KMT needs to rethink its role
A few days ago, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Hsu Hsin-ying (徐欣瑩), along with other lawmakers, submitted a bill to amend the Budget Act (預算法). The proposal would require special budgets put forth by the executive branch to undergo legislative approval, while removing several provisions in the act. If an emergency occurred, nothing could be done to directly push through a special budget.
Were Hsu’s amendment to pass, Hualien County, struck by a massive earthquake on April 3 — the constituency most severely affected by the temblor, represented by KMT caucus convener and former Hualien County commissioner Fu Kun-chi (傅?萁) — and other potential disaster zones would be unable to access immediate response funds and resources.
The KMT lawmakers in this legislative session have proposed several constitutionally debilitating and chaos-inducing bills in the name of “legislative reform.”
They are incapable of picking up on the public pulse.
The Taiwanese Public Opinion Foundation’s latest political party survey showed that KMT support is dropping, falling to about 10 percent below that of the Democratic Progressive Party. Last month’s My-Formosa.com poll showed that satisfaction with the KMT had fallen the most, whereas dissatisfaction with the party had risen the most.
It goes to show that the KMT — the largest opposition party — has since the beginning of the new legislative session on Feb. 1 put nothing forth except a series of offbeat, hubris-fueled bills. The KMT’s absurd political behavior is a slap in the face of public opinion.
It is a given that Taiwan’s opposition parties should serve as a check on the governing party, but acting in a supervisory capacity should be based on helping Taiwan’s national development. The KMT should not give the public the impression that it exists only to be a troublemaker. From the KMT chairman downward, each tier of its public officials and even supporters ought to take note of public sentiment and fight to advance Taiwan’s interests.
The KMT should pay no heed to Chinese Communist Party directives, which make it appear as if it is helping China to annex Taiwan.
If not, the KMT would be walking a thorny path if it wishes to gain a majority in the central government.
Chiu Ping-chin
Taipei
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