The meeting between President Chen Shui-bian (
The bill was blocked from being put on the legislative agenda for deliberation because of objections from the KMT and People First Party (PFP), which between them dominate the legislature's Procedure Committee.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Tsai Chi-fang (
PHOTO: SUNG CHIH-HSIUNG, TAIPEI TIMES
Ma shouldn't allow the KMT to continue blocking the bill in the legislature, Tsai said.
"Would you please advise Ma in the KMT's Central Standing Committee that he should not make empty promises," Tsai told the KMT legislators.
Pan-blue legislators yesterday also rejected a bill to review the president's nominations for the Control Yuan, which has been blocked since Feb. 1 last year.
PHOTO: LIAO CHEN-HUEI, TAIPEI TIMES
After a meeting between Ma and PFP Chairman James Soong (
Commission candidates are named by political parties in proportion to their number of seats in the Legislative Yuan.
While the pan-blue camp yesterday also shot down other bills that had been initiated by the pan-green camp, the Procedure Committee did pass the bill to amend the March 19 Shooting Truth Investigation Special Committee Statute (三一九槍擊事件真相調查特別委員會條例) with the aim of reestablishing the committee.
The amendment was approved for its second and third reading in the legislature next Tuesday.
Although bills are usually only tabled in the legislature when there is consensus among all legislative caucuses, the amendment was sent to the legislature despite failing to gain the support of the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU).
TSU Legislator Ho Min-hao (
KMT caucus whip Tseng Yung-chuan (
In other developments, a pan-blue proposal to repeal the government's reform plans for the preferential 18 percent interest-rate scheme for retired teachers and civil servants was also passed for discussion next Tuesday.
SPACE VETERAN: Kjell N. Lindgren, who helps lead NASA’s human spaceflight missions, has been on two expeditions on the ISS and has spent 311 days in space Taiwan-born US astronaut Kjell N. Lindgren is to visit Taiwan to promote technological partnerships through one of the programs organized by the US for its 250th national anniversary. Lindgren would be in Taiwan from Tuesday to Saturday next week as part of the US Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ US Speaker Program, organized to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) said in a statement yesterday. Lindgren plans to engage with key leaders across the nation “to advance cutting-edge technological partnerships and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers,”
UNREASONABLE SURVEILLANCE: A camera targeted on an road by a neighbor captured a man’s habitual unsignaled turn into home, netting him dozens of tickets The Taichung High Administrative Court has canceled all 45 tickets given to a man for failing to use a turn signal while driving, as it considered long-term surveillance of his privacy more problematic than the traffic violations. The man, surnamed Tseng (曾), lives in Changhua County and was reported 45 times within a month for failing to signal while driving when he turned into the alley where his residence is. The reports were filed by his neighbor, who set up security cameras that constantly monitored not only the alley but also the door and yard of Tseng’s house. The surveillance occurred from July
A Japan Self-Defense Forces vessel entered the Taiwan Strait yesterday, Japanese media reported. After passing through the Taiwan Strait, the Ikazuchi was to proceed to the South China Sea to take part in a joint military exercise with the US and the Philippines, the reports said. Japan Self-Defense Force vessels were first reported to have passed through the strait in September, 2024, with two further transits taking place in February and June last year, the Asahi Shimbun reported. Yesterday’s transit also marked the first time since Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi took office that a Japanese warship has been sent through the Taiwan
‘SAME OLD TRICK’: Even if Beijing resumes individual travel to Taiwan, it would only benefit Chinese tourism companies, the Economic Democracy Union convener said China’s 10 new “incentives” are “sugar-coated poison,” an official said yesterday, adding that Taiwanese businesses see them clearly for what they are, but that Beijing would inevitably find some local collaborators to try to drums up support. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, made the remark ahead of a news conference the General Chamber of Commerce is to hold today. The event, titled “Industry Perspectives on China’s Recent Pro-Taiwan Policies,” is expected to include representatives from industry associations — such as those in travel, hotels, food and agriculture — to request the government cooperate with China’s new measures, people familiar with
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