DPP says it will combat corruption in legislature

"If the result of a referendum is not respected, then why not get rid of the Referendum Law altogether? I believe the people will punish the DPP [for this]."

Lin Yi-shih, KMT Central Policy Committee executive director

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) said yesterday that his party would give priority to anti-corruption legislation at the start of the new legislative session.

Ker the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus had "used its majority in the Legislative Yuan" to stall anti-corruption bills during the previous session.

Although the proportion of DPP legislators is even lower in the new legislature, the DPP will again push for legislation concerning political donations, conflict of interest and recovering stolen party assets, he said.

"Reform cannot wait," Ker said. "We will see if they [the KMT] dare to block the bills in procedural committees again."

In response, KMT Central Policy Committee Executive Director Lin Yi-shih (林益世) said the KMT caucus would propose "sunshine bills" of its own and called upon the DPP caucus to stop pushing legislation that would require the KMT to return its assets.

Lin, noting that the DPP's referendum last month on reclaiming the KMT's stolen assets had not passed, said bills pushed by the DPP to reclaim the assets were "illegal" and "disrespectful of the will of the people."

By if a referendum does not pass, the issue cannot be put to a vote again until three years have passed.

"If the result of a referendum is not respected, then why not get rid of the Referendum Law [公民投票法] altogether. I believe the people will punish the DPP [for this]," Lin said.

He said that newly elected KMT legislators would strive to create a "new image" for the legislature by not being extravagant, among other measures.

Lin all KMT legislators had been warned to adhere to a party resolution that limits spending on refurbishing their research offices at the legislature to less than NT$100,000.

He said the resolution had been passed on Friday, when the seventh legislature was sworn in.

KMT -- who now hold an absolute majority with 81 seats in the restructured 113-member legislature after the Jan. 12 elections -- should help to create a "clean" image for the Legislative Yuan, Lin said.

He said voters had given the KMT a clear mandate to continue its program of reform.

Additional reporting by CNA