The Examination Yuan yesterday announced a new pension plan for civil servants, teachers and military personnel.
"The new pension plan may affect nearly 200,000 civil servants, teachers and military people," Examination Yuan member Tsai Bih-hwang (
The Examination Yuan considered four proposed versions of a revised pension plan yesterday morning. Of the 24 votes cast, 12 were in favor of the version that was announced yesterday.
According to the final version, civil servants, teachers and military personnel with a service record of at least 25 years would qualify for the new program.
Those who retire after 25 years will earn a monthly pension amounting to 85 percent of their monthly paycheck. One percentage point will be added for those who retire after between 25 and 35 years, while people retiring after more than 35 years will receive 95 percent of their monthly paycheck.
Tsai said that the new regulations do not apply to retired high-ranking officials.
Fellow Executive Yuan member Bian Yu-yuan (
"High-ranking officials' pensions will not be affected, but low-ranking officials and teachers will face cuts," she said.
The new rule will be submitted to the Legislative Yuan for final approval.
Lawmakers yesterday expressed wide-ranging opinions about the change.
The Democratic Progressive Party caucus expressed its support, adding that the money saved should be used to help disadvantaged groups such as farmers, fishermen, poor students and the physically challenged.
Describing the revised plan as an "unacceptable election gambit," People First Party (PFP) Legislator Chang Hsien-yao (
He firmly condemned the Examination Yuan and threatened that the PFP would team up with the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) to delay review of the Examination Yuan's annual budget for next year.
He encouraged retired civil servants, soldiers and teachers affected by the new pension model to take legal action against Examination Yuan President Yao Chia-wen (
Chang also vowed to launch a signature drive to endorse the PFP caucus' proposal requesting that the Legislative Yuan call a joint committee meeting to review the Examination Yuan's plan and enact a new law regulating civil servants' pensions, if necessary.
Officials' earnings
Interest earnings from the 18-percent preferential interest-rate scheme for civil servants who started work before July 1, 1995:
1. Lien Chan (
2. Ding Mao-shih (丁懋時), former Presidential Office secretary-general: NT$127,653 per month/NT$1,531,836 per year
3. Loh I-cheng (
4. Wang Tso-jung (
5. Chiu Chuang-huan (
Source: Democratic Progressive Party caucus
Additional reporting by Chiu Yu-tzu
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