Legislative Yuan speaker Wang Jin-pyng (
Wang said that in the current legislative term covering 1999 to 2001, more than 300 pieces of legislation had so far been passed, while in each of the previous two legislative terms only some 200 pieces had been passed.
PHOTO: LU CHUN-WEI, TAIPEI TIMES
"This proves that the legislature has made significant improvements in terms of its efficiency," Wang said.
According to Wang, 42 pieces of legislation were passed between May 20, when the DPP assumed office, and June 30.
Even during the last session -- from September 2000 to January 2001 -- when the Legislative Yuan engaged in a vicious confrontation with the Executive Yuan following the Executive Yuan's abrupt decision to scrap the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant (
These bills included many that were urgently needed by the Executive Yuan, such as the Disaster Prevention and Rescue Law (災害防救法), the Financial Institutions Merger Law (金融機構合併法), amendments to the Securities Exchange Law (證券交易法) and amendments to the Farmers' Association Law (農會法).
Meanwhile, in the current session -- from February 2001 to June 2001 -- 19 bills that involve no controversy have been referred to appropriate committees for review. As to the remaining 173 bills awaiting review, the legislature will schedule them in accordance with their urgency and degree of importance, Wang said.
"It isn't true to say that the legislature has blocked the Executive Yuan's policies deliberately, as if the Executive Yuan had been abolished," Wang said.
Wang's explanation, however, failed to convince DPP legislators.
Chou Po-lun (
"Although the legislature has passed many laws, it has also prevented a lot of bills from moving beyond the committee stage in the legislature," Chou said. "The number of bills that have been blocked is much larger than that those which have been passed."
Among the bills that are stalled are proposed amendments to the Public Officials Election and Recall Law (公職人員選舉罷免法) and the Local Systems Law (地方制度法), which the DPP considers essential for reforms against "black-gold" politics.
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said it expected to issue a sea warning for Typhoon Fung-Wong tomorrow, which it said would possibly make landfall near central Taiwan. As of 2am yesterday, Fung-Wong was about 1,760km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, moving west-northwest at 26kph. It is forecast to reach Luzon in the northern Philippines by tomorrow, the CWA said. After entering the South China Sea, Typhoon Fung-Wong is likely to turn northward toward Taiwan, CWA forecaster Chang Chun-yao (張峻堯) said, adding that it would likely make landfall near central Taiwan. The CWA expects to issue a land
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said it is expected to issue a sea warning for Typhoon Fung-wong this afternoon and a land warning tomorrow. As of 1pm, the storm was about 1,070km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, and was moving west-northwest at 28 to 32kph, according to CWA data. The storm had a radius of 250km, with maximum sustained winds of 173kph and gusts reaching 209kph, the CWA added. The storm is forecast to pass near Luzon in the Philippines before entering the South China Sea and potentially turning northward toward Taiwan, the CWA said. CWA forecaster Chang Chun-yao (張峻堯) said
PREPARATION: Ferry lines and flights were canceled ahead of only the second storm to hit the nation in November, while many areas canceled classes and work Authorities yesterday evacuated more than 3,000 people ahead of approaching Tropical Storm Fung-wong, which is expected to make landfall between Kaohsiung and Pingtung County this evening. Fung-wong was yesterday morning downgraded from a typhoon to a tropical storm as it approached the nation’s southwest coast, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, as it issued a land alert for the storm. The alert applies to residents in Tainan, Kaohsiung, Pingtung and Taitung counties, and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春). As of press time last night, Taichung, Tainan, Kaohsiung, and Yilan, Miaoli, Changhua, Yunlin, Pingtung and Penghu counties, as well as Chiayi city and county had
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday issued a sea alert for Typhoon Fung-wong (鳳凰) as it threatened vessels operating in waters off the Pratas Islands (Dongsha Islands, 東沙群島), the Bashi Channel and south of the Taiwan Strait. A land alert is expected to be announced some time between late last night and early this morning, the CWA said. As of press time last night, Taoyuan, as well as Yilan, Hualien and Penghu counties had declared today a typhoon day, canceling work and classes. Except for a few select districts in Taipei and New Taipei City, all other areas and city
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