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Lawmakers praise NCC, condemn ETC scandal

Legislators across party lines yesterday lauded the National Communications Commission (NCC) for its regulatory self-discipline, but at the same time condemned the Ministry of Transpor-tation and Communications (MOTC) for the growing scandal over the Electronic Toll Collection's (ETC) bidding process.

The commission drew up a self-disciplinary agreement that covers a wide range of measures to preclude the possibility of illegal lobbying during the commission's first day of operation. The commission's action was praised by the legislative caucuses as a good example for other government offices to follow.

The NCC measures include requiring members to put their property in a trust, prohibiting them from concurrently holding two or more positions, accepting gifts and holding private meetings with businesses, among others.

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) policy committee director Tseng Yung-chuan (曾永權) said the NCC's self-disciplinary agreement had set up a model for other independent organizations belonging to the government.

"The Financial Supervisory Com- mission suffers by comparison," Tseng said, referring to Lee Chin-chen (李進誠), the former director-general of FSC's Examination Bureau, who resigned last July over suspected involvement in the illegal trading of Power Quotient International Co shares.

Another KMT caucus whip, Tsai Chin-lung (蔡錦隆), said that now the commission has shown its determination to pursue integrity, the MOTC should follow suit and clarify all matters relating to the ETC scandal.

Democratic Progressive Party caucus whip Chen Chin-jun (陳景峻) yesterday called on the MOTC to disclose all recorded footage of the ETC bidding process.

"The more reluctant the MOTC is to make the footage known to the public, the stronger will the suspicion be that the bidding was unfair," Chen said.

People First Party caucus whip Lee Hung-chun (李鴻鈞) said that the ETC case highlights the importance of drawing up legislation to govern interest groups and local officials.

"The NCC's self-disciplinary agreement is worthy of study, but we need more to regulate all political figures," Lee said.
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