Taiwan business fugitive expelled from Singapore

TAIPEI, Feb 2 (Reuters) The high-profile head of a Taiwan conglomerate, wanted on suspicion of stealing from his group in a headline-gripping case at home, was detained for most of today in Singapore, officials said.

Wang You-theng, chairman of the Rebar Asia Pacific Group, and his wife were stopped in the airport transit area, a Taiwan Ministry of Justice investigation bureau agent said.

Wang was transiting from the United States en route to Myanmar when he was stopped, and Taiwan -- which has no formal extradition treaty with Singapore -- asked Singapore to send him home to face arrest, she said.

But the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority found that Wang's travel document was ''not in order'', said spokeswoman Lim Jing Jing, and he would be put on a flight back the United States.

''In accordance with normal procedure for such cases, the (authority) is putting Wang on a flight returning him to his last port of embarkation,'' Lim said.

Taiwan media reported that Wang had boarded a 4 pm (1330 IST) flight bound for the United States, but Singapore officials would not confirm the reports.

Wang and his wife fled to China around New Year's Day shortly after two of his group's listed units said they would reorganise following years of mounting debts and heavy losses, local media reported. Depositors raced to withdraw funds from a bank also owned by the group, leading to a government takeover.

Taiwan authorities believe Wang left China for the United States on January 13. Two days later, Taipei prosecutors issued an arrest warrant following an appeal from Taiwan Premier Su Tseng-chang.

The charges against him stem from allegations of improper business practices within his group.

In custody at Singapore airport, Wang asked authorities not to return him to Taiwan, the agent in Taipei said.

''Mr Wang is very persistent,'' she said. ''He knows if he comes back he'll be caught. He doesn't want to get on a plane.'' REUTERS AB HS1657