Ex-official urges Tzu Chi to investigate vaccine scam, calls for CEO resignation

Former Taiwanese official Chang Ching-sen has publicly called on the Tzu Chi Foundation to conduct a thorough internal review and establish an independent external investigation team following a significant scam where the foundation lost NT$1.06 billion (approximately $33 million USD) in an attempt to purchase BNT vaccines through private brokers.

Chang, who served as a minister without portfolio in the Executive Yuan, expressed his views on Facebook, stating that while external fraudsters are to blame, the foundation's internal processes may also have contributed to the vulnerability. He suggested that misjudgments, negligence, or even potential collusion within the organization could have facilitated the deception. "The risk of the Venerable Master being deceived becomes extremely high when she is advanced in age and surrounded by a decision-making culture that is highly closed off and not subject to external scrutiny," Chang wrote.

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The risk of the Venerable Master being deceived becomes extremely high when she is advanced in age and surrounded by a decision-making culture that is highly closed off and not subject to external scrutiny.

He urged Tzu Chi to undertake "self-purification," a concept rooted in Buddhist teachings that emphasizes introspection and cleansing. Chang proposed two concrete actions: the resignation of the CEO, Yen Po-wen, who holds the highest administrative responsibility, and the immediate formation of an independent external investigative body. This team, composed of legal, accounting, financial, and governance experts unaffiliated with Tzu Chi, would scrutinize the entire decision-making, contracting, payment, risk management, and oversight processes.

Chang stressed that the investigation should not only ask "Why were we deceived?" but also delve into "Why were we so easily deceived?" He called for an examination of who was responsible for oversight, who raised concerns, who approved the transactions, and whether there were any unusual financial flows, conflicts of interest, or internal-external collusion. "This is not about harming Tzu Chi, but about protecting Tzu Chi," he asserted, emphasizing that such measures are crucial for the long-term health and integrity of the large religious charity organization.

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This is not about harming Tzu Chi, but about protecting Tzu Chi.