Debate over whether the Legislative Yuan is to defer general interpellation in the new legislative session escalated yesterday following President Chen Shui-bian's (
Chen confirmed in a press conference yesterday that he had suggested that Wang Jin-pyng (
Chen said that he made the suggestion because lawmakers had just completed an interpellation session at the end of July in the previous legislative session.
Chen's confirmation was triggered by a statement made by Wang from the US on Sunday that Chen had proposed he arrange for such a delay so that Cabinet members would have time to get familiar with their jobs.
This roused fierce debate in the legislature yesterday. While opposition party lawmakers slammed Chen's idea, calling it "ridiculous," DPP legislators sided with the president, who is a DPP member.
"It's ridiculous to defer the interpellation so as to allow the Cabinet a long period of on-the-job training," said Chen Chen-sheng (
Chen's counterpart from the New Party, Lai Shyh-bao (
The Legislative Yuan holds two sessions each year -- the first session normally running from February to May and the second from September to December. The normal procedure is for lawmakers to question Cabinet members immediately after the completion of the Premier's administrative policy report, which usually takes place before the end of February and again before the end of September.
But Premier Tang Fei's (
Tseng Yung-chuan (
Perng Shaw-jiin (
The decision over the timing of the interpellation is contingent upon results of cross-party negotiations, if any, over the issue, Perng said.
Political analysts said while Chen's proposal is not flawed, legally speaking, it carries a political motivation that conflicts with opposition party interests.
Hwang Giin-tarng (
"Chen simply doesn't want to see the Cabinet being raked over the coals once again in the legislature -- at least not so soon. After all, that won't benefit his administration's image," Hwang said.
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