DPP walks out of committee meeting

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators yesterday walked out of a meeting of the Legislative Yuan's Science, Technology and Communications Committee, protesting against the National Communications Commission's (NCC) proposal to crack down on pirate radio stations.

DPP Legislator Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌) said that since the NCC had been ruled unconstitutional by the Council of Grand Justices at the end of July, it was "ridiculous" for the commission to propose clamping down on pirate radio stations.

Tsai mentioned the "procedural problem" in the meeting yesterday morning but was cut off by the committee convener, Chinese Nationalist Party Legislator (KMT) Lee Yong-ping (李永萍). DPP committee members left the meeting in protest.

"We mentioned the procedural issue today to highlight the absurdity that an unconstitutional organization dares to discuss raiding illegal radio stations," Tsai said later in a joint press conference with other DPP committee members.

DPP Legislator Kuo Chun-ming (郭俊銘) said the NCC should question how it can carry on its work after it was ruled unconstitutional.

Kuo said it would be more appropriate for the commission to do its job under "constitutional and legitimate" conditions.

"We have never had an unconstitutional organization coming for interrogation at the Legislative Yuan in the nation's constitutional history," Tsai said.

DPP Legislator Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲) also accused Lee of dealing with the procedural issue "unfairly." Kuan argued with Lee at the meeting as a result.