Opposition lawmakers yesterday continued to delay the approval of a NT$26.31 billion reserve fund for Taiwan's earthquake reconstruction, demanding the government clearly state the intended uses for the money.
Lawmakers have insinuated that the money could be used by the government as a "pork barrel" in the year-end elections.
"We demand that the Executive Yuan give us a detailed report on the spending of this NT$26.31 billion.
"Otherwise legislators will still be against it and the review process will not begin," said KMT caucus whip Cheng Yung-chin (鄭永金).
The legislature is set to reconsider whether to start reviewing the fiscal 2001 special budget for post-earthquake reconstruction. The review is scheduled for Tuesday.
The NT$100 billion special budget bill presented by the Executive Yuan needs to be referred to the legislature's Budget and Final Accounts Committee before substantive review of the bill can start.
On Thursday, the legislature shelved the bill, after opposition lawmakers expressed strong disapproval of the NT$26.31 billion reserve fund yet to be specifically allocated.
Premier Chang Chun-hsiung (
The opposition lawmakers argued that since this is a special budget, every single expense should be earmarked for specific purposes.
The Procedure Committee has decided that the legislature will consider again on Tuesday whether to let the bill proceed to the Budget and Final Accounts Committee.
DPP politicians yesterday said the opposition is antagonizing the DPP government deliberately by putting off the bill.
* NT$1.47 billion for general administrative spending
* NT$3.04 billion toward social welfare spending
* NT$7.76 billion is to be spent on education, science and cultural projects
* NT$17.95 billion is to be spent on economic development projects
* NT$43.48 billion is slated for community development and environmental protection spending
* NT$26.31 billion has been earmarked as 'general subsidies and other spending'
Source: Taipei Times
They said the opposition should let the review process start even if they have different opinions about the budget or intend to make any adjustments.
"The opposition lawmakers can always strictly monitor the reconstruction budget, but they shouldn't have rejected the bill and sacrificed the benefits to earthquake victims," said DPP legislator Tsai Huang-liang (
Tsai pointed out that the special budget concerns all projects that are most anticipated by the victims, which include mudslide prevention, community redevelopment, interest subsidies for housing loans and a preferential fund for industrial development.
Liao Yung-lai (
"It's unbearable that the special budget and the rights of the victims have become a political bargaining chip for the opposition to threaten the government," Liao said.
Meanwhile, Liao was strongly dissatisfied with the allocation of the budget, in which Taichung County will only get NT$1.5 billion.
A total of 1,185 people were killed in Taichung County and tens of thousands of houses are awaiting to be rebuilt, Liao said.
"This amount can never meet local demand," Liao added.
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