The third-round review of the Forward-looking Infrastructure Development Program came to naught yesterday due to continued protests by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and another date is to be set to continue the review, the legislature’s Economics Committee said.
“The meeting has been idle for two straight days this week. We should have cross-caucus negotiations to solve this situation,” Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Gao Jyh-peng (高志鵬), a co-convener of the committee, said before announcing the meeting’s adjournment at 5:30pm.
The KMT should negotiate with the DPP and examine the draft rationally, Gao said.
Photo: CNA
“If you are not pleased with the details of the draft, let us sit down and talk about it. What is the point of stalling the development of Taiwan’s infrastructure?” he said.
Maintaining order in the meeting is important to all lawmakers, as the Legislative Yuan’s image is already tarnished, Gao said.
DPP caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) said that the KMT’s behavior over the past two days has ruined the legislature’s “game rules,” making the meeting like a temple festival.
“Our tolerance has limits. The DPP will adjust its strategy if the KMT continues to block the meeting next week,” Ker told reporters.
KMT lawmakers used the same tactics as they did on Wednesday to disrupt the session, using loudspeakers, whistles and sirens to prevent discussions.
Gao said that KMT lawmakers must return to their seats and urged them to express their opinions at the podium, but the attempt failed.
There were physical altercations, with KMT lawmakers, such as Yen Kuan-heng (顏寬恆) and Lin Wei-chou (林為洲), pushing their DPP counterparts near the rostrum.
“The KMT will not accept the bill. We do not believe the DPP will really examine it article by article,” Lin said.
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