The majority of Control Yuan nominees yesterday made public their conditional support for abolishing the agency during a review at the Legislative Yuan.
The legislature had requested that the six Control Yuan nominees — former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislator Tien Chiu-chin (田秋堇), former Judicial Reform Foundation chief executive officer Kao Yung-cheng (高涌誠), Taiwan Association for Disability Rights secretary-general Wang Yu-ling (王幼玲), former minister without portfolio Lin Sheng-feng (林盛豐), National Yang Ming University public health professor Peter Chang (張武修) and former DPP legislator Walis Perin — be present for the review, which was carried out in the form of a question-and-answer session.
Asked by Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Lee Yen-hsiu (李彥秀) whether they agreed that the Control Yuan should be abolished, Tien started her response by mentioning former Control Yuan members Huang Huang-hsiung (黃煌雄) and Chang Teh-ming (張德銘).
Photo: Chien Jung-fong, Taipei Times
“If all Control Yuan members can live up to the standards set by Huang and Chang Teh-ming when investigating,” Tien said, before she was interrupted by Lee, who demanded a straight answer.
Tien said she conditionally agreed.
Until the Constitution is amended, it is necessary to retain the Control Yuan, which could be repurposed in the meantime, Wang said.
Perin said he would agree to abolish it if a constitutional amendment was passed by lawmakers and approved via a referendum.
Kao said the Control Yuan has no place in his ideal constitutional system, but that does not mean he endorses annulling the right of audit, which should be returned to the legislature after the Constitution is amended.
Lin said he conditionally agreed.
Peter Chang was the only nominee who unconditionally agreed to the idea.
Lee then asked Tien whether she would stand her ground on US pork containing ractopamine and file a correction against the Council of Agriculture if it allowed US pork to be imported.
After Tien said she would, Lee challenged her response.
“Of course I would,” Tien said.
The KMT lawmaker then asked Kao whether he would open a case to investigate police who allegedly obstructed lawyers offering legal assistance to labor rights campaigners lying down on the tracks at Taipei Railway Station on Monday in a protest over amendments to the Labor Standards Act (勞動基準法).
Kao declined to comment on an “isolated” case, saying that it would hamper his investigative neutrality if his nomination is approved by lawmakers on Tuesday next week.
However, after Lee pressed him, Kao said that authorities should treat lawyers performing their duties with a certain level of respect, adding that he would investigate what he deems worthy issues if confirmed.
KMT Legislator Chen Yi-min (陳宜民) asked the six nominees whether they were members of a political party, and found that, except for Kao and Peter Chang, all are members of the DPP.
Tien protested after being asked by Chen if she believed that Control Yuan members should look past their political affiliations, saying that she is “clearly” politically affiliated, but that does not mean she would perform her duties as Control Yuan member in a biased manner.
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