The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) is working to create legislation that will govern the handling of properties acquired by political parties through "inappropriate means." The proposed bill take priority over bills that will be screened by the Legislative Yuan during the current session.
The Legislative Judiciary Committee convened a meeting yesterday to discuss several draft bills recently submitted to the Legislative Yuan by the MOJ, including the party properties bill, which detractors say exclusively targets the opposition KMT, rumored to have assets worth around NT$30 billion.
According to the MOJ officials who drafted the bill, it is aimed at handling and liquidating party assets and properties that were acquired through "inappropriate means" during the years when the KMT was the sole party in Taiwan and before the Temporary Provisions Effective During the Period of National Mobilization for the Suppression of Communist Rebellion was lifted.
However, the KMT's legislative caucus asked the Cabinet to withdraw the MOJ's bill in exchange for the KMT's support to pass other important acts yesterday.
"The KMT threatened that it won't allow the Cabinet to use government funds to ease government debt, unless the Cabinet promises to retract the [assets] act," said the DPP's legislative caucus leader, Lin Chung-mo (林重謨), after closed?door negotiations between the caucuses of all parties.
Premier Yu Shyi-kun firmly rejected the deal, stressing that if the Cabinet actually decides to withdraw the act (governing the handling of properties acquired by political parties through "inappropriate means,"), "I will no longer be the premier."
A team of lawyers was also assigned yesterday by KMT headquarters to preside over the "handling" -- mainly returning -- of 156 pieces of real estate donated to the party during its time in power.
Chang Che-shen (張哲琛), chief of the KMT's Administration Management Committee held a ceremony on behalf of the party to mark the signing of the contract with the lawyers, saying the moment marks a totally new beginning for the KMT.
The leader of the team of lawyers, Y.R. Lee (李永然), said that the party's abandonment of some of its real estate, including 111 land lots and 45 buildings, represented its sincerity to face its historical burden.
"According to the prices of the plots and buildings, as assessed by the government, the real estate is estimated to be worth about NT$800 million," said Lee.
KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) said on Sept. 25 that the party would return a wide range of party assets to their former owners in an attempt to recover the former ruling party's image and dignity.
Lien said the KMT will push the proposed Party Law, accelerate measures to put other KMT-owned assets and operations into a trust and make sure that the party never again owns or engages in any profit-making businesses.
Lien said that the KMT has lost power, but not its self-confidence.
"The KMT will demonstrate its determination and strength by handling the assets issue efficiently," Lien said, adding that the move is not only an action to bid farewell to a bygone era, but also the beginning of a "new age" for the party.
RSS