KMT insists on pushing through coast guard plan

Despite wide-ranging doubts among party legislators over whether to establish a ministerial-level Coast Guard Administration (海?巡防總署) on schedule at the beginning of next year, the ruling KMT yesterday decided to maintain its stance to push ahead with the controversial plan to complete legislation of related laws during this legislative session.

KMT Policy Coordination Committee executive Hung Yu-ching (洪玉欽) said yesterday that the Coast Guard Administration plan is an urgent priority for the country, considering the rampant smuggling activities along the island's coastal areas.

"The situation will become worse if China sends intelligence agents to Taiwan under the guise of illegal migrants. It will greatly affect the social and national security of the island, especially as the presidential election is approaching," Hung said.

He made the remarks after a high-profile internal meeting of the KMT, which was also attended by Minister of National Defense Tang Fei (--?, Interior Minister Huang Chu-wen (黃主??, and National Police Administration director Ting Yuan-chin (?B-黺i).

Hung's remarks explained why the KMT is so insistent on seeing the new coastal administration become operational by next January 1.

One KMT official, who declined to be identified, said KMT Chairman and President Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) has made his wishes known to party members that he wants the administration to be set up on schedule against all possible challenges.

But during yesterday's internal party meeting to discuss the issue, KMT legislators expressed, one after another, their doubts about the establishment of the administration.

Hung Chao-nan (洪昭男) said many of the doubts centered on the difference in pay and compensation for work injuries or death among the three main sources of the future administration's personnel, the coast guard command of the military, the marine police under the National Police Administration and the customs office under the Ministry of Finance, Hung said.

"The problem of pay and compensation difference does not seem to be solvable before the operation of the administration," said Hung.

Lawmaker Chen Hsueh-sheng (3紋Кt) also questioned the necessity of establishing a new agency to handle anti-smuggling affairs, citing the fact that there are already units in charge of such affairs and they are doing a good job.

"During the meeting, Minister Tang quoted statistics of smuggling cases discovered over the past six years. But it seems that most of the cases have been cracked by the marine police," Chen said.

"If the marine police can handle the task so well, why is there the need for establishing a new agency with the same function?" he said.

Chen said he could not understand why the party's central branch is so determined to set the coast guard administration into operation by next January. He added that no cabinet members attending the meeting, including Tang and Interior Minister Huang, could answer the question.

Despite doubts from party lawmakers, however, Hung Yu-ching said a resolution was made at the meeting to continue pushing ahead with the project on the basis of conclusions of a party policy meeting on Sept. 15, which had been attended by President Lee.

"Party legislators may have different opinions about the administration plan. But the legislative caucus of the party will try to iron out these differences and win a consensus from all members," Hung said.