The pan-blue caucuses are divided again on a major issue: whether to allow President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) to proceed with the first-ever state-of-the-nation address in the Legislative Yuan.
While the People First Party (PFP) has shown enthusiasm about the issue for the past two days, climaxing with party Chairman James Soong (
"The KMT caucus basically welcomes the president to deliver a state-of-the-nation address in the Legislative Yuan, but the address has to be constitutional and legal, and it has to take place after the legislative elections," KMT caucus whip Tseng Yung-chuan (
"The Constitution stipulates that the Legislative Yuan can invite the president to make a state-of-the-nation address every year, and that means the right and the decision to initiate such a report lies with the Legislative Yuan," he said.
"So it may be unconstitutional for President Chen to initiate such a request," he said.
Tseng also said that the caucus would request a constitutional interpretation on Chen's request.
"The existing laws do not stipulate how the president should proceed with the address or how the president should interact with lawmakers, and we should amend the laws to regulate how these things should proceed," Tseng said.
Tseng said that before the Legislative Yuan goes into recess at the beginning of November, the lawmakers have to question the premier and review the annual budget, and there was no time left for the president.
"So if the president wants to give his address, he has to wait until after the election," Tseng said.
Even Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平), despite being scheduled to host an inter-party negotiation between the caucuses tomorrow to discuss the issue, rejected Presidential Office Secretary-General Su Tseng-chang's (蘇貞昌) request two days ago to meet and discuss the technical aspects of the address.
"It is unknown whether the Legislative Yuan will accept the president's request, and Su doesn't have to come now to talk about this. We can discuss the issue only after the Legislative Yuan invites the president to deliver the address," he said.
Contrary to the KMT's cool attitude, the PFP has even decided to have an incumbent legislator-at-large, Legislator Lee Tung-hao (
Soong said earlier this month that he was willing to become a legislator-at-large in order to debate with Chen on policies.
But the prerequisite for Soong's appearance in the Legislative Yuan would be that Chen must interact and be questioned by lawmakers after the address, the PFP said.
Although PFP shared a similar attitude with the KMT on the constitutionality and legality of the issue, PFP caucus whip Liu Weng-hsiung (
The Democratic Progressive Party caucus, meanwhile, defended the validity of the president's request.
"According to the Constitution, President Chen can take the initiative to request a state-of-the-nation address. Even if the pan-blue camp requests a constitutional interpretation of the request, it won't affect the delivery of the address," DPP caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) said.
"How the address should proceed can be decided simply by inter-party negotiations, and there is no need for an amendment to the laws," he said.
The DPP caucus also said that for the president to deliver the address, the Legislative Yuan only needs to arrange an extra sitting on one day, which won't affect the question-and-answer session with the premier and the review of the annual budget.
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
COOLING OFF: Temperatures are expected to fall to lows of about 20°C on Sunday and possibly 18°C to 19°C next week, following a wave of northeasterly winds on Friday The Central Weather Administration (CWA) on Sunday forecast more rain and cooler temperatures for northern Taiwan this week, with the mercury dropping to lows of 18°C, as another wave of northeasterly winds sweeps across the country. The current northeasterly winds would continue to affect Taiwan through today, with precipitation peaking today, bringing increased rainfall to windward areas, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng (劉沛滕) said. The weather system would weaken slightly tomorrow before another, stronger wave arrives on Friday, lasting into next week, Liu said. From yesterday to today, northern Taiwan can expect cool, wet weather, with lows of 22°C to 23°C in most areas,
Taiwan sweltered through its hottest October on record, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, the latest in a string of global temperature records. The main island endured its highest average temperature since 1950, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng said. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change contributes to ever more erratic weather patterns. Taiwan’s average temperature was 27.381°C as of Thursday, Liu said. Liu said the average could slip 0.1°C by the end of yesterday, but it would still be higher than the previous record of 27.009°C in 2016. "The temperature only started lowering around Oct. 18 or 19
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