Print

Mail

wiki links

Legislature at an impasse over Yu

Supporters of the Democratic Progressive Party and the pan-blue camp engage in a scuffle outside the pan-blue camp's presidential campaign headquarters in Ilan yesterday. The DPP members were protesting comments made by lawmakers against Premier Yu Shyi-kun in the legislature on Tuesday. PHOTO: YU MING-CHIN, TAIPEI TIMES

The failure of cross-party negotiations over the uproar caused by Premier Yu Shyi-kun's walkout from the legislature on Tuesday in the face of verbal abuse from lawmakers has made it uncertain whether Yu will return to the legislature tomorrow.

Yu stormed out of the legislative chamber after People First Party (PFP) legislators Yang Cheng Chin-ling (鄭金玲) and Chung Shao-ho (鍾紹和) called him a "rascal politician," and retracted their comments only after being ordered to do so by deputy legislative speaker Chiang Pin-kung (江丙坤).

Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) chaired a negotiation session yesterday between the pan-blue caucuses and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus, but neither side would back down.

The DPP caucus insisted that Yang, Chung and the PFP caucus should apologize and Wang should send the two legislators to the Discipline Committee. The pan-blue camp said their side had done nothing wrong and demanded Yu apologize.

"The conclusion of the negotiations was that everyone would respect Chiang's announcement yesterday [Tuesday]," Wang said.

A woman representing a group of more than 500 Ilan residents present Premier Yu Shyi-kun with flowers outside the Executive Yuan yesterday. The group protested outside the Legislative Yuan over two legislators calling Yu a rascal. PHOTO: WANG MIN-WEI, TAIPEI TIMES

The DPP caucus announced later in the day that it would make a motion during next Tuesday's legislative session to have the two PFP legislators disciplined if Wang would not stand on its side.

The pan-blue camp, meanwhile, demanded Yu apologize and return to the legislature for a question-and-answer session tomorrow.

"If Yu doesn't come to the legislature on Friday, then he doesn't have to come anymore. We will make him persona non grata," Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus leader Liao Fung-te (廖風德) said.

Liao said Yu's walkout had been disrespectful of the legislature.

"Yesterday we were just kindly criticizing the government regarding the Hakka Council budget, but Yu tried to shift the focus by going into a fit," Chung said.

He refused to apologize for his attack on Yu.

The premier said yesterday that he would show up at the legislature on Friday, but might not answer questions.

"Whether I am going to take questions depends on whether cross-party negotiations can come up with a reasonable solution," Yu said.

In related news, a group of 400-people traveled from Ilan yesterday to protest outside the PFP caucus office against Yang and Chung's comments.

The group later went to the Executive Yuan to show their support for Yu, a former Ilan County commissioner.

Also see story:
Editorial:Yu incident proves need for reform
This story has been viewed 1885 times.