Prosecutors raid independent lawmaker May Chin's office

Taipei, Feb. 10 (CNA) Prosecutors on Tuesday searched the office of independent lawmaker Kao Chin Su-mei (高金素梅), also known as May Chin, on suspicion of misappropriating salary payments to her aides.

Under the direction of the Taipei District Prosecutors Office, agents from the Investigation Bureau raided Kao's legislative office and summoned her for questioning Tuesday morning.

Kao, who often collaborates with the opposition Kuomintang and Taiwan People's Party, is accused of misappropriating her aides' salary payments -- an offense under the Anti-Corruption Act.

The prosecutor's office said it had no further comment at the moment.

The search came after the opposition-controlled Legislature passed a legal revision last month giving lawmakers more leeway to set aides' salaries using Legislature-issued "subsidies." Under the previous system, the Legislature budgeted a fixed annual amount for each aide's salary and office operations.

Lawmakers from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party criticized the amendment, saying it was intended to decriminalize misappropriation of aides' wages and could encourage embezzlement.