Wang made the announcement after convening a meeting of Control Yuan members-designate July 6 to discuss pre-inauguration preparations and the body's future agenda.
The Control Yuan is the supreme government watchdog, performing a similar function to the Court of Auditors in the European Union and the Government Accountability Office in the United States.
However, due to political bickering, the Control Yuan has not functioned since its previous members completed their terms of office on Jan. 31, 2005. As a result, the supervisory body has a backlog of more than 32,000 cases awaiting investigation.
Wang said Control Yuan members had reached a consensus that they would prioritize probes into high-profile scandals involving senior officials of the former Democratic Progressive Party administration. Among other things, they will investigate a bungled attempt to establish diplomatic ties with Papua New Guinea.
"Impartiality will be our guiding principle," Wang pledged, adding that the Control Yuan, under his leadership, would supervise government operations without ideological or partisan prejudices.
Wang, former finance minister and a founding member of the New Party that broke away from the ruling Kuomintang, has dedicated himself to charity work in mainland China and Taiwan in recent years. The Legislative Yuan confirmed his June 20 nomination by President Ma Ying-jeou by a vote of 74-36 with one spoilt vote.
However, the Legislature rejected four Control Yuan nominees, including former DPP Legislator Shen Fu-hsiung, who was nominated to serve as Wang's deputy. Shen, an outspoken physician turned politician, received 51 "yes" votes, five votes shy of the simple majority required for his confirmation. Presidential Office spokesman Wang Yu-chi said Ma was not expected to nominate replacement candidates until the Legislature resumes in autumn.
By law, members of the Control Yuan are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Legislature. According to the ROC Constitution and its Additional Articles, the Control Yuan has the powers of impeachment, censure and audit. In addition, it may order errant government organizations or agencies to implement corrective measures.
Although it is a convention that the president of the Control Yuan does not carry out investigative work, he or she is not barred from doing so. During the review of his nomination in the Legislature, Wang stated his determination to reform the government watchdog, suggesting that he would assume investigative responsibilities provided he was not fully occupied with administrative tasks.
Write to Tso Lon-di at londi@mail.gio.gov.tw