Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators yesterday obstructed a review of a draft bill for an act governing private foundations, accusing the government of stealing public funds and demanding that the draft bill go before a public hearing.
Faced with opposition to the draft bill, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Tuan Yi-kang (段宜康) — chair of the legislature’s Judiciary Affairs Committee — ceded to the KMT’s demands and cut the review of the draft bill from the agenda.
A public hearing is to be convened by KMT Legislator John Wu (吳志揚) on Wednesday next week, before which time legislators are not permitted to review the draft bill.
The draft, submitted by the Cabinet, also applies to religious institutions, but critics say they are concerned about negative repercussions resulting from subjecting institutions such as temples to strict supervision.
KMT caucus secretary-general Lee Yen-hsiu (李彥秀) criticized the draft bill, saying the DPP has been targeting private assets since taking office.
“The Ill-gotten Party Assets Settlement Committee, the Act on Promoting Transitional Justice and now this private foundation draft bill are all aimed at confiscation. No substantial supervision can be seen,” Lee said.
Article 69 of the draft bill broadens the definition of private foundations that the government donates money to, she said, adding that it is designed to allow the forced sale of foundations to the government.
“Is this a return to authoritarianism?” she asked.
Earlier at a news conference at the legislature, Lee told reporters that there is no consensus on the draft bill between the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Justice.
“The DPP is in such a rush to get its hands on private foundations that it is rushing to pass an act,” Lee said.
KMT Legislator Lai Shyh-bao (賴士葆) said that if the draft bill really was aimed at improving supervision and preventing fraud then there would have been no opposition to it.
DPP caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) said the bill is necessary because Taiwan has been criticized by international anti-money laundering organizations for lacking transparency with regards to laws related to companies and private foundations.
“The KMT said the government is stealing money from the public, but all it is doing is restoring the government’s authority. There is no unconstitutional misuse of power or stealing of private funds taking place,” he said.
An increase in Taiwanese boats using China-made automatic identification systems (AIS) could confuse coast guards patrolling waters off Taiwan’s southwest coast and become a loophole in the national security system, sources familiar with the matter said yesterday. Taiwan ADIZ, a Facebook page created by enthusiasts who monitor Chinese military activities in airspace and waters off Taiwan’s southwest coast, on Saturday identified what seemed to be a Chinese cargo container ship near Penghu County. The Coast Guard Administration went to the location after receiving the tip and found that it was a Taiwanese yacht, which had a Chinese AIS installed. Similar instances had also
GOOD DIPLOMACY: The KMT has maintained close contact with representative offices in Taiwan and had extended an invitation to Russia as well, the KMT said The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) would “appropriately handle” the fallout from an invitation it had extended to Russia’s representative to Taipei to attend its international banquet last month, KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) said yesterday. US and EU representatives in Taiwan boycotted the event, and only later agreed to attend after the KMT rescinded its invitation to the Russian representative. The KMT has maintained long-term close contact with all representative offices and embassies in Taiwan, and had extended the invitation as a practice of good diplomacy, Chu said. “Some EU countries have expressed their opinions of Russia, and the KMT respects that,” he
VIGILANCE: The military is paying close attention to actions that might damage peace and stability in the region, the deputy minister of national defense said The People’s Republic of China (PRC) might consider initiating a hack on Taiwanese networks on May 20, the day of the inauguration ceremony of president-elect William Lai (賴清德), sources familiar with cross-strait issues said. While US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken’s statement of the US expectation “that all sides will conduct themselves with restraint and prudence in the period ahead” would prevent military actions by China, Beijing could still try to sabotage Taiwan’s inauguration ceremony, the source said. China might gain access to the video screens outside of the Presidential Office Building and display embarrassing messages from Beijing, such as congratulating Lai
Four China Coast Guard ships briefly sailed through prohibited waters near Kinmen County, Taipei said, urging Beijing to stop actions that endanger navigation safety. The Chinese ships entered waters south of Kinmen, 5km from the Chinese city of Xiamen, at about 3:30pm on Monday, the Coast Guard Administration said in a statement later the same day. The ships “sailed out of our prohibited and restricted waters” about an hour later, the agency said, urging Beijing to immediately stop “behavior that endangers navigation safety.” Ministry of National Defense spokesman Sun Li-fang (孫立方) yesterday told reporters that Taiwan would boost support to the Coast Guard