The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus yesterday threatened to push a bill to make the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) dispose of its improperly acquired assets if KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou (
"Since the bill is not listed as one of our priority bills for the next legislative session, we will first give Chairman Ma some time to take care of the matter," DPP caucus whip William Lai (
When asked what he meant by "some time," Lai said that the party will wait until October or November to see whether Ma genuinely means what he said about taking care of the KMT's party-asset problems.
Lai made the remark in response to comments by Ma on Sunday that he is determined to clear up problems regarding the party's assets by 2008. Ma also dismissed accusations that the KMT is a "foreign regime" and said that the party should establish its own Taiwan discourse.
Lai said that instead of focusing on establishing a Taiwanese discourse, the KMT should concentrate on how to truly love the nation and put this into concrete action.
Lai also questioned the KMT's patriotism, saying former KMT chairman Lien Chan (連戰) had failed to tell friend from foe in visiting China after it passed the "Anti-Secession" Law and instructing KMT lawmakers to habitually block government bills at the legislature.
If Ma aspires to prove that his party is not a foreign regime, the KMT should unconditionally return its ill-gotten party assets to the people, Lai said.
The party should also stop cooperating with the Chinese Communist Party and boycotting the arms procurement plan, he added.
"Whether the KMT is a foreign regime or not does not depend on if it has a Taiwan discourse," he said. "I strongly suggest Chairman Ma return the party's inappropriately acquired party assets to the people rather than selling them off at low prices."
Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (
He refused to comment on Ma's remarks about party assets though, saying that he is not in a position to do so.
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Advocates of the rights of motorcycle and scooter riders yesterday protested in front of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications in Taipei, making three demands. They were joined by 30 passenger vehicles, which surrounded the ministry to make three demands related to traffic regulations — that motorcycles and scooters above 250cc be allowed on highways, that all motorcycles and scooters be allowed on inside lanes, and that driver and rider training programs be reformed. The ministry said that it has no plans to allow motorcycles on national highways for the time being, and said that motorcycles would be allowed on the inner
AMENDMENT: Contact with certain individuals in China, Hong Kong and Macau must be reported, and failure to comply could result in a prison sentence, the proposal stated The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) yesterday voted against a proposed bill by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers that would require elected officials to seek approval before visiting China. DPP Legislator Puma Shen’s (沈伯洋) proposed amendments to the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (臺灣地區與大陸地區人民關係條例), stipulate that contact with certain individuals in China, Hong Kong and Macau should be reported, while failure to comply would be punishable by prison sentences of up to three years, alongside a fine of NT$10 million (US$309,041). Fifty-six voted with the TPP in opposition