TV dispute 'an abuse of power'
Taiwan's opposition Kuomintang yesterday accused the government of President Chen Shui-bian of abusing its power by refusing to renew the licence of a television station owned by the party.
The accusation came after Lin Chia-lung, the new director of the Government Information Office, rejected an application for a two-year business licence for China Television, which is 60 per cent owned by the KMT.
'If it is not political suppression, then what is it?' asked KMT secretary-general Lin Feng-cheng. The station's licence expires at the end of this month.
Lin Chia-lung said under new regulations political parties must divest their stakes in television stations by the end of next year.
He said the station's application was rejected because the station did not explain how the KMT would withdraw from the company.
He said that if the station did not submit an explanation by the end of the month, it would be given only a three-month licence.
KMT spokesman Kuo Su-chun said the party would sell its stake before the deadline.
