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KMT lawmaker threatens protest if laws revisited

An opposition lawmaker yesterday threatened to stage a protest against the government should it request the legislature reconsider the Farmers' Association Law (農會法) and Fishermen's Association Law (漁會法), which cleared the legislature on Friday.

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators Pai Tien-chih (白添枝) and Wong Chung-chun (翁重鈞) told a press conference that the Cabinet's actions were nothing more than "slander."

Outgoing Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) on Saturday asked the Cabinet to assess the necessity of filing the request, Su's spokeswoman Chen Mei-ling (陳美伶) said.

But Chen said yesterday that the new premier, Chang Chun-hsiung (張俊雄), would have final say on the matter after he officially assumes office next Monday.

The passage of the two bills canceled the three-term limit for the secretary-generals at the associations and lowered the requirements for their re-appointment.

The bills also said that association staff standing trial would not be relieved of their posts until a final verdict is delivered -- a departure from current regulations, which dictate that employees convicted in the second stage of a trial be fired.

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has accused the pan-blue camp of easing the regulations in exchange for local bosses' support in the coming elections.

"With these amendments, about 95 percent of incumbent secretary-generals, whose loyalties traditionally lie with the KMT, will be able to dominate the organizations indefinitely," DPP Legislator Wu Ming-ming (吳明敏) said on Friday.

Wong dismissed the accusations, saying the amendments would help the associations retain performing staffers.

In accordance with the Constitution, if the Cabinet deems a resolution on a statutory, budgetary, or treaty bill passed by the legislature difficult to implement, it may, upon the approval of the president, request the legislature to reconsider said resolution.

The request has to be proposed within 10 days after its transmission to the Cabinet.

The premier shall either abide by the same resolution or resign from office if half of members of the legislature present at a meeting held to vote on the matter uphold the original resolution.
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