Lawmakers yesterday criticized attempts by the Cabinet to kill five spending bills which its says would place too heavy of a burden on the nation's coffers.
Cheng Yung-chin (
"These bills were initiated in response to people's petitions. Lin should not have branded them as `money pit' bills," Cheng said.
"Besides, the Cabinet should conduct negotiations with the legislature instead of making accusations," Cheng said, claiming that Lin was out of touch with the public's needs.
People First Party (PFP) lawmaker Cheng Ching-ling (鄭金玲) also had harsh words for Lin. "Lin's remarks may trigger another round of standoffs between the executive branch and the legislature," he said.
The five bills in question include proposals to offer pensions to veterans of China's shelling of Kinmen on Aug. 23, 1958; to provide pensions to government employees who retired after 1970; to dredge the Keelung River; to compensate landlords whose land was appropriated for roads; and to establish an anti-cancer program, which will require NT$2 billion annually.
Lin has said the five bills would cost as much as NT$5 trillion. In the 2001 fiscal budget, the government plans to spend NT$1.6 trillion.
Outraged by the opposition parties' response to the Cabinet's efforts, Chou Po-lun (
"From now on, we will also veto whatever bills the opposition parties are likely to propose. Let's die together then," Chou said.
But Chou added that he was not optimistic about the success of the Cabinet's efforts to scuttle the spending bills because the KMT has allied with the PFP on the matter.
Independent lawmaker Liao Hsueh-kuang (
Premier Chang Chun-hsiung (張俊雄) also weighed in on the issue yesterday, strongly defending Lin's comments.
"Lin is quite anxious about the government's financial difficulties," Chang told lawmakers yesterday. "He believes that the five bills will cost as much as NT$5 trillion and drain the government's coffers if passed."
Chang added that he had met with Legislative Yuan speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) in the morning to explain the Cabinet's goal.
"Lawmakers are entitled to draft bills. However, they should also consider the government's financial condition," Wang said during inter-party negotiations held to discuss the five bills.
On Monday, Lin lined the DPP legislative caucus up behind the Cabinet's plan to kill the five spending bills, while the opposition parties lashed out at him.
Despite the strong backlash, Lin repeatedly urged the legislature to reconsider the bills because he said they were too costly, controversial and unfair in terms of social justice.
Lin did not respond yesterday to the opposition lawmakers' criticism.Also See Editorial Inside
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