At a separate setting yesterday, Premier Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) said he “respected” the DPP caucus’ plan to file a constitutional interpretation, but said the DPP had failed in its intention to file a petition for a constitutional interpretation in the past because of a lack of votes or support from other parties to sustain its motions.
The Constitution requires support from one-fourth of the 113-seat legislature to file a request. The DPP holds 28 seats, the KMT holds 76 and the Non-Partisan Solidarity Union holds five. The DPP is one seat short of the threshold.
Meanwhile, the DPP yesterday also attacked Department of Health Minister Yaung Chih-liang (楊志良) for saying that those whose health was affected by US beef would be entitled to seek national compensation.
The government has no business making promises that it could not keep just to quell public angst over US beef, DPP spokesman Tsai Chih-chang (蔡其昌) said.
“Waiting to suspend imports until a case of BSE is detected in Taiwan would be too late,” Tsai said, adding that the incubation period for BSE could be up to 10 years.
“Given the fact that the incubation period could be a decade, how can the minister make such a promise when who knows where he will be in 10 years,” Tsai said. “Moreover, how would the government determine when and where the beef was consumed?”
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY SHIH HSIU-CHUAN AND JENNY W. HSU
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