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DPP legislator Tsai proposes a slimmer Examination Yuan

A Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislator proposed a bill yesterday that aims to downsize the Examination Yuan — the government branch that oversees civil servants.

The proposed amendment to the Organic Law of the Examination Yuan (考試院組織法) would limit the number of Examination Yuan members to 11, with no more than 50 percent of the members being from the same political party. The amendment would also shorten the term of the members from six years to four years, to coincide with the terms of the president and the legislature.

SPARE TIME

DPP Legislator Tsai Huang-liang (蔡煌瑯) said Examination Yuan members were not as busy as the public thinks because they are mainly in charge of making civil service policy, with the examinations to recruit civil servants under the control of the Ministry of Examination.

In the US and Japan, agencies overseeing the civil service system are run by only three to five officials, Tsai said.

Examination Yuan positions promise “high pay and good benefits, but little work,” which is inconsistent with social justice, Tsai said.

At present, the 19 Examination Yuan members are each paid NT$184,960 (US$6,000) per month — the same as a ministerial-level official, which means each member earns more than NT$13.31 million over six years, Tsai said.

However, many members have such an easy work load they can also work part-time as writers or professors to earn extra income, he said.

VOTING TODAY

As it is impossible for the bill to clear the Legislative Yuan by today — when legislators are scheduled to vote on the nominations for Examination Yuan members — Tsai suggested that the legislature reject the nominations so that President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) can revise his list.

Alternatively, the legislature could approve only 11 nominations today and amend the law later, he said.

The legislature is currently reviewing Ma’s Examination Yuan nominations.

The DPP has criticized the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) for making Examination Yuan positions a reward for party loyalists, with 12 of the 19 nominees affiliated with the KMT.



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