should the government refuse to renegotiate the matter with Washington.

President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) on Thursday rejected the ­possibility of renegotiation while arguing that the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) administration had been more cautious than the former DPP administration in relaxing restrictions on US beef products.

Ma said launching a renegotiation of the pact would seriously undermine Taiwan’s credibility.

Under the terms of the protocol, US bone-in beef, ground beef, cow intestines, brains, spinal cords and processed beef from cattle younger than 30 months that have not been contaminated with “specific risk materials” (SRM) will be allowed into Taiwan starting on Nov. 10.

SRMs are defined in the protocol as the brain, skull, eyes, trigeminal ganglia, spinal cord, vertebral column and dorsal root ganglia of cattle 30 months of age and older, or the tonsils and the distal ileum of the small intestine from all cattle.

At present, the government only allows imports of US boneless beef from cattle younger than 30 months that contain no SRMs. DPP caucus whip Wang Sing-nan (王幸男) yesterday said the DPP caucus might file an application for a constitutional interpretation on whether the beef agreement should clear the legislative floor before it takes effect.

Wang said the pact should be subject to legislative review if it were considered a treaty between Taiwan and the US, in accordance with constitutional interpretation No. 329 handed down by the Council of Grand Justices.

KMT caucus secretary-general Lu Hsueh-chang (呂學樟), however, said the pact should be designated as an international protocol, or administrative order, which does not need to be submitted to the legislature for review. Lu suggested the Executive Yuan still refer to the agreement to the legislature for “reference.”

In accordance with the Act Governing Legislators’ Exercise of Power (立法院職權行使法), if lawmakers have doubts about the content of the pact, the legislature can then decide whether to ­subject the pact to a review, Lu said.

He added that the legislature might rule after the review to tell the government to “correct” the content or to “annul” the pact.

At a separate setting yesterday, Premier Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) said he “respected” the DPP caucus’ plan to file a constitutional interpretation, but said the DPP had failed in its intention to file a petition for a constitutional interpretation in the past because of a lack of votes or support from other parties to sustain its motions.

The Constitution requires ­support from one-fourth of the 113-seat legislature to file a request. The DPP holds 28 seats, the KMT holds 76 and the Non-­Partisan Solidarity Union holds five. The DPP is one seat short of the threshold.

Meanwhile, the DPP yesterday also attacked Department of Health Minister Yaung Chih-­liang (楊志良) for saying that those whose health was affected by US beef would be entitled to seek national compensation.

The government has no business making promises that it could not keep just to quell public angst over US beef, DPP spokesman Tsai Chih-chang (蔡其昌) said.

“Waiting to suspend imports ­until a case of BSE is detected in Taiwan would be too late,” Tsai said, adding that the incubation period for BSE could be up to 10 years.

“Given the fact that the incubation period could be a decade, how can the minister make such a promise when who knows where he will be in 10 years,” Tsai said. “Moreover, how would the government determine when and where the beef was consumed?”

Chen, Wu families plead for leniency from the High Court
　

By Shelley Huang
STAFF REPORTER
Saturday, Oct 31, 2009, Page 3

Former president Chen Shui-bian’s (陳水扁) son Chen Chih-chung (陳致中) and daughter-in-law Huang Jui-ching (黃睿靚) yesterday said in court that they hoped the High Court would reduce their prison sentences and fines.

Taiwan High Court yesterday summoned the couple for a pre-trial hearing. The two maintained their stance of confessing to the charges against them in hopes of attaining leniency. The case is currently in its second review.

On Sept. 11, Chen Chih-chung, convicted in the first instance by the Taipei District Court of money laundering, was sentenced to two years and six months, as well as a fine of NT$150 million (US$4.6 million), for helping his parents wire money to overseas bank accounts.

Chen Chih-chung’s wife was sentenced to one year and eight months and fined NT$150 million on money laundering charges.

During the hearing, Chen Chih-chung said although he still pled guilty to the charges, he believed the prison sentence and fines handed down by the Taipei District Court were too heavy.

Chen Chih-chung’s and Huang’s attorney Yeh Ta-hui (葉大慧) spoke on behalf of the couple, saying they were unable to afford the fines, as their overseas funds have been frozen by Swiss authorities. He said he hoped the High Court would consider a lighter sentence for the two since their crimes were committed because of immediate family members.

Some of former first lady Wu Shu-jen’s (吳淑珍) family members who had been involved in the money laundering case also pleaded guilty and asked for more lenient sentences.

Wu’s brother Wu Ching-mao (吳景茂) told the court he hoped the High Court would reduce by half the fines handed down to him and his wife.

Wu Ching-mao and his wife, Chen Chun-ying (陳俊英), who pleaded guilty to helping the former first lady launder money through overseas accounts, were each sentenced to two years in prison, five years’ probation and a fine of NT$3 million.

In dreams begin responsi-beef-ities
　

By Johnny Neihu 強尼內湖
Saturday, Oct 31, 2009, Page 8

I’ve just returned from one of my favorite activities: speeding through Taiwan’s streets on a scooter while chewing on bone-in US beef (and rare, thanks — I like it bloody).

You see, I like to live on the wild side. I’m a risk-taker.

Now that I’ve wiped some steak juice off my chin, I can get down to the serious business of writing this column.

Yes, the brouhaha of the week was over Uncle Sam’s “mad cow special” beef. The administration of President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) went ahead and lifted some restrictions on US beef imports, much to the delight of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), the de facto US imperial outpost — er, embassy — here.

But then came the “American beef storm” (meiguo niu fengbao, 美國牛風暴), as the media here put it.

To Taiwan’s media, everything’s a “storm” or some other natural disaster of some sort — be it the “financial tsunami,” the “baseball game-fixing storm” or a real typhoon storm-storm. If the Watergate scandal had happened in Taiwan, it would be called “Watergate storm.”

So why is it raining prime US fillet? The legislature is mad that it wasn’t consulted. Opportunists say Ma’s not standing up for Taiwan’s interests, instead caving into pressure from its American dage (大哥).

And some people will just seize on any old chance to wear a cow mask and scream outside the legislature.

To be fair, some shoppers interviewed on local TV appear genuinely afraid of the stuff.

AIT’s new boss, William Stanton, attempted to calm those fears, but his attempts were, er, ham-handed (beef-fisted?). According to the Central News Agency (CNA), he said recently that the US and Taiwan should “get over the hurdle of beef.” Now there’s a vivid image.

What about “Taiwan’s making a beef-mountain out of a beef-hill?” or “We must together, hand in hand, bravely bridge the great beef divide.” Or go all Ronald Reagan: “Mr Ma, tear down this beef wall!”

Now that the Great Barrier Beef has been torn down, Taiwan’s once again a prime US meat market. And that means we’re open for all kinds of other goodies, including the stuff with bones, intestines (is this really such a big seller?) and ... spinal nerve roots?

Yes that’s right, at least according to CNA: “In 2006, the [Department of Health] agreed to allow beef imports once again, but only boneless beef from cattle younger than 30 months, produced by certified slaughterhouses and without any risky parts, such as brains, skulls, eyes, spinal nerve roots, tonsils and small intestines.”

At last — my beloved spinal-nerve-root-on-a-stick can make a comeback at the night market, right next to the pig’s-blood cake. Drool.

Stanton insists there’s no need to fear, no matter how revolting such beef products might sound. Why? Because, he says, eating US beef is safer than riding a scooter.

Has this guy ever been on a scooter in Taipei? Does he realize it’s one of the most dangerous things you can do in town aside from BASE-jumping from Taipei 101?

Seriously, if one of those little blue trucks doesn’t run you over, you’ll be blindsided by the clueless 17-year-old in a pink Hello Kitty helmet careening in from a side road without so much as a glance in the mirror while tunelessly humming a Jolin Tsai (蔡依林) hit that’s playing on his or her iPod.

The China Post’s got the score: “Citing traffic statistics here, Stanton noted that riding scooters in Taiwan is much more dangerous than eating U.S. beef products, given the fact that 1,034 people died in motorcycle accidents in 2008 alone.”

That’s more of an argument for banning scooters than one for allowing US beef. Let’s get to work on getting these death machines off the road, for God’s sake.

But at least one constituency’s tickled pink by Taiwan’s decision, according to the Grand Island Independent: Nebraska beef producers — and the politicians they donate to. Why, these poor fellas have seen all their perfectly good, bone-in beef heartlessly shunned on Taiwan’s shores for nigh on six years.

I mean, what’s a little bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) between friends? And damn, I can’t even pronounce Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease, let alone be terrified by it.

Here’s one politician: “‘Exports remain a critical component to success in agriculture, and this is an important development for Nebraska and all U.S. beef producers,’ said Sen. Mike Johanns, R-Neb. ‘I appreciate the Taiwanese being willing to sit down together and come to this agreement. I look forward to bone-in beef from Nebraska being enjoyed at tables throughout Taiwan.’”

Sit down together? From what I can tell, President Ma didn’t so much as share a beef tonsil with any of his own party’s legislative caucus before charging ahead.

And as for the “Nebraska beef in every pot in Taiwan” dream, well, I think the senator’s head’s gone all funny after too much exposure to chemical fertilizer and manure (the real stuff, and the political kind). Ubiquitous hotpot beef is about as far-fetched as “stinky tofu at tables throughout Nebraska.”

But there’s more work to be done, said Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson: “The government of Taiwan’s decision to drop its ban on 30-month bone-in beef is a welcome next step as we work to eliminate restrictions on beef over 30 months in negotiations to come.”

What, next we’ve got to let in bony geezer beef too?

The paper says the deal allowing imports of bone-in beef from kiddie cattle less than 30 months old will take effect this Monday, pending a “public review” in Taiwan.

That’s a nice way of putting it. The US beef storm has already eclipsed the other scandal of the week, which also involves a US import and which is too depressing even to poke much fun at.

I’m talking about the latest game-fixing scandal to hit the Chinese Professional Baseball League, of course. Eight players named as suspects … including some from the Brother Elephants ... players willingly throwing games for cold cash ...

I’m so upset, I can’t even eat a spinal nerve root.

Got something to tell Johnny? Get it off your chest: Write to dearjohnny@taipeitimes.com, but put “Dear Johnny” in the subject line or he’ll mark your bouquets and brickbats as spam.

KMT assets lend Ma a brand new nickname
　

By Jerome Keating
Saturday, Oct 31, 2009, Page 8

The word “fence” has different meanings. As a noun, it can denote a barrier or divider. Robert Frost has the well-known line, “Good fences make good neighbors,” in his poem Mending Wall. The verb “to fence” describes a sport of swordsmanship where opponents use blunted foils, epees or sabers to register hits on each other.

But there is third, and totally different, meaning. “Fence” can also describe a person who receives and sells stolen goods or who acts as a conduit for stolen goods; this is the meaning that Taiwanese need to become aware of, because it concerns their president.

In the world of crime, thieves often steal things not for their personal use but for the profit from resale value. An art thief will steal famous works of art not because he has a taste for art, but because he knows private collectors will secretly pay good money for them. Diamond thieves steal diamonds and jewelry not because they have a flair for wearing jewelry but again because these items have a high resale value. Even petty thieves who want quick cash will steal lesser items if the items are in high enough demand to secure a quick resale.

To accomplish and profit from these actions, the thieves need a fence. In such transactions, the fence makes a handsome commission from the sale price of the stolen goods; the thief, while not getting market value for the stolen goods, still makes a sizeable profit. The buyer profits because he gets the stolen item for less than the normal market value. The only one who loses is the person whose property is stolen.

This poses an interesting ethical question: Whose crime is worse, that of the thief, that of the fence or that of the buyer if he or she knows the purchase involves stolen goods?

When the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) came to Taiwan, it took over not only the nation’s assets but even the private property of individuals. These are what are often referred to in matters of transitional justice as the “stolen state assets” — though the personal assets of families should also be included in these crimes. With the KMT running a party-state, some of these assets went directly to KMT members and families while others benefited the party as a whole.

How many homes did dictator Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石) possess? Which KMT families got hold of ready-made businesses? With KMT control of the National Assembly, the Legislative Yuan and the courts for nearly a half a century, the paper trail for such thievery has been destroyed and/or buried.

Further, under martial law, anyone who challenged such theft would end up dead, in prison or, at a minimum, helpless with no recourse to the courts. As a result the KMT became — and remains — one of the richest political parties in the world.

Transitional justice has never been served in Taiwan. Yet there is more. Surprisingly, some assets are still in the hands of the KMT. This is where President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), the current chairman of the KMT, comes in.

Ma professes that in the name of cleaning up the party’s image, he is going to divest the party of these assets and sell them off. All well and good, except for one catch: The KMT will keep the money from the process and use it to pay for the pensions of its members and various debts. This, again, is Ma doublespeak.

Can Taiwanese not see that the remainder of their stolen goods are being fenced? Transitional justice has not been served, yet Ma hopes to finally bury the whole matter of stolen assets through a simple action.

Ma has already earned a variety of nasty nicknames. Now he is working on yet another: The Fence.

When will it end?

Jerome Keating is a writer based in Taipei.