Following last week’s announcement of a NT$200 million (US$6.6 million) change to military uniforms, an online petition against the policy has collected enough signatures to ask the Ministry of National Defense to make a detailed policy statement.
The ministry on Tuesday last week said a new set of short-length winter jackets would be delivered to each branch of the armed forces by the end of next year. The announcement drew mixed reactions, with critics attacking the cost.
The Taiwan Military and Law Enforcement Tactical Research and Development Association initiated an online petition against the policy on a government platform on Friday, describing the change as “unnecessary spending for a non-urgent jacket.”
Photo: CNA
The policy was made to “cater to Minister of National Defense Feng Shih-kuan’s (馮世寬) personal tastes,” and NT$200 million would be spent on a jacket that not everyone in the military would wear, so there was no urgent need for the change and it would only take money away from more important the defense budget items.
National defense requires public support, and non-sensitive defense policymaking should be made known to the public, the group said, adding that the defense budget has never reached the long-standing goal of 3 percent of GDP.
The ministry should disclose its decisionmaking process on non-confidential spending over a certain amount to allow for public oversight, the association said.
The association proposed the petition through the National Development Council’s policy discussion forum on Wednesday.
It was approved and published online two days later.
Government agencies are required to make a formal reply to any petition launched on the forum that collects 5,000 signatures in 60 days.
As of yesterday, the petition on the uniform change had collected 5,168 signatures, so the defense ministry must make a formal reply by Oct. 15.
Ministry spokesman Major General Chen Chung-chi (陳中吉) yesterday said the uniform change had been planned as part of the annual budget, and the ministry might also replace the uniforms of military students in the future.
The ministry fully respects the differing opinions and suggestions about uniform and equipment spending, Chen said.
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