KMT lawmakers denied they had a personal vendetta against former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) as they announced they would give priority to a bill to reduce the pension allowance for former presidents.
"The KMT decided to push forward revisions to the Regulation to Honor the Outgoing President (
Lee and his KMT colleagues said the existing outlay for former presidents was too generous when compared with allowances in other developed countries.
PHOTO: CHIANG YING-YING, TAIPEI TIMES
"The government plans to spend NT$68.574 million this year on special treatment for former presidents, whereas former US president [Bill] Clinton received approximately NT$33.18 million and his predecessor [George] Bush got NT$20.99 million for his presidential pension and allowances," Lee said.
The NT$68.574 million cited by KMT lawmakers comprises NT$18.574 million for the income and expenses of former presidents in addition to an extra NT$50 million from the Presidential Office to cover the cost of drivers and security personnel.
The amendment aims to cut the presidential pension, staff and office allowance to NT$29.54 million a year and halve the number of related staff.
But a DPP lawmaker reminded his KMT counterparts that any review of the allowance for former presidents must include a review of the treatment accorded former vice presidents.
KMT Chairman Lien Chan (
"The KMT should talk about whether the rule for retired vice presidents would be reviewed and deal with the issue of whether money the KMT party chairman had received from the budget was due to an inappropriate provision approved by the pan-blue controlled legislature on May 29, 2000," DPP Legislator Tuan Yi-kang (段宜康) said.
The provision, initiated by three KMT lawmakers days after Lien stepped down from his vice presidential post, stipulated that retired vice presidents should receive a NT$240,000-a-month retirement allowance as well as a NT$200,000-a-month pension.
"The provision has made former vice president Lien, who receives NT$440,000 from his previous post every month, earn more than former president Lee, whose official pay was NT$400,000 [a month]," Tuan said.
"Lien also makes more money than the incumbent vice president as President Chen Shui-bian (
The DPP lawmaker urged Lien to provide an explanation for the apparent unfairness before allowing his party representatives to speak of changing the regulation.
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