The Cabinet has listed as priority legislation proposed by the Ministry of Justice that will allow an investigation into the KMT's illegally obtained assets.
The priority of the proposed legislation is second only to a draft law governing the protection of national secrets. The drafts will be sent to the legislature, which convenes on Sept. 24, for approval.
During a press conference yesterday, Vice Minister of Justice Hsieh Wen-ting (
Hsieh said the legislation wouldn't violate the Constitution and doesn't target any specific party. "This legislation applies to all political parties that registered with the government after the ban on forming parties was lifted in July, 1987," he said.
According to the draft, party assets -- except for membership fees, campaign donations, election subsidies or interest payments -- would be categorized as illegitimately acquired, including those that were inappropriately given to parties by local governments.
Hsieh said if parties cannot prove that their assets were legally obtained, the committee will require the property to be turned over to central or local governments.
The committee will be comprised of roughly 10 members, including judges, prosecutors, lawyers, accountants and land administrators, who shall not participate in party activities during their tenure.
To facilitate the committee's work, the draft bill also defines the categories of party properties that would be subject to investigation and stipulates that parties are obliged to fully declare their assets.
The draft, in addition, has special articles to bar a party from disposing of its assets during an investigation.
In response to the proposed bill, Kuo Su-chun (
But she nevertheless called the legislation in question, saying it was a means for the DPP government to draw attention away from the nation's economic problems.
"The bill drafted by the Ministry of Justice is simply aimed at the KMT," Kuo said.
She said the party supports good and reasonable laws, but the bill was "tailor-made" for the KMT. Kuo also said President Chen Shui-bian (
Kuo noted that party accountants and lawyers had reviewed the KMT's assets last year before they were put into a trust. The assets were determined to have been lawfully obtained, she said.
In addition, Kuo said the KMT's legislative caucus will push for corrections to any articles of the draft law that it considers unreasonable.
The KMT, which ruled the nation for 55 years until May 2000, is considered to be the world's wealthiest party, with assets estimated at between US$6.7 billion and US$16 billion.
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