Lawmaker Wong sues magazine for libel

Legislator, Wong Chun-chun, had his attorney, Chen Wu-hsiung, file a libel complaint with the Taipei District Prosecutors Office against Next magazine.

Chen cited the ruling Kuomintang (KMT) legislator as maintaining that he is not running into debt, and he is currently in the United States (U.S.) as a visiting scholar to a university in Iowa.

Next claimed that Wong borrowed NT$500 million for his lost campaign for Chiayi County magistrate seat and he left Taiwan in order to avoid the debts.

The magazine also claimed that Wong had closed his voter service office in Chiayi.

But his attorney said operation of the office remains normal.

His family also produced a Foreign Ministry document to prove that the legislator is on a scholarly visit in the U.S. between Dec. 28, 2009 and April 30, 2010.

But Chen said Wong will return to Taiwan when the Legislature resumes after the winter break.

Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng also dismissed the Next report as "nonsense."

The parliament leader said he does not know whether Wong has run into heavy debt, but suggested that the lawmaker is probably only on a short study trip.

The United Evening News cited an unnamed aide of Wong's as saying that the lawmaker did receive a heavy blow after losing a second time in his bid for the Chiayi County's top post.

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