A group of legislators from the pan-green camp yesterday unveiled their plan to initiate a referendum on the reclamation of "ill-gotten" assets owned by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT).
The legislators went to the Central Election Commission to pick up a form for a public signature drive for the referendum, saying that they hope to collect at least 1 million signatures, although only 80,000 are required.
retaliation
PHOTO: CNA
The move, jointly promoted by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU), is in retaliation against the KMT-led pan-blue alliance's campaign to recall President Chen Shui-bian (
Citing a media report estimating the value of the KMT's assets at NT$600 billion (US$18.4 billion), the legislators argued that the assets should be returned to the nation and distributed among the public, with each person expected to get a share worth about NT$30,000.
According to DPP Legislator Lin Chung-mo (
DPP Legislator Chai Trong-rong (蔡同榮) urged KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) to release a written statement to explain how his party is going to deal with its assets, just like Chen has been required to present a written statement to the legislature to defend himself.
fair is fair
TSU Legislator Liao Pen-yen (廖本煙) said while his party believes that authorities should get to the bottom of the insider trading allegations surrounding the president's son-in-law, it was only fair that an exhaustive investigation is launched into the KMT assets.
Ho Min-hao (
priorities
Ho accused the KMT and PFP of focusing only on political struggle and ignoring the people's welfare in promoting a motion to recall the president during an upcoming extraordinary legislative session.
TSU Secretary-General Lo Chih-ming (
The TSU's candidates for the year-end elections for Taipei and Kaohsiung city councilors will also help collect signatures from the public, Lo said.
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