Premier Chang Chun-hsiung (
On top of the priority list are amendments to the Statute for the Punishment of Corruption (
PHOTO: CHEN CHENG-CHANG, TAIPEI TIMES
In addition, Chang asked lawmakers to help pass some minor amendments to more than 151 laws, which became necessary after the Taiwan Provincial Government was downsized.
Also, in line with amendments to the Administrative Procedure Law (
Chang suggested that the legislature pass these minor amendments in a package to save legislators' time.
In reply, Wang promised that the legislature will do its best to help, making use of the eight legislation-reviewing sittings available before the current legislative session ends in mid-June to pass as many bills as possible.
On the 36 items of priority legislation, however, Wang said some of them may have problems passing because they are "controversial" or "political" in nature.
These so-called controversial pieces of legislation include amendments to the Law on Local Government Systems (
Other controversial proposals include amendments to the Com-mercial Port Law (商港法) to enable a merger of Kaohsiung Harbor and the city of Kaohsiung; the enactment of a referendum law; and a new law to enable the establishment of an anti-corruption task force under the Ministry of Justice.
Also during the visit, Chang asked that the legislature relax a requirement under which the Executive Yuan is to report to the legislature on a monthly basis before drawing upon the subsidy fund for local governments.
Chang said this requirement has caused "obstacles" for the Executive Yuan, asking that the interval be changed to "every quarter."
Wang agreed that it is "more practical" to allow the Executive Yuan to make quarterly reports to the legislature, and he said there is in fact already an inter-party consensus to make the change.
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