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Executive Yuan approves bill to boost transparency

"The legislation is ... an indicator of the country's democratization and modern-ization."

Chuang Suo-hang, Cabinet spokesman, quoting the premier

In a bid to make public access to government documents easier and to improve public understanding of government policies, the Executive Yuan yesterday approved the draft of the Law on Opening Government Information (政府資訊公開法).

The bill, which would also apply to foreigners, will go to the Legislative Yuan for further review and final approval.

At a press conference after the weekly Cabinet affairs meeting yesterday, Cabinet Spokesman Chuang Suo-hang (莊碩漢) said that it is important to make the government's documents transparent.

"The legislation is meaningful because it not only satisfies the public's right to know, but also facilitates people's participation in public affairs and is an indicator of the country's democratization and modernization," Chuang quoted Premier Yu Shyi-kun as saying.

The Cabinet submitted the draft bill to the legislature in 1999, 2000 and last year, but the draft failed to get approval from the legislature.

Under the draft, the government would make public certain documents, including treaties, laws and regulations, contact information for government agencies, research papers, budgetary books and procurement contracts for public projects.

Government information that should not be made public would include national secrets, yet-to-be-developed government policies and pending legal cases.
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