A public hearing on legislative proposals for a bill to monitor cross-strait agreements yesterday ended almost as quickly as it began, as Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators contested the legitimacy of the meeting.
As a co-convener of the legislature’s Internal Administration Committee, KMT Legislator Chang Ching-chung (張慶忠) scheduled the hearing to listen to proposals for the oversight bill after the legislature’s general assembly decided to forward all seven versions of the proposal to the committee for review.
DPP lawmakers questioned the legality of Chang’s decision.
Photo: Chen Chih-chu, Taipei Times
DPP Legislator Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) said the DPP caucus had made a motion of reconsideration on the day the general assembly decided to forward the proposals to the committee.
“While it is true that the general assembly has decided to forward all seven versions to the committee for review, the process should not start until April 22 when the period for reconsideration of the motion is over,” Chen said. “Thus, this is not a legitimate meeting.”
KMT caucus whip Lin Hung-chih (林鴻池) disagreed, saying that the general assembly had decided to “immediately” forward the proposals to the committee, so there should be no waiting period.
DPP Legislator Tuan Yi-kang (段宜康) challenged his statement, saying “immediately” does not mean that legal procedures should be overlooked.
KMT Legislator Wu Yu-sheng (吳育昇) agreed that the DPP caucus’ motion of reconsideration was legitimate, “but dragging the process [for review] would go against public expectations.”
Unable to reach consensus, Chang adjourned the meeting before noon.
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