Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers yesterday camped outside of the Legislative Yuan in Taipei to ensure the legislature could nationalize irrigation associations, many of which are controlled by interest groups.
The lawmakers said they would protect the main chamber to prevent Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers from occupying the plenary chamber to stall today’s session, which is to decide whether to forward a dbill to restructure the associations to committee review.
The Executive Yuan on Nov. 9 proposed a draft amendment to the Act of Irrigation Association Organization (農田水利會組織通則) that would absorb irrigation associations into a government agency.
Photo: CNA
The proposal is seen as an attempt to assume control over irrigation associations, which own considerable real estate and wield influence over local politics.
DPP legislators Su Chih-feng (蘇治芬) and Tsai Yi-yu (蔡易餘) endorsed he Cabinet proposal at a news conference, at which directors and officials of irrigation associations in Yilan, Miaoli, Nantou, Changhua counties, as well as Taoyuanm, Tainan, Kaohsiung and Pingtung delivered a petition signed by 4,000 members endorsing the proposal to nationalize irrigation associations.
The associations’ financial structures have seen dramatic changes as they have been modernized, and income, which used to be derived from irrigation fees, now largely comes from Council of Agriculture subsidies, Su said.
Associations in urban areas, whose role as irrigation providers has diminished, increasingly depend on real estate rentals for their incomes and their possession of prime properties make them a coveted target, with some associations monopolized by interest groups, lawmakers said.
Most associations in rural areas that continue to provide irrigation services support the proposed restructuring of the organizations into a government agency and hope to secure more government resources for agriculture, the lawmakers said.
The restructuring should help remove local politicians’ influence over the associations, preventing the KMT from using them as an election tool, Su said.
A restructuring would not be undemocratic, even though it would abolish association leadership elections, because the elections, with an average turnout of 25 percent, are not representative, Su said, adding that irrigation is a matter of public interest that should be managed by a government body.
Restructuring would also ensure legislative oversight of associations’ finances, which are not subject to reviews, even though their operations are heavily funded by the council, Su said.
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