Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian has for the first time admitted
that he used other people's receipts as his own to write off
official expenses, and that his family accepted coupons from a
local businessman to shop at the Sogo department store, according
to Taiwan media reports.
Chen made the admission in Palau on Tuesday, but insisted he has
never been involved in illegal activities.
Palau, an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, is one of few
foreign countries with diplomatic ties with Taiwan.
Further, because certain activities could not be conducted via
Taiwan's "foreign affairs authorities", he used special diplomatic
funds to facilitate them, relying on receipts he had collected from
other people to write off the expenses.
Chen made the admission after having been badgered by
journalists. He insisted that all the money was used for public
purposes and none of the reimbursements went into his own
pocket.
Chen declined to say if he would step down as leader as a result
of this.
Earlier this year, local procurators discovered a large number
of receipts and Sogo shopping coupons.
In April, Chen's office declared that Chen would step down if he
were found guilty of financial malpractices.
Meanwhile, the local media and Taiwan people have urged Chen to
step down, several local newspapers describing him as a
"rascal".
(Xinhua News Agency September 7, 2006)