The Public Affairs Department of the Presidential Office today strongly condemned those people who recently used the news media and internet to maliciously spread a false rumor that President Lee Teng-hui is in poor health.
The Department said that President Lee has undergone general medical examinations on a regular basis, and the results of the examinations have always been made public by the President's medical team. All the checkups have shown that the President is in top physical condition, the Department added.
The Department cited as proof that President Lee's daily activities, such as receiving local and foreign visitors, making island-wide inspection tours, chairing meetings, giving speeches and addressing major events, etc., have been open to and widely covered by the media. These media reports have revealed the President to be clearly in good health.
In addition to the strong condemnation, the Public Affairs Department has asked the concerned government agencies to thoroughly investigate this false rumor which was spread repeatedly through the media, the internet and by word of mouth.
The Department particularly calls on those reporters and editors responsible for covering news on the President to double check their information sources before their reports go to press. It is both irresponsible and unethical for the media to report unverified stories based upon anonymous sources, the Department said.