The Presidential Office yesterday declined former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) chairperson Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) call for the president to hold a national affairs conference to discuss problems related to the various pension programs, saying that pension issues are being taken care of by the executive and legislative branches.
Defending its rejection of the call to discuss ways to resolve the funds’ fiscal problems, the Presidential Office said that such conferences were mostly held before the maturation of a nation’s constitutional system, as they required lengthy preparation and their conclusions had to be finalized by the executive and legislative branches.
If a similar meeting was held in line with the systems of the two branches, it could solicit myriad opinions from all sectors of society, as a state affairs meeting would, the office said.
However, President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) invited Tsai to visit him to discuss matters of mutual concern, the office added, adding that Ma is also willing to meet with DPP Chairman Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌).
An anonymous source also quoted Ma, who doubles as Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairman, as saying during a KMT Central Standing Committee meeting yesterday that issues pertaining to the various pension systems were complicated and had to be addressed pragmatically.
“Opinions voiced by various civil groups could be included into legislative meetings via the holding of public hearings. Since the legislature is now dominated by various political party caucuses, we should respect the constitutional system and facilitate communications within the system,” the source quoted Ma as saying.
In response, Tsai yesterday said that she does not understand what the Presidential Office means by “within the government system.”
She said that despite the controversy stirred by the pension system for retired government workers, the legislature could not reach a consensus and the executive branch was unwilling to shoulder responsibility for the matter. Solving the issue will require bringing society together and the president should not evade his duty, she added.
Saying that her proposal has met with a positive response from the public, Tsai said she will visit Su, former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝), Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) and others, for their opinions.
“It’s time for us to go back to rational policy discussion without being divided by party ideology,” she said.
The DPP’s Central Standing Committee yesterday passed a resolution calling on Ma to hold a national affairs conference.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old