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Yeh calls for Assembly salary, time cut

Senior presidential adviser Yeh Chu-lan (葉菊蘭), who is expected to become the speaker of the National Assembly, yesterday proposed that Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) delegates voluntarily cut their salaries and support a reduction of sitting time of the assembly from one month to a few days.

"Given that the assembly delegates' task is quite simple, which is to vote on constitutional amendments, it is reasonable for them not to receive so many expenses," Yeh said at a news conference yesterday morning. "It is our responsibility to save taxpayers' money and accomplish efficiently the constitutional reforms that are supported by more than 75 percent of the people of Taiwan."

The budget passed by the Legislative Yuan gives each assembly delegate NT$230,000 for the month-long sitting that starts on May 30. Each delegate is entitled to a NT$180,000 salary and NT$50,000 for transportation costs and accommodation fees.

Yeh suggested that delegates give up NT$180,000 of this amount. Around 20 DPP delegates have already backed Yeh's call and signed a statement committing themselves to this action yesterday.

"I believe that all of the 127 DPP delegates will support this suggestion because they have committed themselves to accomplishing constitutional reforms," Yeh said.

Yeh also said that because Saturday's election showed that more than 75 percent of the public support constitutional amendments, she expected the Legislative Yuan not to fall short of public expectations and pass a bill governing the National Assembly's exercise of power as soon as possible.

As for how many days the National Assembly should sit, Yeh said the DPP would discuss this with other parties soon.

"The DPP thinks it should be as short a time as possible. If we can finish the voting process in three days then we don't have to spend four days doing it," Yeh said. "However, we cannot make the public feel as if we are being perfunctory about constitutional reforms."

Taiwan Solidarity Union Secretary-General Chen Chien-ming (陳建銘) yesterday said the TSU basically approved of Yeh's suggestion.

"The TSU has agreed to reducing the sitting hours from one month to one week and that delegates should automatically curtail their salary," Chen said. "However, the delegates should be paid a reasonable salary."

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) spokesman Chang Jung-kung (張榮恭), who is also an assembly delegate, said he could not understand why the legislature bothered to pass the budget if delegates would not receive their salaries.

People First Party (PFP) delegate Chin Hui-chu (秦慧珠) said her party has yet to discuss the matter.

Meanwhile, the legislature's Organic Laws and Statutes Committee yesterday agreed to void the Statute Governing the Salaries and Expenses of National Assembly Members (國民大會代表報酬及費用支給條例) and passed the first review of draft amendments to the Organic Law of the National Assembly (國民大會組織法).

The amendment would pay assembly members similar salaries to lawmakers and high-ranking civil servants, except for expenses relating to assistants and electoral expenses. The salaries would mainly cover the assembly members' transportation, lodging, food and insurance.

The total cost of salaries and expenses for the 300 assembly members for the one-month sitting is estimated at NT$63 million (US$2 million).

Additional reporting by Ko Shu-ling
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