■ LEGISLATURE
No resolution on Kuan
The legislature said a resolution by the Education and Culture Committee to discipline Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲) required further cross-party negotiation after the DPP caucus blocked the resolution in the plenary session yesterday. The committee resolved on Oct. 23 to refer Kuan to the Disciplinary Committee after she allegedly slapped Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) in the face during a meeting the previous day. Media reports said Kuan took action because Hung had poked her assistant in the eye when Hung angrily pushed away a poster during the education committee’s preliminary review of the budget for the National Science Council. Kuan may be obliged to issue an oral or written apology or have her legislative rights suspended by between three and six months if the legislature approves the resolution.
■ POLITICS
DPP picks Lin for Taichung
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said yesterday that former Presidential Office deputy secretary-general Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) would represent the party in next year’s Taichung mayoral election. Tsai said the party decided to recruit Lin after former DPP legislator Hsieh Ming-yuan (謝明源), who had earlier expressed his interest in running next year, backed out. Tsai lauded Lin’s rich experience as a public servant, adding that he has been staying in Taichung to prepare for the campaign. Tsai said the party believed Lin was the best candidate to run for the post.
■ POLITICS
KMT restores members
The Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) Evaluation and Discipline Committee earlier this month restored the party rights of four legislators who were suspended for barging into the office of former premier Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) during the presidential campaign in March. The four KMT legislators, Alex Fai (費鴻泰), Chen Chieh (陳杰), Lo Ming-tsai (羅明才) and Lo Shu-lei (羅淑蕾), were accused of trespassing and clashing with Hsieh’s supporters. The KMT decided to suspended their party rights for one year as punishment. However, committee head Juan Kang-meng (阮剛猛) confirmed yesterday that the rights of the four lawmakers were restored ahead of time. “The four legislators have performed well at work and have been well-behaved during this period,” Juan said. He said that some KMT central standing committee members proposed reviving the four’s party rights, and the committee agreed to do so after serious consideration.
■ ECONOMY
DPP blasts China policies
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) warned yesterday that the government’s quick action to lift restrictions on China-bound businesses could result in capital flight of NT$800 billion (US$24.1 billion). DPP caucus whip William Lai (賴清德) told a press conference that President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) had taken advantage of the recession to make Taiwan overdependent on China and increase capital outflow across the Strait. After the nation emerges from a recession, Taiwan would have lost its economic independence, Lai said. Saying that the government’s 10 financial deregulatory policies have led to capital flight of NT$150 billion, the caucus estimated that if Taiwan’s 1,200-plus listed firms were to expand their investments in China following the easing of restrictions, it would result in another NT$650 billion flowing to China.
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