In a bid to set up a mechanism for probing illegal party assets, the DPP's Central Standing Committee yesterday approved a draft bill that would empower the president to establish an investigative committee to deal with the task.
"Based on the principles of independence, impartiality and due process, the committee would be empowered to look into the illegal gains of all political parties," DPP Deputy Secretary-general Hsu Yang-ming (
Hsu added that the party wants its legislative caucus to promptly introduce the bill in the legislature for review and passage.
The bill, prepared over the last few months by the DPP's policy, research and coordination committee, cites the example followed by the East German communist party after German reunification.
The approach explicitly defines the different types of illegal gains that must be itemized by all political parties, Wu Hsiang-jung (吳祥榮), deputy director of the policy committee, said yesterday.
The draft bill stipulates that all public assets and political contributions -- as defined by the bill -- wrongfully obtained from any corporation or individual by a political party would be considered illegal.
The draft bill also stipulates that all profits earned by political parties from directly or indirectly running or investing in any business is illegal, Wu said.
According to the draft bill, the president would be authorized to form a special investigative committee and appoint half of its members, who would serve a term concurrent with the sitting session of the Legislative Yuan.
The other half of the committee would be appointed, upon recommendation by other political parties whose votes exceeded the 5 percent threshold in the previous election.
The eligible parties would each nominate three committee members, with the committee chairman to be elected by open ballot.
The draft excludes incumbent legislators, government officials, party officials and anyone connected to party assets from being nominated as committee members.
"The purpose is to avoid conflicts of interest and to ensure the committee's neutrality," Wu said.
The draft bill, moreover, says that a majority vote by at least two thirds of the committee's members in attendance would be required to reach a decision.
Upon the committee's consent, the justice ministry would appoint four prosecutors to assist in its investigation.
Should the committee be formed, all political parties would be required to declare their party assets within six months.
Upon failing to do so, they would face a fine of as much as NT$10 million.
Every 10 days that a party fails to comply, it would be fined an additional NT$10 million.
The DPP's draft bill echoes the Cabinet's inquiry last week into the KMT's assets and is likely to face accusations that it is part of a politically-motivated election strategy.
Opposition in the legislature is expected.
Wu yesterday said that the party was aware that revisions would be made to the party's draft bill and that it is unlikely to pass before the end of the current legislative session in November.
Wu says he does, however, expect discussions to begin on the subject in fairly short order.
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