The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus yesterday expressed confidence it could push through an amendment to the Anti-Corruption Act (貪污治罪條例) within the current legislative session that would force public officials to explain the sources of their income.
At a press conference, KMT Legislator Wu Ching-chih (吳清池), head of the Judiciary and Organic Laws and Statutes Committee, said the proposal was scheduled for review during the committee meeting today, adding that he was positive the bill would clear the legislative floor by the summer.
Wu said he agreed with an amendment by the Ministry of Justice that would only require officials who were under investigation for and accused of corruption to explain the sources of their assets.
“Those who fail to explain the sources of their wealth would face prosecution,” Wu said.
The idea of the bill was first proposed by the red-shirt campaign led by former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) chairman Shih Ming-teh (施明德) to oust then-president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) on Oct. 30, 2006, as a sunshine bill.
Unlike the ministry’s version, the red shirt proposal would require all government officials who live in luxury to explain the origins of their wealth.
The ministry recently submitted its version of the bill to the Legislative Yuan recently, but said the requirement should only apply to those who have been accused of corruption for fear that the campaign’s version would cause controversy.
DPP caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) said yesterday his caucus supported the amendment.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY RICH CHANG
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