Premier Yu Shyi-kun's plan to privatize Taiwan's highways yesterday sparked an uproar in the legislature and was criticized by DPP lawmakers who were upset that they had been left out of the loop.
Yu announced the plan to gradually privatize the nation's highway system while visiting Hualien on Tuesday.
The plan seeks to fund highways being planned or which are now under construction in eastern Taiwan, by privatizing the management of completed highways in western Taiwan.
Details are to be proposed by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications in three months.
Yu's announcement drew immediate criticism from DPP legislative whip Wang Tuoh (王拓), who released a statement opposing Yu's proposal on Tuesday night.
Wang said that the government's highway-operations deficit is largely the result of bad management and the misuse of highway funds.
Highway funds are often used to subsidize the construction of local roads due to intense pressure from local governments and lawmakers who wish to attract votes, the statement said.
Wang wondered why, after the privatization program proposed by the Council for Economic Planning and Development in 2000 had been rejected by the Ministry of Transportation and Communication, "has the aborted program been proposed again?"
Though transportation minister Lin Lin-san (林陵三) yesterday pledged the government wouldn't "sell the highways out," Yu's proposal was slammed on all sides.
During a session of the Transportation Committee, PFP lawmaker Liu Wen-hsiung (劉文雄) threatened to burn copies of the transportation ministry's policy report, because the report "is all bullshit," as the privatization program was not mentioned, he said.
After telling lawmakers that he was indeed consulted by the premier on the proposal five days ago, Lin received a tongue-lashing from Liu and PFP legislator Chung Shao-ho (鍾紹和).
Tsai Huang-liang (蔡煌瑯), DPP convener of the Transportation Committee, also complained that the caucus never heard from the Cabinet on the decision. But he distanced himself from Wang's strong objections to the plan.
"I'll make up my mind on weather to support Yu's proposal only after the package of measures are unveiled," Tsai said
In response to DPP caucus complaints, Cabinet Spokesman Chuang Suo-hang (
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