A group of DPP lawmakers yesterday slammed the government for wasting tax dollars on civic groups where retired officials draw generous salaries in addition to their retirement benefits.
The legislators vowed to make those organizations the target of reform in order to ensure that public resources are equitably distributed among the people.
"I find it unfair for many retired government officials to enjoy double incomes when many ordinary people cannot even land a job," DPP Legislator Tang Huo-shen (
He produced official documents showing that assorted Cabinet departments spend a total of NT$104 billion a year financing 133 civic organizations, 35 of which are fully sponsored by government funds. Another 99 get 50 percent of their annual bud-gets from tax revenues.
Tang questioned the rationale for such organizations, saying many of them serve no purpose other than to allow retired officials to get extra income.
Colleague Chien Chao-tong (簡肇棟) noted that former finance minister Hsu Chia-tung (許嘉棟), for instance, enjoys a monthly salary of more than NT$220,000 as head of a private trade association while collecting nearly NT$50,000 a month in retirement benefits.
Kao Chun-hui (
The data showed the Council for Cultural Affairs well ahead of other agencies in sponsoring 29 civic organizations. The Ministry of Economic Affairs finances 25 associations, while the Council of Agriculture finances 13.
Lawmaker Lin Yu-sheng (林育生) demanded that the government revamp its personnel policy when staffing those organizations. Lin said he and others would work to abolish those organizations because they have not been effective in serving the public.
Taipei has once again made it to the top 100 in Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2025 report, moving up five places from last year to 60. The annual index, which was published last month, evaluated 1,000 of the most populated metropolises based on five indices — economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. New York maintained its top spot this year, placing first in the economics index thanks to the strength of its vibrant financial industry and economic stability. Taipei ranked 263rd in economics, 44th in human capital, 15th in quality of life, 284th for environment and 75th in governance,
The Sports Administration yesterday demanded an apology from the national table tennis association for barring 17-year-old Yeh Yi-tian (葉伊恬) from competing in the upcoming World Table Tennis (WTT) United States Smash tournament in Las Vegas this July. The sports agency said in a statement that the Chinese Taipei Table Tennis Association (CTTTA) must explain to the public why it withdrew Yeh from the WTT tournament in Las Vegas. The sports agency said it contacted the association to express its disapproval of the decision-making process after receiving a complaint from Yeh’s coach, Chuang
Control Yuan Secretary-General Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋) tendered his resignation last night, admitting that he had misused a government vehicle, as reported by media. His resignation was immediately accepted by the Control Yuan. In a statement explaining why he had resigned, Lee apologized for using a Control Yuan vehicle to transport his dog to a pet grooming salon on May 20. The issue first came to light late last month, when TVBS News reported that Lee had instructed his driver to take the dog to the salon. The news channel broadcast photos that it said were taken by an unnamed whistle-blower, which purportedly showed the
A former officer in China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) who witnessed the aftermath of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre has warned that Taiwan could face a similar fate if China attempts to unify the country by force. Li Xiaoming (李曉明), who was deployed to Beijing as a junior officer during the crackdown, said Taiwanese people should study the massacre carefully, because it offers a glimpse of what Beijing is willing to do to suppress dissent. “What happened in Tiananmen Square could happen in Taiwan too,” Li told CNA in a May 22 interview, ahead of the massacre’s 36th anniversary. “If Taiwanese students or
RSS