Taiwan's KMT chairman to resign if charged 
  (Xinhua)  Updated: 2006-11-17 14:28  
Ma Ying-jeou, chairman of Taiwan's Kuomintang Party (KMT), has announced he 
will disclose his assets soon and resign if faced with charges on the use of 
government fund. 
  Ma told local media Friday that he would make public 
his financial situation in the next official report of his assets to the 
government. 
  If faced with charges on the alleged misuse of a special 
government fund, he would resign from his posts as the KMT chairman and mayor of 
Taipei, he said. 
  Lawmakers of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party 
have accused Ma of misusing 340,000 New Taiwan dollars (10,300 U.S. dollars) 
from a special monthly fund. 
  He was questioned on Tuesday by local 
prosecutors, and later said he had helped "explain things and help clarify the 
matter". 
  Prosecutors said he was not being treated as a suspect or 
defendant and the questions were "routine". 
  A media investigation 
alleged a clerk in the Taipei mayor's office improperly filed receipts for use 
of the special fund, resulting in unbalanced accounts. 
  Ma expressed his 
deep regret on Wednesday, saying he felt ashamed and sorry to see this happen 
during his term of office. 
  But he also described it as an administrative 
fault, and not corruption, insisting that he was completely unaware and did not 
personally profit from it. 
  Jason C. Hu, mayor of Taichung City, said 
earlier that Ma was always very careful and it was unlikely he was involved in 
embezzlement. 
  A recent poll conducted by Taiwan's United Daily News 
showed the popularity of Ma rose to 56 percent from 53 percent in mid-September. 
About 58 percent of interviewees believed Ma was honest and 65 percent said he 
had no need to resign. 
  The Ma probe came just days after Taiwan leader 
Chen Shui-bian's wife and his aids were indicted for allegedly embezzling 14.8 
million New Taiwan dollars (448,500 U.S. dollars) of a secret office fund. 
  Prosecutors claimed to have evidence to indict Chen on charges of graft 
and forgery of documents in connection with the fund, but as Taiwan leader he is 
immune from criminal charges and a formal indictment against him will have to 
await the end of his term in 2008.
 
   
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
  
	 | 
 
	
 
 
 
 
 | Most Commented/Read Stories in 48 Hours | 
  
  
   | 
  
 
 
 
 
   | 
  
  
 |