Ma Ying-jeou, chairman of Taiwan's Kuomintang Party, was questioned on Tuesday by local prosecutors on the alleged misuse of a special government fund, according to local media.

Ma, also mayor of Taipei City, spoke with the prosecutors in their office Tuesday morning, which he said was to "explain things and help clarify the matter".

"Lawmakers" of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party accused Ma of misusing 340,000 New Taiwan dollars (about 10,300 U.S. dollars) from a special monthly fund.

Ma was not treated as a suspect or defendant and the talk was a routine interrogation, according to the prosecutors.

Jason C. Hu, mayor of Taichung City, said Ma was always very careful and it was impossible for him to be involved in embezzlement.

The Ma probe came 11 days after Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian's wife and his aids were indicted for allegedly embezzling 14.8 million New Taiwan dollars (about 448,500 U.S. dollars) of a secret office fund.

The prosecutors have also found evidence to indict Chen on charges of graft and forgery of documents in connection with the secret fund, but as Taiwan leader he is immune from criminal charges and a formal indictment against him will have to await the end of his term in 2008.

Source: Xinhua