Proposed legislation by Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers to make contempt of the legislature a punishable offense would have a chilling effect, making officials, citizens and civic groups unwilling to come forward to present information at the legislature, Deputy Minister of Justice Chen Ming-tang (陳明堂) said yesterday.
KMT caucus convener Fu Kun-chi (傅?萁), Weng Hsiao-ling (翁曉玲) and other legislators introduced bills focused on legislature reform, including amendments to the Criminal Code.
Chen told a meeting of the legislature’s Judiciary and Organic Laws and Statutes Committee that they have the right to address issues on exercising their authority as elected representatives, “but to introduce a ‘contempt of legislature offense would result in a chilling effect.”
Photo: Hsieh Chun-lin, Taipei Times
He pointed to the ultima ratio principle, which says that the repressive nature of the criminal justice system, and positioned it as the last resort of the legislator.
It is possible to overuse the criminal justice system to restrict rights and freedoms, and should therefore be applied in exceptional cases only, where other means cannot suffice to prevent offenses, he said.
“I ask lawmakers to reconsider this bill, which would make it a punishable offense for government officials and citizens to violate the ‘obligation to cooperate’ when requested by legislators,” Chen said.
Instead of adding it as a punishable offense under the Criminal Code, there are other ways of treating such matters, Chen added.
In a presentation, Legislative Yuan Secretary-General Chester Chou (周萬來) pointed to a bill amending the Act Governing the Legislative Yuan’s Power (立法院職權行使法) proposed by the KMT caucus to give lawmakers the right to hold public hearings — including those involving judicial investigations — and hearings to question government ministers.
Chou said the proposal would be deliberated to achieve a balance between the powers of the five branches of government, the need to protect state secrets and maintain the right of lawmakers to scrutinize policies and officials.
Chen pointed to constitutional interpretations No. 325, No. 585, No. 633 and No. 729.
“For amending portions relating to the Legislative Yuan’s power, we respect the opinions and viewpoints provided by the members of this committee... Although we must stress that it is important to conform to principle of proportionality under the Constitution, as well as the principle of clarity and definiteness of law and separation of powers,” Chen said.
Taipei and New Taipei City government officials are aiming to have the first phase of the Wanhua-Jungho-Shulin Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line completed and opened by 2027, following the arrival of the first train set yesterday. The 22km-long Light Green Line would connect four densely populated districts in Taipei and New Taipei City: Wanhua (萬華), Jhonghe (中和), Tucheng (土城) and Shulin (樹林). The first phase of the project would connect Wanhua and Jhonghe districts, with Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall and Chukuang (莒光) being the terminal stations. The two municipalities jointly hosted a ceremony for the first train to be used
MILITARY AID: Taiwan has received a first batch of US long-range tactical missiles ahead of schedule, with a second shipment expected to be delivered by 2026 The US’ early delivery of long-range tactical ballistic missiles to Taiwan last month carries political and strategic significance, a military source said yesterday. According to the Ministry of National Defense’s budget report, the batch of military hardware from the US, including 11 sets of M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and 64 MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile Systems, had been scheduled to be delivered to Taiwan between the end of this year and the beginning of next year. However, the first batch arrived last month, earlier than scheduled, with the second batch —18 sets of HIMARS, 20 MGM-140 missiles and 864 M30
Representative to the US Alexander Yui delivered a letter from the government to US president-elect Donald Trump during a meeting with a former Trump administration official, CNN reported yesterday. Yui on Thursday met with former US national security adviser Robert O’Brien over a private lunch in Salt Lake City, Utah, with US Representative Chris Stewart, the Web site of the US cable news channel reported, citing three sources familiar with the matter. “During that lunch the letter was passed along, and then shared with Trump, two of the sources said,” CNN said. O’Brien declined to comment on the lunch, as did the Taipei
A woman who allegedly attacked a high-school student with a utility knife, injuring his face, on a Taipei metro train late on Friday has been transferred to prosecutors, police said yesterday. The incident occurred near MRT Xinpu Station at about 10:17pm on a Bannan Line train headed toward Dingpu, New Taipei City police said. Before police arrived at the station to arrest the suspect, a woman surnamed Wang (王) who is in her early 40s, she had already been subdued by four male passengers, one of whom was an off-duty Taipei police officer, police said. The student, 17, who sustained a cut about
RSS