TSU legislators Chien Lin Hui-chun (
The lawmakers argue that Article 73 of the Constitution does not give members of the Legislative Yuan carte blanche to make any kind of accusation they wish.
Article 73 says, "No member of the Legislative Yuan shall be held responsible outside the Yuan for opinions expressed or votes cast in the Yuan."
Using the example of PFP Lawmaker Diane Lee (李慶安) and her petitioner Cheng Ko-jung's (鄭可榮) false accusation of sexual harassment against the acting head of the Department of Health Twu Shiing-jer (涂醒哲), Liao said that lawmakers are increasingly taking advantage of their immunity of speech and this has subsequently damaged the overall reputation of the Legislative Yuan.
"Although Lee and Cheng have admitted on Saturday that they simply identified the wrong person and have apologized to Twu immediately, the damage to Twu's reputation has already been done," Liao said. "I think their apologies are hardly able to make it up to Twu."
He said lawmakers shouldn't be protected by the Constitution if they are proven to have made false accusations.
Chien Lin and Liao said that they will propose the application to the TSU's caucus meeting today. If the proposal is accepted, they'll begin the endorsement process.
Other than endorsing the proposal of limiting lawmaker's immunity of speech by filing a constitutional interpretation application to the Council of Grand Justices, Chien Lin said that she personally thought it wouldn't be enough.
"I suggest that all lawmakers give up the immunity of speech. Everybody should be responsible for what he says and that goes for lawmakers as well. Nobody has the right to ruin another person by making false accusations," she said.
DPP lawmaker Luo Wen-jia (
"Lee's serves as a lesson for us. [If our proposal leads to a constitutional interpretation] lawmakers' immunity of speech would only be protected on the legislative floor. What they say at press conferences or outside the Legislature shall not be protected," Luo said.
To successfully file the application, Chien Lin and Liao will need another 73 signatures from lawmakers. Currently, the DPP occupies 89 seats at the legislature and the TSU 13.
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