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Pan-blues fight name changes

"The budget requests were made in the companies' original names. Now that their names have changed, the names on the budget requests do not reflect reality."

Lin Te-fu, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislator

Pan-blue lawmakers yesterday continued their efforts to oppose the government's recent name-change campaign with legislative measures.

Chunghwa Post Co's (中華郵政) board of directors passed a proposal last month to change the company's name to Taiwan Post.

However, the change requires four amendments to the regulations governing postal administration and Chunghwa Post itself.

Yesterday, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and People First Party (PFP) legislators prevented the four amendments from being placed on the legislative agenda in the Procedure Committee.

"We oppose the name change. Why should the government waste money on name changes instead of focussing on economic development?" KMT Legislator Kuo Su-chun (郭素春) said.

Other government initiated name-changes include those of Chinese Petroleum Corp (CPC, 中國石油) to CPC Corp, Taiwan (台灣中油) and China Shipbuilding Corp (CSBC, 中國造船) to CSBC Corp, Taiwan (台灣國際造船).

President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) also publicly encouraged Chiang Yao-chung (江耀宗), chairman of state-owned China Steel (中國鋼鐵), to change that corporation's name.

KMT Legislator Lin Te-fu (林德福) said that his party would demand that the government withdraw the budget requests for the affected state-run enterprises.

"The budget requests were made in the companies' original names. Now that their names have changed, the names on the budget requests do not reflect reality," Lin said.

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators Cheng Yun-peng (鄭運鵬) and Hsu Kuo-yung (徐國勇), however, contended that all bills submitted to to the Procedure Committee should be placed on the legislative agenda for scrutiny.

In addition to the four proposals aimed at altering the postal company's name, another bill amending the Presidential and Vice Presidential Election and Recall Law (總統副總統選罷法) -- specifically banning indicted individuals from taking part in presidential elections -- was also frozen by KMT and PFP lawmakers.

The proposed amendment to the Presidential and Vice Presidential Election and Recall Law is widely believed to be targeted at former KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九). Ma quit the KMT's top job last month after being indicted on corruption charges for allegedly embezzling funds from a special municipal monthly allowance while serving as mayor of Taipei from 1998 to last year.

Ma announced his presidential bid following his indictment by Taipei prosecutors on Feb. 13.
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