Following controversy surrounding the government’s flip-flop on plans to impose a capital gains tax on profits made on the stock market and a new energy tax, Premier Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) yesterday told Cabinet officials that they should be cautious when providing the media with details of unfinished policies, Executive Yuan spokesman Su Jun-pin (蘇俊賓) told reporters after the weekly Cabinet meeting yesterday.
Su, however, denied the instruction was a “gag order,” as some media outlets have described it.
“The premier told officials to follow administrative procedures and abide by the administrative code of ethics when providing information on policies still being discussed,” Su said, adding that officials considered to have violated these would be disciplined in accordance with the rules and regulations governing civil servants.
OPPOSITION
The Executive Yuan recently met opposition from lawmakers over proposals put forward by the Cabinet’s Tax Reform Committee to revive the capital gains tax on profits earned on stock market transactions and to introduce a new energy tax. Wu later made a U-turn, saying no timetable had been set for implementing the taxes.
Su yesterday quoted the premier as saying that government agencies should take care when disclosing information so as not to provoke public concern.
“As many policies are not determined by a single government agency alone, officials should announce the policies after they have been finalized and at the proper time,” Su said.
Later yesterday, when approached by reporters for comment, Wu said a Cabinet official could announce a policy at his or her discretion if it was under the jurisdiction of his or her office, but should not make announcements on policies that involve other agencies.
A number of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators yesterday voiced their support for the move.
COORDINATION
KMT caucus secretary-general Lu Hsueh-chang (呂學樟) said President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) had previously made it clear that different government agencies should be better coordinated when announcing new policies.
KMT Legislator Lee Ching-hua (李慶華) said the measure would prevent government officials from confusing the public.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY FLORA WANG
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