Ma Ying-jeou Demands Investigation Results by May 27 Regarding Hsiao Hsu-tsen's Alleged Financial Misconduct

(CNA, Taipei, May 19, by reporter Liu Kuan-ting) The Ma Ying-jeou Foundation recently formed an investigation team to look into whether former aides Hsiao Hsu-tsen and Wang Kuang-tzu violated financial discipline. The foundation announced today that its chairman, Ma Ying-jeou, has decided to extend the deadline for the team to submit its findings from May 21 to May 27. If the team is still unable to produce a report by then, the foundation will hold a press conference to explain the full story. The Ma Ying-jeou Foundation had previously established the team to investigate former aide and KMT Vice Chairman Hsiao Hsu-tsen, as well as Wang Kuang-tzu, for potential financial misconduct. Ma called members of the investigation team on May 11 to inquire about their progress. Hsiao Hsu-tsen stated today that he hopes the report comes out soon, as he believes he has done nothing wrong and wants to be cleared. The Ma Ying-jeou Foundation issued a press release this afternoon stating, 'Regarding the inconsistent statements made yesterday by Lee De-wei, the spokesperson for the foundation's three-person investigation team, we hereby declare: Lee De-wei personally promised Ma Ying-jeou on May 15 that an investigation report could be submitted by May 21. He has now found another reason to say it cannot be completed on time. This breach of faith is regrettable.' The foundation stated that the three-person team's investigation has been ongoing for nearly two months. The foundation has repeatedly urged the team to thoroughly investigate the authenticity of evidence from three witnesses and related material evidence. However, the team has so far only interviewed the three witnesses and additionally questioned CEO Tai Hsia-ling. The questions raised during the interviews were largely unrelated to the evidence provided by the foundation and mostly revolved around Ma Ying-jeou's health. The foundation noted that because the convener of the investigation team, Shyue Shang-Chuan, informed the foundation yesterday that the investigation was nearing its end and hoped for a little more time, and with Hsiao Hsu-tsen also calling today for the report's swift completion, Ma Ying-jeou believes the investigation should not be intentionally delayed with various excuses and should be completed as soon as possible. Therefore, he decided to extend the deadline from May 21 to May 27. The Ma Ying-jeou Foundation emphasized that if the investigation team still uses excuses to delay and fails to submit a report by then, Ma Ying-jeou will entrust CEO Tai Hsia-ling, accompanied by the foundation's lawyers, accountants, and former National Security Council Secretary-General King Pu-tsung who assisted in the investigation, to hold a press conference. They will detail the entire sequence of events and all related facts to bring the truth to light and ensure public trust. (Editors: Su Lung-chi, Lin Hsing-meng) 1150519