Taiwan's Justice Ministry has slapped a NT$104 million (HK$23.9 million) fine for unfair business practices on a company whose former vice-president is President Ma Ying-jeou's eldest sister.
'Major relatives of any government officials are not allowed to do profit-making business with the government departments or organisations served or supervised by the officials, because it is a conflict of interest,' Kuan Kao-yueh, the ministry's director of the disciplinary department, said yesterday.
Ma Yi-nan served as vice-president of Taipei-based China Chemical Pharmaceutical Co and was a board member of its subsidiary firm, Chunghwa Yuming Healthcare.
She quit both jobs after her brother became president on May 20.
Mr Kuan said the two firms had obtained the contracts supplying NT$104 million worth of drugs to Taipei Municipal Hospital during the time Mr Ma was Taipei's mayor between 1998 and 2006. As Ms Ma is the eldest sister of Mr Ma, the deal violated the regulations governing conflict of interest involving government officials.
The company said it would appeal.