Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Wu Yu-sheng (吳育昇) yesterday dismissed media speculation that his proposed amendment targeting government officials over foreign residency could put President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) in an uncomfortable position.
“Ma’s US green card has been invalidated. He does not have either a green card or dual citizenship,” Wu told reporters. “The proposed amendment has nothing to do with Ma.”
Despite objections from the Ministry of the Interior, the Legislative Yuan’s Internal Administration Committee on Monday completed a preliminary review of a proposed amendment to the Nationality Act (國籍法), barring anyone with permanent residency status in another country from holding public office.
“Barring officials from holding foreign residency has symbolic implications on his or her loyalty to this country. [The amendment] is a way to enhance public trust in the government,” said Wu, who presided over Monday’s meeting.
The current version of the Nationality Act only prohibits people with citizenship in another country from serving in office.
The proposed amendment, however, prompted concerns within political circles, as Ma would be required to present documents proving the loss of his green card if the amendment cleared the legislature.
During the presidential campaign last year, Democratic Progressive Party presidential candidate Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) alleged that Ma still possessed a green card.
Ma said his green card, which he obtained in the 1970s, was automatically invalidated when he applied for a US visa in 1985.
He has never made the Abandonment of Alien Status as a Lawful Permanent Resident form (I-407), or any other evidence, public.
KMT Legislator Lo Shu-lei (羅淑蕾) said every government official should abide by the amendment if it was adopted.
“Even the president must follow the law,” Lo said.
KMT Legislator Chen Hsiu-ching (陳秀卿) opposed the proposal, however, saying the ban could discourage overseas talent from serving in government.
During a question-and-answer session with Chen, Premier Liu Chao-shiuan (劉兆玄) said he was in favor of barring political appointees and senior Cabinet officials from holding residency in another country, but said he had reservations as to whether the restriction should apply to ordinary public officials.
Minister of the Interior Liao Liou-yi (廖了以) said the ministry had not probed the foreign residency status of all public officials.
He said a study of the impact of the proposed amendment would have to be prepared before the second and third readings of the bill.
EVA Airways today confirmed the death of a flight attendant on Saturday upon their return to Taiwan and said an internal investigation has been launched, as criticism mounted over a social media post accusing the airline of failing to offer sufficient employee protections. According to the post, the flight attendant complained of feeling sick on board a flight, but was unable to take sick leave or access medical care. The crew member allegedly did not receive assistance from the chief purser, who failed to heed their requests for medical attention or call an ambulance once the flight landed, the post said. As sick
A drunk woman was sexually assaulted inside a crowded concourse of Taipei Railway Station on Thursday last week before a foreign tourist notified police, leading to calls for better education on bystander intervention and review of security infrastructure. The man, surnamed Chiu (邱), was taken into custody on charges of sexual assault, taking advantage of the woman’s condition and public indecency. Police discovered that Chiu was a fugitive with prior convictions for vehicle theft. He has been taken into custody and is to complete his unserved six-month sentence, police said. On Thursday last week, Chiu was seen wearing a white
EVA Airways, one of the leading international carriers in Taiwan, yesterday said that it was investigating reports that a cabin crew manager had ignored the condition of a sick flight attendant, who died on Saturday. The airline made the statement in response to a post circulating on social media that said that the flight attendant on an outbound flight was feeling sick and notified the cabin crew manager. Although the flight attendant grew increasingly ill on the return flight, the manager did not contact Medlink — a system that connects the aircraft to doctors on the ground for treatment advice during medical
The Taichung District Court yesterday confirmed its final ruling that the marriage between teenage heir Lai (賴) and a man surnamed Hsia (夏) was legally invalid, preventing Hsia from inheriting Lai’s NT$500 million (US$16.37 million) estate. The court confirmed that Hsia chose not to appeal the civil judgement after the court handed down its ruling in June, making the decision final. In the June ruling, the court said that Lai, 18, and Hsia, 26, showed “no mutual admiration before the marriage” and that their interactions were “distant and unfamiliar.” The judge concluded that the couple lacked the “true intention of