http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/local/taipei/2009/07/22/217206/Guards-penalized.htm
Guards penalized for security breach at Presidential Office in Ma's absence
TAIPEI, Taiwan -- The issue of President Ma Ying-jeou's personal safety has come under public scrutiny following news reports yesterday that an unidentified woman had intruded into the Presidential Office building recently.
Ma, who was out of the country on a Central American tour on the day of the intrusion, immediately called a meeting upon his return to get to the bottom of the matter and instructed that those responsible for the security lapse be penalized, Presidential Office Spokesman Tony Wang told a news conference.
The woman, surnamed Tsang, broke into the Presidential Palace on June 30, then wandered around for half an hour before being discovered by guards, Wang said.
Eight security guards who were on duty at the office June 30 were penalized after they admitted to dereliction of duty, and their superiors also received various levels of demerits, he said.
The case has highlighted the need to maintain sharp vigilance at the building, according to Wang.
"The incident serves as a warning that security at the Presidential Office needs to be bolstered," he said.
Wang called a press conference this morning and actively brought up the issue of security within the Presidential Office. He points out that on June 30, around 7:34 a.m.; an unknown woman in her 40s was able to break into the Presidential Palace from Entrance 4 apparently by following a group of construction workers.
Meanwhile, the guards on duty remained oblivious to the trespassing stranger. The woman proceeded to travel to the National Security Council on the 5th floor via the elevator of the building. She was eventually led away by security, but by then she had already been inside the Presidential Office for over half an hour.
She was discovered by the National Security Council due to her eccentric behavior. She continuously asked for directions to the "advisory office", which was not located within the Presidential Palace. Her peculiar behavior led the NSC to call for security; the woman was then brought downstairs to be held under temporary arrest, and was released at 8:10 a.m.
As it turns out the woman has been frequently sending letters of appeal to the Presidential Palace ever since 1996; from 1996 till now, her letters have amounted up to 65.
Due to the fact that the content of her pleas are often illogical and lack coherency, most of them were unable to be resolved. The security division accessed that the woman probably did not constitute any threat to national security.
During the trespassing incident, President Ma Ying-jeou was on a diplomatic trip to visit countries in Central America; according to Tony Wang, the President was informed of the break-in shortly after his return to the country.
Guards penalized for security breach at Presidential Office in Ma's absence
TAIPEI, Taiwan -- The issue of President Ma Ying-jeou's personal safety has come under public scrutiny following news reports yesterday that an unidentified woman had intruded into the Presidential Office building recently.
Ma, who was out of the country on a Central American tour on the day of the intrusion, immediately called a meeting upon his return to get to the bottom of the matter and instructed that those responsible for the security lapse be penalized, Presidential Office Spokesman Tony Wang told a news conference.
The woman, surnamed Tsang, broke into the Presidential Palace on June 30, then wandered around for half an hour before being discovered by guards, Wang said.
Eight security guards who were on duty at the office June 30 were penalized after they admitted to dereliction of duty, and their superiors also received various levels of demerits, he said.
The case has highlighted the need to maintain sharp vigilance at the building, according to Wang.
"The incident serves as a warning that security at the Presidential Office needs to be bolstered," he said.
Wang called a press conference this morning and actively brought up the issue of security within the Presidential Office. He points out that on June 30, around 7:34 a.m.; an unknown woman in her 40s was able to break into the Presidential Palace from Entrance 4 apparently by following a group of construction workers.
Meanwhile, the guards on duty remained oblivious to the trespassing stranger. The woman proceeded to travel to the National Security Council on the 5th floor via the elevator of the building. She was eventually led away by security, but by then she had already been inside the Presidential Office for over half an hour.
She was discovered by the National Security Council due to her eccentric behavior. She continuously asked for directions to the "advisory office", which was not located within the Presidential Palace. Her peculiar behavior led the NSC to call for security; the woman was then brought downstairs to be held under temporary arrest, and was released at 8:10 a.m.
As it turns out the woman has been frequently sending letters of appeal to the Presidential Palace ever since 1996; from 1996 till now, her letters have amounted up to 65.
Due to the fact that the content of her pleas are often illogical and lack coherency, most of them were unable to be resolved. The security division accessed that the woman probably did not constitute any threat to national security.
During the trespassing incident, President Ma Ying-jeou was on a diplomatic trip to visit countries in Central America; according to Tony Wang, the President was informed of the break-in shortly after his return to the country.
