The ruling and opposition parties today divided control of the legislature’s eight standing committees, with each securing an equal number of convener positions.
The ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won eight convener posts, while the main opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) took seven, with the Taiwan People's Party (TPP), the second-largest opposition party, claiming one.
Under legislative rules, each committee is jointly led by two conveners, who are responsible for setting the committee’s agenda. Conveners also schedule reviews of proposed legislation, making the posts highly contested among the three caucuses.
Photo: George Tsorng, Taipei Times
Key items on the agenda for the 11th Legislative Yuan’s fourth session, which opened on Sept. 19, include reviewing the central government budget for next year and deliberating amendments to enhance the protection of undersea cables critical to national security.
Notably, KMT Legislator Weng Hsiao-ling (翁曉玲), known for frequently proposing controversial bills, was elected convener of the Judiciary and Organic Laws and Statutes Committee, along with DPP Legislator Chuang Jui-hsiung (莊瑞雄).
Weng said that the KMT caucus has made reforming the pension rules for public servants and teachers a top legislative priority this term, which as a bill would have to be reviewed by the Judiciary and Organic Laws and Statutes Committee.
She pledged to push forward efforts to suspend pension deductions.
The Internal Administration Committee conveners are DPP Legislator Wang Mei-hui (王美惠) and KMT Legislator Huang Chien-pin (黃建賓), while the Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee conveners are DPP Legislator Wang Ting-yu (王定宇) and KMT Legislator Ma Wen-chun (馬文君).
The Economics Committee conveners are DPP Legislator Chen Ting-fei (陳亭妃) and KMT Legislator Yang Chiung-ying (楊瓊瓔), with DPP Legislator Lee Kuen-cheng (李坤城) and KMT Legislator Lin Szu-ming (林思銘) as conveners of the Finance Committee.
The Education and Culture Committee conveners are DPP Legislator Chen Hsiu-pao (陳秀寳) and TPP Legislator Liu Shu-pin (劉書彬); the Transportation Committee conveners are DPP Legislator Lee Kun-tse (李昆澤) and KMT Legislator Hung Mong-kai (洪孟楷); and the Social Welfare and Environmental Hygiene Committee conveners are DPP Legislator Liu Chien-kuo (劉建國) and KMT Legislator Liao Wei-hsiang (廖偉翔).
Additional reporting by Lee Wen-hsin
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