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Legislature to cooperate on budget changes

Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) said yesterday the legislature would cooperate with the new government by passing any changes the Cabinet proposes to the fiscal budget by June.

President-elect Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) will propose changes to the budget of the current fiscal year after he assumes office on May 20, Wang said.

Although the budget proposal had yet to be finalized, the legislature would push it through as soon as possible to allow the Cabinet to carry out its policies, Wang said.

BUDGET BOOST

Wang made the remarks after the Chinese-language Economic Daily News quoted an unidentified senior official of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday as saying that the new government was planning to adjust this fiscal year’s budget by NT$100 billion (US$3.3 billion) to allow for greater government investment.

The report quoted the official as saying that this would help Ma carry out his campaign promises, including his “i-Taiwan 12 projects” infrastructure proposal.

The funds would also help achieve direct cross-strait links and reduce the impact of soaring commodity prices on the public, the official reportedly said.

The “i-Taiwan 12 projects” proposal, Ma said during his campaign, would boost domestic demand by investing NT$4 trillion (US$132 billion) on infrastructure.

In related developments, several KMT legislators reportedly tipped to become Cabinet members in Ma’s administration kept a low profile yesterday.

CABINET SPECULATION

KMT Legislator Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) dismissed media speculation that Ma’s office had invited her to serve as a Cabinet member, adding that she was not interested.

KMT Legislator Cheng Li-wen (鄭麗文), who reports have said will become chairwoman of the National Youth Commission, said only that it was not important whether or not she would receive an appointment.

KMT Legislator Chao Li-yun (趙麗雲), whom the media speculated would take over the Council for Hakka Affairs, said only that she was content to do her best as a lawmaker.
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