Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators yesterday voted through the first reading of a bill to exempt party-affiliated organizations from being implicated for holding ill-gotten assets, while Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers criticized Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) legislators for not voting.
The KMT proposed amending articles 4 and 34 of the Act Governing the Handling of Ill-gotten Properties by Political Parties and Their Affiliate Organizations (政黨及其附隨組織不當取得財產處理條例).
The former article defines an “affiliated organization” as a group “once substantially controlled by the political parties in terms of personnel, finance or operation and has acquired its separated status and assets from the political parties without paying fair price.”
Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times
KMT Legislator Yu Hao’s (游顥) proposal would add: “but those once belonging to the country shall not be included.”
A DPP proposal to return the motion to the Procedure Committee failed in a 52-49 vote, with a recount yielding the same result.
There were 101 of the 113 lawmakers at the vote.
The DPP said that the TPP was a lackey of the KMT after its lawmakers abstained from voting during the bid to return the amendment to the Procedure Committee.
DPP caucus deputy chief executive Michelle Lin (林楚茵) wrote on Facebook that the KMT’s first move after expanding the powers of the Legislative Yuan was to attempt to reclaim party assets.
The TPP, by its inaction, was supporting the KMT’s act and willingly becoming its lackey, Lin wrote.
DPP Legislator Huang Jie (黃捷) wrote on Threads that the KMT was the “greatest robber baron in the nation.”
The KMT attempted to reclaim about 20,000 hectares of land and NT$1.63 billion (US$50.39 million) that the Ill-gotten Party Assets Settlement Committee in 2016 ruled was illegally obtained.
DPP Legislator Wang Ting-yu (王定宇) posted photographs on Facebook showing TPP Legislator Wu Chun-cheng (吳春城) smoking during the vote, alleging that Wu had skipped it.
Wu said it spoke volumes that the DPP was silent on DPP caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) smoking in areas where it is forbidden while “making a fuss” over his smoking in permitted areas.
The TPP is an autonomous party and is not affiliated with anyone, he said.
The TPP caucus did not attend to express the party’s neutrality in the matter, he added.
Additional reporting by CNA
Chinese spouse and influencer Guan Guan’s (關關) residency permit has been revoked for repeatedly posting pro-China videos that threaten national security, the National Immigration Agency confirmed today. Guan Guan has said many controversial statements in her videos posted to Douyin (抖音), including “the red flag will soon be painted all over Taiwan” and “Taiwan is an inseparable part of China,” and expressing hope for expedited reunification. The agency last year received multiple reports alleging that Guan Guan had advocated for armed reunification. After verifying the reports, the agency last month issued a notice requiring her to appear and explain her actions. Guan
GIVE AND TAKE: Blood demand continues to rise each year, while fewer young donors are available due to the nation’s falling birthrate, a doctor said Blood donors can redeem points earned from donations to obtain limited edition Formosan black bear travel mugs, the Kaohsiung Blood Center said yesterday, as it announced a goal of stocking 20,000 units of blood prior to the Lunar New Year. The last month of the lunar year is National Blood Donation Month, when local centers seek to stockpile blood for use during the Lunar New Year holiday. The blood demand in southern Taiwan — including Tainan and Kaohsiung, as well as Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Taitung counties — is about 2,000 units per day, the center said. The donation campaign aims to boost
The Kaohsiung Tourism Bureau audited six hotels in an effort to prevent price gouging ahead of Korean band BTS’ concert tour in the city scheduled for Nov. 19, 21 and 22 this year. The bureau on Friday said that the audits — conducted in response to allegations of unfair pricing posted on social media — found no wrongdoing. These establishments included the local branches of Chateau de Chine, Hotel Nikko, My Humble House, and Grand Hai Lai, it said, adding that the Consumer Protection Commission would have penalized price gougers had the accusations been substantiated. The bureau said the Tourism Development Act
BACK TO WINTER: A strong continental cold air mass would move south on Tuesday next week, bringing colder temperatures to northern and central Taiwan A tropical depression east of the Philippines could soon be upgraded to be the first tropical storm of this year, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, adding that the next cold air mass is forecast to arrive on Monday next week. CWA forecaster Cheng Jie-ren (鄭傑仁) said the first tropical depression of this year is over waters east of the Philippines, about 1,867km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), and could strengthen into Tropical Storm Nokaen by early today. The system is moving slowly from northwest to north, and is expected to remain east of the Philippines with little chance of affecting Taiwan,
RSS