Legislators yesterday clashed over the fairness of the bills targeting the ill-gotten assets of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) during the legislature’s first official hearing.
The marathon hearing by the Legislative Yuan’s Internal Administration Committee, Finance Committee and Judiciary and Organic Laws and Statutes Committee started early in the morning and stretched into the evening, with the conclusion postponed when time ran out with more than 50 legislators yet to speak.
Seventy-five out of the Legislative Yuan’s 113 legislators had registered to question government officials regarding the legislation, which has drawn attention due to the long-standing controversy over KMT assets.
Photo: Chang Chia-ming, Taipei Times
KMT properties and investments dwarf those belonging to all other parties and are alleged to have been accumulated as a result of the party abusing its influence under the authoritarian one-party rule.
Sparks flew throughout the hearing as legislators traded barbs over the fairness of proposed legislation.
“We are willing to be open and candid in dealing with the issue of party assets, and give them up to move forward, but today’s review is too targeted and vengeful,” KMT caucus whip Lai Shyh-bao (賴士葆) said, adding that the hearing only sought to summon KMT party representatives for questioning.
All major parties that have received government subsidies over the past 10 years should be required to fully disclose financial records and accept questioning at the Legislative Yuan, he said, condemning the legislation sponsored by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators for only applying to the KMT.
Representatives from the KMT’s central party organization boycotted the hearing.
Lai also said the legislation would likely be unconstitutional, as it violates the separation of powers by allowing the Executive Yuan to establish a committee with judicial investigative powers.
KMT objections were rebuffed by legislators from the pan-green camp, who contended that the KMT should be held to higher standards because of its history.
DPP Legislator Cheng Yun-peng (鄭運鵬) responded that the proposed bills targeting the KMT was appropriate, because it was the only party that could reasonably be suspected of having “illicit assets.”
DPP party articles forbid it from investing or operating businesses, he said, adding that other parties have lacked the authority and opportunity to accumulate assets.
“Of course this legislation is targeted. It is targeted at illicit assets — if you acquired them legally there is nothing anyone could do to you,” DPP Legislator Chuang Ruei-hsiung (莊瑞雄) said. “Of course this is a ‘hunt,’ but it is a hunt for illicit assets, not property belonging to ordinary people.”
Implementing the proposed legislation retroactively was justified due to the KMT’s unjust acquisition of assets, DPP Legislator Hsu Kuo-yung (徐國勇) said, adding that the party should be required to prove the legality of all of its assets.
DPP caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) brushed off KMT claims that it was willing to divest itself of “illicit assets.”
“The KMT’s actions and words are at odds,” Ker said. “The KMT says it is not opposed [to taking care of illicit assets], but you know it is the minute you look at its proposed legislation. It is written very clearly: No satellite organizations are to be pursued, and any controversy is to go to the Control Yuan, which they control.”
He called for the issue of KMT assets to be handled as part of a broader framework to achieve transitional justice, which he defined as facing history to allow the nation to normalize.
‘FAILED TACTICS’: A lawmaker said Beijing’s actions in Hong Kong and Taiwan’s success at boosting its ties internationally have boosted identification as Taiwanese Self-identification as “Taiwanese and Chinese,” or solely as “Chinese,” has dropped to record lows, while 63.3 percent of the public regard themselves as Taiwanese, a survey released on Tuesday by National Chengchi University’s Election Study Center showed. Respondents identifying as Taiwanese and Chinese dropped to 31.4 percent, while those identifying solely as Chinese fell to 2.7 percent, the survey showed. The results reflect changes in attitudes since 1994 among Taiwanese toward independence and unification with China, as well as self-identification trends since 1992, commenters said. Support for independence was 25.8 percent, while about 5 percent of respondents said that they want the nation
ONLY EXCEPTIONS: The mayors of the two largest cities voiced concerns over hidden cases, while all other local governments are to follow eased CECC guidelines All local governments, with the exception of Taipei and New Taipei City, are to allow dine-in services at restaurants after the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) on Friday announced that it would on Tuesday lower a nationwide COVID-19 alert to level 2. The center on July 8 allowed the resumption of dining at restaurants nationwide — despite keeping the alert level at 3. At the time, this prompted all cities and counties, except Penghu Country, to keep local dine-in bans in place. Following Friday’s CECC announcement that COVID-19 prevention measures would be further relaxed, the Taipei and New Taipei City governments
‘NOT IMPOSSIBLE’: Acceptance to the UN would end the nation’s troubles, but it would be impossible to achieve without US backing, Legislative Speaker You Si-kun said The US might recognize Taiwan if war breaks out in the Taiwan Strait, Legislative Speaker You Si-kun (游錫堃) said yesterday while discussing politics with former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁). Speaking on Chen’s program on Smile Radio, You reminisced about his agrarian childhood, studies, the founding of the Democratic Progressive Party in 1986 and his eight years as Yilan County commissioner. Chen’s appointment of You as premier in February 2002 marked several firsts, as he was Taiwan’s youngest premier, as well as the first from a farming background and first democratically elected county leader to hold the office. Asked to share his views on
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday rejected the claim Beijing has been making about Taiwan’s status, while thanking US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman for raising concerns about Taiwan during her meeting with Chinese officials. Sherman met with Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (王毅) on a visit to Tianjin on Sunday and Monday, with Wang urging Washington not to infringe on China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Taiwan is part of China, a fundamental fact that would never change, and China has the right to take any action needed to restrain Taiwanese independence, Wang said, urging Washington to abide
RSS