Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (
During a TV interview, Wang criticized what he termed the governing party's attempt to stigmatize the opposition for stalling the 10 Major Infrastructure Projects, budgeted at NT$500 billion (US$15.12 billion) over five years. He said the legislators are responsible for using taxpayers' money carefully.
Wang said that as the governing Democratic Progressive Party is the strongest political group, it has started to show contempt for the legislature. Wang said the legislature is not as bad as the ruling party portrays it to be.
"We have passed most budget plans, although a few plans are stalled due to political controversies. But the government should not stigmatize the legislature for these few bills; otherwise it is a sign of upcoming fascism. The over-expansion of administrative power would be a sign of administrative authoritarianism," Wang said.
Wang said the public did not really understand the contents of the draft laws due to a lack of detailed reports in the media.
"The government says that the infrastructure projects are needed to stimulate the domestic economy, but we have to ask whether these projects are really necessary. And we also have to look at their cost-effectiveness and their environmental evaluations before we start the projects. But there are a lot of flaws with the promotion of the projects," Wang said.
Wang said legislators also had to consider whether the country's finances would allow them to proceed with the projects, which he said would actually cost more than projected.
Regarding the Constitution, Wang said he had spoken with President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) before the election, and was told that if the Constitution were more than 70 percent amended, Chen would consider it rewritten.
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