Activist agrees to stay put as Chen's adviser

A social activist yesterday agreed to stay on as a presidential adviser after securing a pledge from Pres-ident Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) to enhance welfare for the physically challenged.

Meanwhile, the opposition PFP proposed removing presidential advisers from the government payroll and cutting their number from 150 to 30.

Liu Chia (劉俠), founder of the Eden Social Welfare Foundation, who earlier refused to serve as a national policy adviser, said yesterday afternoon she would stay on for another two months.

Liu, who is handicapped herself, attributed the turnabout to Chen's promise to consult her more often and to make the national pension program more favorable for the underprivileged.

Although rarely consulted, a national policy adviser receives a monthly salary of NT$179,520, as does a Cabinet minister. A senior presidential adviser receives NT$201,960 a month, the same as a vice premier.

Both posts have traditionally been filled by senior retired officials in an effort to maintain their prestige.

Liu and fellow activists have frowned on the proposed national pension program, which they insist fails to create preferential terms for the poor.

"The president has instructed the interior ministry to rework the policy," Liu said. "He also promised to meet with social activists once every two months to better understand our needs."

Presently, Chen meets with all advisers once every month, but Liu said the meeting is merely ceremonial.

She said she agreed with criticism from opposition lawmakers that presidential advisers do not deserve such high incomes in light of the nature of their duties.

Earlier in the day, the PFP caucus suggested cutting the number of advisers, noting it cost the government NT$295 million to pay their salaries between 2000 and this year.

PFP legislative whip Chin Huei-chu (秦慧珠) said many of the posts are held by separatists, vote captains and heads of conglomerates.

She highlighted senior presidential adviser Koo Kuan-min (辜寬敏) and national policy adviser Alice King (金美齡), two vocal advocates of Taiwan independence, as examples.

Chin also found fault with the method of choosing advisers, noting that several advisers hold dual citizenship.

PFP Legislator Lu Hsueh-chang (呂學章) said that he is going to propose revisions to the Presidential Office Organization Law so that the number of senior presidential advisers cannot exceed 10 and the number of national policy advisers cannot exceed 20.

Saying that few advisers do anything, he further proposed making their positions unpaid.

Every May, the president renews over 100 senior adviser to the president and national policy adviser posts. Only 45 advisers are on the government payroll, while the rest perform their services voluntarily.