Initiatives proposed by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) to have President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) brief lawmakers on her decision to allow imports of US pork containing ractopamine were rejected yesterday.
The two proposals were voted down in the legislature after the KMT presented them on Sept. 18.
One was to invite the president to report to the legislature on her administration’s decision on US pork containing ractopamine, and the other was to have Tsai make the process leading up to the decision public and apologize for making it without first discussing it with all parties involved.
Photo: CNA
After Democratic Progressive Party and KMT lawmakers were unable to reach a consensus on the proposals during a month of negotiations, the legislature put them to a vote yesterday morning.
The first proposal to have Tsai brief lawmakers was defeated 55-40.
The second, which asked Tsai to apologize, was rejected 58-38.
The KMT said that the two smaller parties with caucuses — the Taiwan People’s Party and the New Power Party — also backed the proposals, but their combined seats were well short of a majority.
KMT caucus whip Lin Wei-chou (林為洲) said that the Constitution stipulates that the Legislative Yuan can ask the president to report to it to explain major national policies.
The DPP’s use of its majority to avoid taking responsibility for its policy was unbecoming of a ruling party, Lin said.
DPP caucus whip Chuang Jui-hsiung (莊瑞雄) said that Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) is more than willing to brief lawmakers on the decision, but the KMT continues to boycott his report.
The pork policy, which is to go into effect on Jan. 1, was announced by Tsai on Aug. 28 in an apparent effort to clear the way for a trade deal with the US.
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