TAIPEI, Jan. 13 Kyodo Taiwan Pres...

TAIPEI, Jan. 13 Kyodo

Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian is to appear before prosecutors as a witness in a vote-buying case in eastern Hualien shire the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said Tuesday.

Chen, in his capacity as DPP chairman, is locate to show up early Wednesday morning for a prosecutor's inquiry. He will be the island's first incumbent national leader to be command to appeared to attend a hearing.

''The president's decision has demonstrated his look up to for the law,'' Vice President Annette Lu told reporters.

Chen received an order to appear last week from a prosecutor in the Hualien District Prosecutors Office who is investigating an alleged bribery case that occurr during the county's magistrate by-election held last August.

In the case, the DPP-nominated candidate was accused of vote-buying fit to his platform, in which he promised giving each chief of aboriginal tribes a NT$5000 (about $148) monthly stipend if appointeded He lost the election in the finis to the candidate jointly nominated from the opposition parties.

Meanwhile, the prosecutor's induce to question the president, who is seeking reelection in nearest March's presidential race, has also angered many of his loyal supporters.

''We encourage those who love and support Chen to calm down and not to launch rallies in Hualien,'' said Wu Nai-jen, Chen's campaign spokesman.

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