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PFP WON'T LET ARMS BILL PASS LEGISLATURE'S PROCEDURE COMMITTEE

ROC Central News Agency

2005-09-04 20:50:20

    Taipei, Sept. 4 (CNA) With a new session of the Legislative Yuan approaching, the nation's second largest opposition People First Party (PFP) said Sunday it is still opposed to putting the government's arms purchase budget bill on the legislative agenda.

    Wang Jin-pyng, president of the legislature, has said that the bill should at least be discussed at the committee level, but PFP spokesman Huang Yi-chiao said the opposition parties should use all opportunities, including the Procedure Committee, to "thoroughly guard" national interest.

    Huang's remarks dimmed the prospect of the government bill passing through the legislative floor to purchase Patriot PAC III anti-missile batteries, submarines and anti-submarine aircraft as the largest opposition Kuomintang (KMT) has vowed to make it a priority to cooperate with its "pan-blue alliance" ally PFP in the new session starting Sept. 13.

    Huang said the reason for PFP taking such a tough stand is that the nation's opposition forces are suffering from an "asymmetrical" disadvantage in the face of the ruling camp's huge political resources. He said the move is aimed at nipping in the bud any ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) attempts to divide the opposition.

    Huang said the DPP has used various special budgets, starting with the so-called "defensive referendum" in late 2003, to stage rallies and spread rumors trying to coerce the opposition parties to let the government have it ways, and yet little progress has been made in administrative efficiency.

    He said the PFP will stand firm on its position to monitor the government, and it will ask its KMT ally not to loosen up.

    Chang Shien-yao, director of PFP Policy Center, said his party has never opposed buying weapons or fighting floods. But because of the nation's financial difficulties, PFP has demanded that the government put forward a list of priorities for the nation's overall interests.

    For instance, Chang said, flood control should precede arms purchase because the latter concerns cross-Taiwan Strait relations -- if there is peace across the strait, then weapons procurement would not be so urgent.

    That's why PFP has since August been saying that flood-control bills should be a priority for the legislature, not the special budget bill for buying weaponry, he added.

    Liu Wen-hsiung, a PFP lawmaker, cited the hurricane disaster in New Orleans, southern U.S., as an example of a domestic issue taking precedence over the war issue.

(By S.C. Chang)

ENDITEM