Sun, Jan 24, 2010 - Page 1 News List

KMT’s King supports legislative guards

PROTECTION FROM THEMSELVESThe KMT secretary-general said a proposal to have special guards inside the legislature had come from a member of the party’s think tank

By Mo Yan-chih and Shih Hsiu-chuan  /  STAFF REPORTERS

Wang, however, said he would be happy to see a statutory rule allowing the use of police power on the legislative floor, saying that it could be used “just in case.”

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Wang dismissed speculation by the DPP that King proposed the idea to weaken his power as speaker, saying those who suggested so “have an overzealous imagination.”

Approached by reporters in Nantou County, Wu said the proposal was “based on good intentions” and “had nothing to do with authoritarianism” as alleged by the DPP.

Wu said that he respected the legislature’s position on whether to implement the system.

“The precondition would be that lawmakers reach a consensus on this,” he said.

KMT Legislator Lo Shu-lei (羅淑蕾) agreed with Wang, saying that lawmakers should first deliberate an amendment to the Legislators’ Conduct Act (立法委員行為法) on the speaker’s rights to call in the police.

KMT legislative caucus whip Lu Hsueh-chang (呂學樟) said that the caucus was open to public discussion on the issue, but he preferred thorough debates on all controversial issues on the legislative floor rather than using police power in the process of legislation.

Later last night after a gathering between Ma and KMT lawmakers, KMT Legislator Chang Ching-chung (張慶忠) told reporters that Wang had given Ma and the legislators copies of a research paper on legislative law enforcement systems in various countries.

Ma did not give his opinion on the issue, Chang said.

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY STAFF WRITER

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