Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

How to end legislature’s gridlock

Tommy Lin 林逸民

A legislature is the most respected body to represent the public will of a nation, and lawmakers ought to serve as a voice for the public by fighting for its rights and interests, and protecting people’s welfare. Should executive powers stray from this path by making absurd and infeasible policies that are difficult to implement, the legislature would need to use supervisory powers and make revisions.

However, Taiwan’s legislature is a cacophony of bickering voices, often going off the deep end with its ridiculous demands and imposing roadblocks to governance. Lately, it has been threatening the Executive Yuan with cutting its entire budget if it does not implement the legislature’s demands. Such actions do not have the nation’s welfare in mind at all.

The right not to be brain-washed

Susie Su 蘇拾瑩

Taiwanese men doing their alternative military service within Taipei’s and Taichung’s Department of Compulsory Military Service independently reported outlandish incidents of brainwashing. Below is a story related to propagandizing as it manifests overseas.

One of my Chinese friends and a group of Taiwanese friends set off together from Sydney, Australia, in a tour group to northern Europe.

The travel agency arranged for a Chinese tour guide to lead the group. The guide would start off on a propaganda blitz every afternoon at a set time, singing the praises of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

Court rules against most legislative power reforms

Taipei Times

The Constitutional Court yesterday ruled that most of the amendments passed by the legislature expanding its power to oversee the executive branch of government are unconstitutional, including those that would have given lawmakers broader investigative powers.

The ruling dealt a blow to opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) legislators, who used their combined majority to push through the amendments to the Act Governing the Legislative Yuan’s Power (立法院職權行使法) and the Criminal Code on May 28.

The Constitutional Court found revisions that permit investigative committees in the legislature to request information from officials, military personnel and representatives of public or private entities to be unconstitutional.

European Parliament backs Taiwan on UN resolution

Taipei Times

The European Parliament yesterday passed a resolution stating that UN Resolution 2758 does not have any bearing on Taiwan’s participation in the UN or other international organizations, and rejected as unacceptable any unilateral change to the “status quo” in the Taiwan Strait.

The motion passed by 432 votes in favor and 60 against with 71 abstentions during a plenary vote.

The resolution condemned China’s continued military provocations against Taiwan, including drills around the nation on Monday last week.

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