There was a rare sentimental atmosphere in the Legislative Yuan yesterday as the fourth legislative session came to a close.
Of 218 lawmakers, 97 will not be present for the swearing in ceremony of the fifth Legislative Yuan on Feb. 1, either because they did not seek re-election or because they were defeated in the Dec. 1 elections.
The departing lawmakers got the chance to deliver their farewell addresses to their colleagues after the legislature ended its session by passing the fiscal 2002 budget.
Some sang songs to say goodbye, others were brought to tears. And others vowed to return.
Three-term KMT legislator Chen Ching-pao (
"Over the past nine years, I was always racing against time whenever I took the floor. But I wasted a lot of time today," Chen said.
In sentences interrupted by pauses, Chen said he felt very peaceful in his mind despite failing to be re-elected, as he had worked very hard during the past nine years.
Hsiao Chin-lan (
Hsiao, who was indicted by prosecutors on charges of vote-buying three days before the Dec. 1 legislative polls, was found innocent a few days ago. The allegation was blamed for her defeat in the election.
"Many friends were indignant at this injustice. But time proved everything," Hsiao said.
Chao Erh-chung (曹爾忠), another three-term KMT legislator, from Matsu, said his heart was full of gratitude for having had the chance to sit in the legislature.
Chao said his feeling could be most properly articulated by one of his favorite hits, Exhausting the love of my lifetime.
"I have loved. I have laughed. I have hurt. And I have cried before. What else do I ask for in this life?" Chao sang, followed by enthusiastic applause from his colleagues.
But some departing legislators said the legislature hadn't heard the last of them.
Four-term legislator Wang Tein-ging (
Three-term KMT legislator Liu Shen-liang (劉盛良) from Taipei County also indicated his plan to run for a seat again, while expressing his appreciation to his family for their support over the past 30 years of his political career.
"See you. I'll be back," Liu said in a tone full of confidence.
Meanwhile, some legislators likened their departure to graduation from schools.
Three-term New Party legislator Hsieh Chi-ta (
Independent legislator Huang Ming-ho (黃明和) from Changhua County said he was a "primary school graduate" when he last left the legislature in 1993 after serving six years as a lawmaker, but that now he is a "junior high school graduate."
The Ministry of the Interior (MOI) is to tighten rules for candidates running for public office, requiring them to declare that they do not hold a Chinese household registration or passport, and that they possess no other foreign citizenship. The requirement was set out in a draft amendment to the Enforcement Rules of the Public Officials Election and Recall Act (公職人員選舉罷免法 ) released by the ministry on Thursday. Under the proposal, candidates would need to make the declaration when submitting their registration forms, which would be published in the official election bulletin. The move follows the removal of several elected officials who were
FOUR DESIGNATED AREAS: Notices were issued for live-fire exercises in waters south and northwest of Penghu, northeast of Keelung and west of Kaohsiung, they said The military is planning three major annual exercises across the army, navy and air force this month, with the navy’s “Hai Chiang” (海強, “Sea Strong”) drills running from today through Friday, the Ministry of National Defense said yesterday. The Hai Chiang exercise, which is to take place in waters surrounding Taiwan, would feature P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft and S-70C anti-submarine helicopters, the ministry said, adding that the drills aim to bolster the nation’s offshore defensive capabilities. China has intensified military and psychological pressure against Taiwan, repeatedly sending warplanes and vessels into areas near the nation’s air defense identification zone and across
FORCED LABOR: A US court listed three Taiwanese and nine firms based in Taiwan in its indictment, with eight of the companies registered at the same address Nine companies registered in Taiwan, as well as three Taiwanese, on Tuesday were named by the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) as Specially Designated Nationals (SDNs) as a result of a US federal court indictment. The indictment unsealed at the federal court in Brooklyn, New York, said that Chen Zhi (陳志), a dual Cambodian-British national, is being indicted for fraud conspiracy, money laundering and overseeing Prince Holding Group’s forced-labor scam camps in Cambodia. At its peak, the company allegedly made US$30 million per day, court documents showed. The US government has seized Chen’s noncustodial wallet, which contains
SENATE RECOMMENDATION: The National Defense Authorization Act encourages the US secretary of defense to invite Taiwan’s navy to participate in the exercises in Hawaii The US Senate on Thursday last week passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026, which strongly encourages the US secretary of defense to invite Taiwan’s naval forces to participate in the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise, as well as allocating military aid of US$1 billion for Taiwan. The bill, which authorizes appropriations for the military activities of the US Department of Defense, military construction and other purposes, passed with 77 votes in support and 20 against. While the NDAA authorizes about US$925 billion of defense spending, the Central News Agency yesterday reported that an aide of US
RSS