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GIO minister says he doesn't know what his salary is

Government Information Office (GIO) Minister Pasuya Yao (姚文智) came under fire in the Legislative Yuan yesterday because of his unreasonably high salary, which critics say is more than what he is entitled to by law and equals that of a Cabinet-level minister.

Yao told the legislature that he did not know how much he was paid per month and was merely following precedents. He said that the salary paid to People First Party (PFP) Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜), who assumed office at the GIO in 1979, was granted according to the same regulations.

When reporting on his official business at the Legislative Yuan, Yao was questioned by opposition lawmakers on the contentious issue of public servants' salaries.

According to Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Lai Shyh-bao (賴士葆), Yao is entitled to an annual salary of NT$1.918 million, the amount that grade 14 public servants receive.

However, Lai said, Yao's salary is specially audited based on a previous law, which came into effect in 1968, rather than the more recent Organizational Statute of the Government Information Office under the Executive Yuan.

"So you receive NT$2.154 million annually. You should look into your own conduct before you criticize others," Lai told Yao.

Lai's criticism of Yao's salary was part of the opposition parties' attack on President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) recent announcement that the government would reduce the "overly generous" pension payouts for public servants.

"If you lawmakers think my salary has to be cut, just do it. Don't waste time elaborating on reasons," Yao said.
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