Ties between the executive and legislative branches were further strained yesterday as Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (
Wang insisted Cabinet officials are bound by the Constitution to answer legislative inquiries on public policy and that committee meetings are not "internal" events as Lin portrayed in a public statement on Wednesday.
The verbal skirmish dated back to Jan. 9 when the legislature's Finance Committee issued a stern condemnation against Lin, who failed to show up at its forum intended to review the ongoing financial reform.
In the attack, lawmakers from across party lines listed Lin as "a persona non grata" and suggested Premier Yu Shyi-kun consider relieving his deputy from other capacities so Lin may not repeat what they called his "negligence of duty."
The committee did not adjourn until 10:30pm that day, seeking in vain to hear a report from the vice premier, also head of the Cabinet's financial reform task force.
The condemnation, the language of which was somewhat softened by DPP legislators, passed the legislature shortly before the body broke up for the winter recess on Tuesday night.
Lin hit back the next morning by releasing a statement saying the legislature has misused powers proffered by the Constitution to humiliate Cabinet officials.
"The constitutional requirement that the Executive Yuan shall be responsible to the Legislative Yuan is not without limits," Lin's statement said. "Attendance by Cabinet officials of committee meetings should be based on need rather than be regarded as mandatory."
Lin, who concurrently chairs the Council for Economic Planning and Development, said he regretted the legislature's decision to condemn him.
"It is issues, not people, that should be the object of legislative oversight," he continued. "I found it deplorable that Cabinet officials have been embarrassed by lawmakers during various meetings.
But there is no law stating heads of Cabinet task forces should also take part in committee meetings, which are internal legislative events in nature."
Lin argued that the right to call committee meetings is protected by the rule governing a lawmaker's power, which is in no way higher than the Constitution in legal status.
He warned legislators not to misread the Constitution and expand their power at will, saying such practices will destabilize ties between different branches of the government.
Wang dismissed Lin's remarks as nonsensical and predicted they would harm future interplay between the Cabinet and the legislature.
"Lin has apparently misconstrued the Constitution," he told reporters. "Committee meetings are absolutely not internal forums in which he and other Cabinet officials are obliged to participate when they are invited."
Stressing the importance of communication, the speaker said Lin should ask for a leave of absence rather than adopt a more hawkish posture when dealing with lawmakers.
Wang said he has to help pacify fellow colleagues after Lin published his statement against the legislature.
"The conflict may flare up or die down, depending on Lin's attitude," he said.
RSS