Wed, May 02, 2007 page3

• DPP lawmakers call for raise in farmers' subsidy

  • By Shih Hsiu-chuan and Jimmy Chuang / STAFF REPORTERS
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  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 (王幸男).

  When fielding questions on the legislative floor yesterday, Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) said that the proposal to increase a single subsidy was "inconsistent" with the Cabinet's plan to re-examine the social welfare system "as a whole," adding that the government was optimistic about the establishment of a national pension system.

  

  Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus whip Wang Sing-nan, center, announces at a press conference yesterday that the DPP will push ahead with a proposal to increase subsidies to elderly farmers, even before the legislature passes the draft law for a national pension plan.

  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 (孫大千).

  "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 (陳水扁) said he had instructed the Cabinet to investigate the idea of increasing subsidies in the event that the legislature fails to enact the national pension law.

  "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 (蔡英文) following a report which said Tsai was considering not paying her taxes if the government gave in to pressure and passed the subsidy increase proposal.

  "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 (王榮璋), who once threatened to quit the legislature over the subsidy increase proposal, demanded the caucus hold a public debate on the issue before making a decision on Wang Sing-nan's amendment.

  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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