Lawmakers from across party lines yesterday voiced their doubts that the Legislative Yuan's Discipline Committee, long criticized for its inaction, will mete out appropriate punishments to unruly legislators involved in the latest outbreak of physical violence at the legislature.
The committee, comprised of the chairpersons of the ten legislative committees, has never taken action against members involved in violent conduct.
During a meeting of the Education Committee yesterday morning, independent legislator Lo Fu-chu (羅福助) struck female colleague Diane Lee (李慶安), who insinuated that he had misused his power and interfered in the reshuffle of the board of a private college being investigated for financial irregularities.
Tu Peng-sen (
Tu said that Legislative Speaker Wang Jing-pyng (
Wang told reporters he regretted the incident and promised to address it tomorrow at the latest.
The disciplinary committee may not take the initiative to probe the controversy unless asked to do so by the legislature.
Staff working for the committee would not talk to the media except to say that there was nothing the committee could do for the time being. Independent lawmaker Liao Hsueh-kuang (廖學廣) said that he doubted whether the committee would dare take any action against Lo, whom he blames for his abduction in 1996, during which time he was blindfolded, gagged and put in a cage. Liao had incurred Lo's wrath for criticizing his background in organized crime.
Lo admits to being one of the three founders and the "spiritual leader" of the Tien Tau Meng (天道盟), a syndicate of Taiwanese gangs. He denies, however, that the organization is involved in criminal activities.
Fearing violent reprisals, few lawmakers have the guts to challenge Lo, Liao said.
In the 1980s, Lo was jailed in a government campaign against hooligans. He later spent two years abroad in self-imposed exile before being elected to the legislature in late 1995.
"Everything will return to normal after the media frenzy subsides in a couple of days' time," Liao said, adding that it was certain that the disciplinary committee would not deprive any members of their powers, the severest penalty available.
Other potential punishments include denial of entry to legislative sessions or a mandatory apology to the person wronged. Echoing the sense of frustration, KMT lawmaker Pan Wei-kang (潘維剛) warned that violence, if left uncurbed, would turn the legislature into a wrestling ring, in which muscle, rather than professional know-how, reigns supreme.
NEXT GENERATION: The four plants in the Central Taiwan Science Park, designated Fab 25, would consist of four 1.4-nanometer wafer manufacturing plants, TSMC said Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) plans to begin construction of four new plants later this year, with the aim to officially launch production of 2-nanometer semiconductor wafers by late 2028, Central Taiwan Science Park Bureau director-general Hsu Maw-shin (許茂新) said. Hsu made the announcement at an event on Friday evening celebrating the Central Taiwan Science Park’s 22nd anniversary. The second phase of the park’s expansion would commence with the initial construction of water detention ponds and other structures aimed at soil and water conservation, Hsu said. TSMC has officially leased the land, with the Central Taiwan Science Park having handed over the
AUKUS: The Australian Ambassador to the US said his country is working with the Pentagon and he is confident that submarine issues will be resolved Australian Ambassador to the US Kevin Rudd on Friday said that if Taiwan were to fall to China’s occupation, it would unleash China’s military capacities and capabilities more broadly. He also said his country is working with the Pentagon on the US Department of Defense’s review of the AUKUS submarine project and is confident that all issues raised will be resolved. Rudd, who served as Australian prime minister from 2007 to 2010 and for three months in 2013, made the remarks at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado and stressed the longstanding US-Australia alliance and his close relationship with the US Undersecretary
‘WORLD WAR III’: Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene said the aid would inflame tensions, but her amendment was rejected 421 votes against six The US House of Representatives on Friday passed the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for fiscal 2026, which includes US$500 million for Taiwan. The bill, which totals US$831.5 billion in discretionary spending, passed in a 221-209 vote. According to the bill, the funds for Taiwan would be administered by the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency and would remain available through Sept. 30, 2027, for the Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative. The legislation authorizes the US Secretary of Defense, with the agreement of the US Secretary of State, to use the funds to assist Taiwan in procuring defense articles and services, and military training. Republican Representative
TAIWAN IS TAIWAN: US Representative Tom Tiffany said the amendment was not controversial, as ‘Taiwan is not — nor has it ever been — part of Communist China’ The US House of Representatives on Friday passed an amendment banning the US Department of Defense from creating, buying or displaying any map that shows Taiwan as part of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The “Honest Maps” amendment was approved in a voice vote on Friday as part of the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for the 2026 fiscal year. The amendment prohibits using any funds from the act to create, buy or display maps that show Taiwan, Kinmen, Matsu, Penghu, Wuciou (烏坵), Green Island (綠島) or Orchid Island (Lanyu, 蘭嶼) as part of the PRC. The act includes US$831.5 billion in
RSS