Defying the Cabinet's stance on the issue, a group of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers yesterday proposed raising the monthly subsidy for elderly farmers.
The proposal, which calls for the subsidy to be increased by NT$1,000, was put forward by DPP caucus whip Wang Sing-nan (
When fielding questions on the legislative floor yesterday, Premier Su Tseng-chang (
PHOTO: CNA
"We will deliberate how to take care of underprivileged people should the bill to establish a national pension system fail to clear the legislature before July," Su said.
He restated his opposition to subsidy increases when answering questions from Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Sun Ta-chien (
"The proposed amendment [calling for a subsidy increase] needs approval from the DPP caucus meeting [on Friday] if Wang Sing-nan wants to put it in the caucus' name," Su said.
Last Thursday, President Chen Shui-bian (
"I must say, the president never `asked' us to [increase the farmers' subsidy]. He `hopes' that we will do so," Su said yesterday. "In addition, the pension system as a whole should be our focus rather than any specific part of it, and the farmers' subsidy is supposed to be a part of that system."
At his press conference yesterday, Wang also lashed out at Vice Premier Tsai Ing-wen (
"Tsai doesn't understand the president's instructions at all," Wang said.
In her defense, Tsai, in a separate setting, said: "I was just kidding. I will pay my taxes on time."
However, Tsai did say that increasing the farmers' subsidy would significantly increase the government's debt and that she was against the proposal.
Meanwhile, DPP Legislator Wang Jung-chang (
Wang Jung-chang expressed concern that a plan to increase the subsidy would use money earmarked for underprivileged people.
"The government must impose a stock exchange tax -- which could generate NT$150 billion a year -- if it wants to increase the subsidy for elderly farmers. Otherwise, the elderly will suffer," he said.
The Cabinet is supposed to present its proposed national pension law to the legislature today after deliberation at the weekly Cabinet meeting.
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