Probe clears ex-Ma Ying-jeou Foundation employees of wrongdoing

Taipei, May 24 (CNA) An internal probe into two ex-employees at Ma Ying-jeou's (馬英九) foundation has found no evidence of financial wrongdoing, an investigation committee said Sunday.

In a statement, the committee said it had confirmed that the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation's former chief executive Hsiao Hsu-tsen (蕭旭岑), who also serves as vice chair of the Kuomintang (KMT), had not meddled in the foundation's finances.

It also confirmed that former foundation employee Wang Kuang-tzu (王光慈) had kept comprehensive accounting records and documentation in her role handling the organization's finances, the committee said.

The three-person committee said it had conducted the investigation via multiple meetings held over a month and three days, using foundation records and other internal documents sent to the foundation's board of directors on April 20.

Despite its best efforts, the investigation was "anything but smooth," the committee said, noting that it was unable to obtain complete records from the foundation or get all relevant individuals to sit for interviews.

For example, King Pu-tsung (金溥聰), a Ma associate and former secretary-general of the National Security Council, claimed to be authorized by Ma to handle the case of Hsiao and Wang's alleged breaches of financial discipline, but never presented a letter of authorization, the committee said.

Hsiao and Wang left their positions in late February amid allegations of a "power struggle" at the foundation, which was established in 2018 by Ma, the president of the Republic of China (Taiwan) from 2008 to 2016.

The non-profit organization aims to provide a platform for public policy discussion on issues such as youth development, culture and cross-strait relations. It also conducts policy research, forums and youth programs to "bring together perspectives from different generations and explore policy ideas," according to the foundation.

The committee's findings, however, did little to settle the escalating drama surrounding Ma in recent months.

In an interview with the Chinese-language newspaper United Daily News in late March, the former president said the departure of Hsiao and Wang involved alleged breaches of financial discipline, citing their frequent trips to China and interactions with Taiwanese businesspeople there.

Around the same time, Hsiao denied wrongdoing and said the controversy was a misunderstanding. He added that he had always reported matters to Ma during his tenure, but that Ma "had forgotten many things" -- a remark seen as implying that Ma suffered from dementia.

Following the release of the investigation results on Sunday, Hsiao thanked the committee for clearing his name.

He also blamed an unnamed individual -- understood to be King Pu-tsung -- for taking advantage of Ma's health issues "to attack me, attack the KMT and try to harm cross-strait relations."

Ma Ying-jeou, for his part, refused to accept the investigation results, saying there was a "large discrepancy" between the findings and the evidence the foundation possessed.

Ma said he would ask his new foundation chair, Tai Hsia-ling (戴遐齡), to hold a news conference to explain the situation to the public, while also filing a criminal complaint against Hsiao and Wang.

Ma health drama

The controversy at Ma's foundation has unfolded alongside rumors that the 75-year-old former president is suffering from dementia, which have recently spilled out into the open.

In a statement issued late Thursday, Ma's wife, Chow Mei-ching (周美青), said that in order to ensure Ma Ying-jeou's "future medical needs and care are properly arranged," she and other Ma family relatives had agreed to appoint Ma's sister, Ma Yi-nan (馬以南), as his "main executor," and, when necessary, to make statements on behalf of the family.

In the statement, Ma Yi-nan said the family hoped this would allow Ma to "truly retire and enjoy his remaining years, with all foundation affairs handed over to the board of directors."

According to media reports, Ma Yi-nan filed a request with the Taipei District Court to be made Ma Ying-jeou's court-appointed trustee, which would require her to sign off on any major financial or legal decisions made by Ma.

On Friday, Ma Ying-jeou issued a scathing response to his wife and sister, saying their statement had been issued without his approval and had left him "deeply shocked and regretful."

In the statement -- which was published as a handwritten letter, apparently to dispel doubts about Ma's soundness of mind -- Ma also said Ma Yi-nan "absolutely cannot" be in charge of his medical or other personal affairs.