The Alliance of Citizens Monitoring the Legislative Yuan singled out 20 legislators yesterday for "paralyzing the legislative process."
Alliance members pointed out that the lawmakers' defiance of procedural rules on the legislative floor had sacrificed citizens' rights and interests. It called on the public to think twice before voting for any of the 20 individuals, all but one of whom are running for re-election in the up-coming legislative election.
"We held this press conference a few days before the legislative election to remind voters again to keep their eyes wide open before they cast their votes on Dec. 1," said Shane Lee (
Lee said that the list of names had been compiled from media reports, which the alliance regarded as evidence against the legislators.
When asked whether media reports could be regarded as sufficient evidence on which to make such charges, Lee said, "If these media reports were mistaken, why didn't the legislators come forward to correct them in the first place?"
On the basis of the media reports, the alliance claimed that the 20 legislators had taken advantage of their positions to further their personal and professional interests.
"For instance they either blocked certain bills for their own private interests and/or passed first and second readings of bills without the knowledge of the relevant legislative committees," Lee said
"Some of [these named legislators] had not avoided meetings in which there was a potential conflict of interest involving their private business interests, which they are required to do as legislators, and/or engaged in senseless arguments that paralyzed the legislative process and brought meetings to a deadlock," Lee said.
"That's why we're releasing this list for the public to use as a reference prior to the Dec. 1 elections," he said.
"It is to prevent these legislators from sacrificing the citizens' rights and interests again on the legislative floor in pursuit of their own private agenda and interests," he said
Lee, who is also the convener of the alliance, said the list was not targeted at specific political parties. "The alliance is not affiliated with any political party and has no political goals," Lee said.
"The sole purpose of the alliance is to hold the legislators accountable for their actions and to serve as a watchdog over the Legislative Yuan, which the media is calling the source of political chaos in Taiwan," he said.
KMT legislators on the list are Fung Hu-hsiang (
Legislators with the People First Party are Cheng Chin-ling (
Two New Party candidates made the list -- Chang Shih-liang (張世良) and Hsieh Chi-ta (謝啟大) -- as did two independents -- Liao Hsueh-kuang (廖學廣) and Tsai Hao (
Tsai Trong-rong (
‘UPHOLDING PEACE’: Taiwan’s foreign minister thanked the US Congress for using a ‘creative and effective way’ to deter Chinese military aggression toward the nation The US House of Representatives on Monday passed the Taiwan Conflict Deterrence Act, aimed at deterring Chinese aggression toward Taiwan by threatening to publish information about Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials’ “illicit” financial assets if Beijing were to attack. The act would also “restrict financial services for certain immediate family of such officials,” the text of the legislation says. The bill was introduced in January last year by US representatives French Hill and Brad Sherman. After remarks from several members, it passed unanimously. “If China chooses to attack the free people of Taiwan, [the bill] requires the Treasury secretary to publish the illicit
NO HUMAN ERROR: After the incident, the Coast Guard Administration said it would obtain uncrewed aerial vehicles and vessels to boost its detection capacity Authorities would improve border control to prevent unlawful entry into Taiwan’s waters and safeguard national security, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday after a Chinese man reached the nation’s coast on an inflatable boat, saying he “defected to freedom.” The man was found on a rubber boat when he was about to set foot on Taiwan at the estuary of Houkeng River (後坑溪) near Taiping Borough (太平) in New Taipei City’s Linkou District (林口), authorities said. The Coast Guard Administration’s (CGA) northern branch said it received a report at 6:30am yesterday morning from the New Taipei City Fire Department about a
A senior US military official yesterday warned his Chinese counterpart against Beijing’s “dangerous” moves in the South China Sea during the first talks of their kind between the commanders. Washington and Beijing remain at odds on issues from trade to the status of Taiwan and China’s increasingly assertive approach in disputed maritime regions, but they have sought to re-establish regular military-to-military talks in a bid to prevent flashpoint disputes from spinning out of control. Samuel Paparo, commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, and Wu Yanan (吳亞男), head of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theater Command, talked via videoconference. Paparo “underscored the importance
IN BEIJING’S FAVOR: A China Coast Guard spokesperson said that the Chinese maritime police would continue to carry out law enforcement activities in waters it claims The Philippines withdrew its coast guard vessel from a South China Sea shoal that has recently been at the center of tensions with Beijing. BRP Teresa Magbanua “was compelled to return to port” from Sabina Shoal (Xianbin Shoal, 仙濱暗沙) due to bad weather, depleted supplies and the need to evacuate personnel requiring medical care, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesman Jay Tarriela said yesterday in a post on X. The Philippine vessel “will be in tiptop shape to resume her mission” after it has been resupplied and repaired, Philippine Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, who heads the nation’s maritime council, said
RSS