Assets law high on pan-green list

DPP and TSU lawmakers said the two parties will focus on passing the proposed statute governing the disposition of assets improperly obtained by political parties (政黨不當取得財產處理條例) in the new legislative session which is set to open today.

While the DPP argued that the position held by the KMT and PFP on the statute will be a litmus test on whether the parties will cooperate, the TSU threatened to shut down negotiations if the draft is not listed on the legislative agenda.

The statute, which would empower the government to investigate and confiscate assets that have been unlawfully obtained by political parties, is seen by the KMT as a proposal deliberately designed to divest it of its party assets.

TSU legislative whip Chien Lin Hui-chun (錢林慧君) said her party is placing the statute as the party's top priority for the new legislative session and will resort to extreme boycott measures including the closing of all negotiation channels, if the pan-blue camp is unwilling to endorse the plan.

She blasted the KMT for lacking sincerity over reform after the statute was struck from the agenda in the previous legislative session due to the KMT's opposition.

DPP legislative leader Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) pointed out the statute will be a test of how strong the KMT-PFP alliance is, after the two parties decided to cooperate in next year's presidential election.

Chen urged the two major opposition parties to seek a common ground regarding the issue since the PFP supports the proposal, but the KMT does not.

KMT Legislator Tseng Yung-chuan (曾永權) yesterday reiterated his party's views that the scheme is purposely aimed to lessen its party assets, and called upon the ruling DPP to stop such political wrangling.

Tseng said the KMT has agreed to place its party assets in a trust, to stop running business enterprises, and is aware of the need to regulate party assets.

But he argued the statute is unnecessary because the goal could be achieved through the proposed political party law (政黨法), which would demand that all political parties put their assets into a trust.

He warned that the DPP could be responsible for disrupting cross-party harmony if it insists on raising controversial initiatives.

The DPP and the TSU also vowed to jointly push for the passage of the proposed national technology protection law (國家科技保護法) and amendments to the Constitution for legislative reform.

Meanwhile, TSU Legislator Chen Chien-ming (陳建銘) will work to amend the Presidential and Vice Presidential Election and Recall Law (總統副總統選舉罷免法) to block candidates of different parties to jointly run for presidential elections -- a proposal aimed at hindering the cooperation of KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) and PFP Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) in next year's election.