Presidential spokesman says President Ma earned about 4.5 million NT after tax from his presidential salary last year.
Luo Zhi-qiang says according the financial statement that Ma filed to the Control Yuan, Ma and his wife Zho Mei-qing's bank savings in 2009 decreased by 900 thousand NT.
Luo says it means that Ma spent 5.4 million NT last year, mostly on living expenses and donations to various charities.
Luo points out that some of the donations were made publicly and some were done in an anonymous way.
His clarification came after local media reported that Ma spent at least 8 million NT out of his own pocket in 2009.
