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Ma lauds MND's probe on corruption
SCANDAL-LESS: President Ma Ying-jeou praised the military
after the findings of a year-long investigation largely cleared the military of
bribery and corruption
By Mo Yan-chih
STAFF REPORTER
Saturday, Apr 10, 2010, Page 1
President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday praised the Ministry of National
Defense's (MND) investigations into bribery and corruption allegations against
military personnel over the past year, and promised to apply high standards and
demand integrity from the military.
The ministry set up a commission in April last year to probe promotion bribery
scandals and corruption cases that have haunted the military. The findings of
the investigation were presented on Thursday and indicated that no generals were
involved in paying bribes for promotion or accepted any bribes.
Ma yesterday praised the ministry for its thorough investigation of more than
4,000 military personnel, including 910 current and retired senior officials,
and apologized to those who were found innocent in the investigation.
“I want to give my regards to high-ranking officers who, through this
investigation, have been shown to be innocent. They might have felt
uncomfortable during the process, but it's worth the sacrifice to show that the
military is innocent and honorable,” Ma told a press conference at the
Presidential Office to mark the first anniversary of the military's
anti-corruption campaign.
Ma said he instructed the ministry to report to him on the investigation every
month.
He added that efforts to ensure the integrity of the military would continue,
and called on the public to report any information they might have on bribery or
corruption cases to the authorities.
Minister of National Defense Kao Hua-chu (高華柱), Justice Minister Tseng Yung-fu
(曾勇夫) and National Security Bureau Director Tsai Der-sheng (蔡得勝) also attended
the press conference.
The investigation was launched last year following a series of alleged military
scandals, including accusations that several high-ranking officers secured
promotions after they offered bribes.
Chang Shan-dong (張善東), a leading military inspector, said the ministry reviewed
the promotions of 910 officials from the rank of general or flag officers,
including some who had already retired.
Among them, 124 have been referred to an ad hoc investigation team for further
scrutiny because of irregularities in their promotions.
Among the accused military officials, former lieutenant-general Yuan Hsiao-lung
(袁肖龍) was indicted by Banciao District Prosecutors’ Office last year, along with
11 businessmen, on charges of bribery and blackmail.
Former chief of general staff Huo Shou-yeh (霍守業) was accused of accepting bribes
from Yuan.
The report said since Yuan did not receive a promotion, it was not a case of
securing a promotion in exchange for a bribe.
Ma yesterday declined to take any questions from the press at the conference.
Presidential Office spokesman Lo Chih-chiang (羅智強) later dismissed concerns that
the investigation results were to protect military personnel from scandals.
At another meeting yesterday on the legislature's Judiciary and Organic Laws and
Statutes Committee, Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘)
said the results showed the report was “just a show” by Ma instead of a real
solution to the problem.
“He didn’t address the real issue. Instead, all the report did was try and give
his image a boost in the face of lagging opinion polls,” he said.
Ker also questioned the tactics used to conduct the investigation, saying that
it “cast doubt on the ability of our army.”
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