The Judicial Yuan’s Commission on the Disciplinary Sanctions of Functionaries yesterday concluded that former Government Information Office (GIO) minister Shieh Jhy-wey (謝志偉) did not improperly use public funds in promoting Taiwan’s UN entry.
In October 2007 and February 2008, Shieh, then GIO minister, requested a total of NT$86 million (US$2.7 million) from the Executive Yuan’s secondary reserve fund to promote the then-Democratic Progressive Party government’s campaign to apply for UN membership under the name “Taiwan.”
The Executive Yuan granted the GIO a total of NT$63 million.
APPLICATION
Claiming that Shieh’s application for the reserve funds did not meet any of the three circumstances set out in the Budget Act (預算法) for the use of such funds, the Control Yuan in February this year voted 10-2 to impeach Shieh for misappropriation of government funds. He was then referred to the Commission on the Disciplinary Sanctions of Functionaries
CENSURE
The Control Yuan also censured the Executive Yuan, the GIO, the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics and the Sports Affairs Council in the case.
Shieh said at the time that he did not do anything illegal in using public funds to promote greater awareness of the government’s policies both for people living in Taiwan and abroad.
Shieh added that he suspected there was political pressure behind the impeachment motion and panned the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) government for failing to deliver on its campaign pledge to seek the country’s “return to the UN.”
The commission yesterday ruled that the GIO’s application for reserve funds was in accordance with relevant regulations governed by the Budget Act. It did, however, say that it was difficult to make a clear determination as to whether the funds were used to promote government policy or party policy.
The commission concluded that Shieh would not be subject to further disciplinary action.
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