Tempers ran hot at a Legislative Yuan committee meeting yesterday, with questions regarding a legal case of retired Aboriginal soldiers, nearly causing Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Sra Kacaw and Veterans Affairs Council Minister Feng Shih-kuan (馮世寬) to physically fight over the matter.
During a meeting of the Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, Sra Kacaw accused Feng and the council of being biased against the group of former soldiers embroiled in the lawsuit.
The former soldiers had established a business and were planning to participate in a project tender, but as the council continually billed them for unsolicited services, they could not fund their bid, Sra Kacaw said.
Screen grab from the video of CNA
Feng denied the accusations, saying that their business was being fined for non-compliance with laws and regualtions.
Feng said that the business owed the council NT$8 million (US$277,066).
A minor scuffle occurred and committee convener Lu Yu-ling (呂玉玲) called for a five-minute recess.
While Lu, Sra Kacaw and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus convener Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) were talking about the situation during the recess, Sra Kacaw approached the group, saying that Feng and the committee were “picking on Aborigines.”
When Feng again denied the accusation, Sra Kacaw threw his cup of coffee at him, missing him by centimenters.
Feng then took off his suit jacket and apparently tried to engage Sra Kacaw in a brawl, while other lawmakers tried to calm the situation.
DPP Legislator Liu Shih-fang (劉世芳) led Sra Kacaw out of the room.
Speaking to the media after the incident, Feng said that the scuffle was regrettable, adding that the retired soldiers’ case was not a black-and-white issue.
“Legislators should attempt to resolve issues under the legal system,” Feng said.
Feng said that Sra Kacaw’s comments had “crossed a personal line,” adding that he wanted to emphasize his point, as people might otherwise believe Sra Kacaw’s allegations.
Feng said that Sra Kacaw was “lucky” that the incident happened in the legislature, as he would otherwise “let him have it.”
“A soldier should not have to take such abuse,” Feng added.
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