Legislature rejects referendum bill

Legislators from the DPP, KMT and TSU celebrate the passage of legislation governing stipends for senior citizens yesterday. PHOTO: LUO PEI-TEH, TAIPEI TIMES

Efforts the TSU caucus to push through a second review of the referendum bill were voted down at the legislature yesterday.

Legislative Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) held an inter-party negotiation session on whether to force a legislative review of the draft, but parties failed to reach a consensus, setting the stage for a vote.

With the pan-blue and pan-green camps mobilizing their forces for the vote, the TSU proposal was rejected 98 to 110. At the green camp's insistence, a second vote was held, and the proposal was again turned down, 100 to 107.

The rejection of the draft bill means the legislature will not wrap up its handling of the referendum draft this session, which ends today.

In another inter-party negotiation, legislators moved to defer the review of proposed revisions to the Judicial Yuan Organization Law. The blue camp forced the delay, saying the judiciary is not ready for the changes.

The draft revisions were the result of a finding issued by the Council of Grand Justices on Oct. 5, 2001, that the Judicial Yuan structure violated the constitutional separation of powers and demanded the problem be rectified within two years.

Meanwhile, the legislature approved revisions to the statute on subsidies for senior citizens.

It also approved three disputed items yesterday afternoon: revisions to the National Security Council Organization Law (國家安全會議組織法修正草案), revisions to the special regulation on SARS and a special budgetary draft of NT$77.7 billion consisting of budget for public-service employment and another one for public construction projects.

The revised statute on seniors subsidies is expected to benefit 210,000 senior citizens as the revision will increase the eligibility of workers and farmers to receive a monthly NT$3,000 pension from the government. The measures go into effect on July 1.

Both the ruling and opposition camps endorsed the changes.

"We'd like to show our appreciation to the KMT and PFP for their help in securing the revision's approval. The passage ... expands the eligibility of laborers, who have made significant contributions to the country," said TSU legislative whip Chien Lin Whei-jun (錢林慧君).

Chien Lin, however, expressed her regret that "the grant could not be retroactive from January 2002 as was expected due to insufficient finances."

For separate legislation on the national pension plan, DPP Legislator Lai Ching-te (賴清德) encouraged the legislature to pass the draft. The legislation will not be reviewed this session.

Lai the pension plan would provide the country with more solid welfare for seniors.

KMT Chiang Yi-wen (江綺雯) praised the passage of the seniors plan, which she interpreted as a way for the country to show its respect for the elderly.

"The approval identified the country's fulfillment of its responsibility to give impartial care to the elderly while the country is aging," she said.

Also postponed was the review of revisions to the Statute Governing the Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (台灣地區與大陸地區人民關係條例).

The first-day legislative assembly made a final decision to postpone the review for proposed revisions to the statute since further negotiations were needed.

Still revision are a budget review for establishing a national human rights memorial hall and another 35 items requested by the TSU for the assembly's reconsideration.

A showdown is expected when the legislature wrestles with 50 items scheduled for review today.