Taiwan’s DPP and KMT clash over contempt of parliament bill

TAIPEI (TVBS News) — In a landmark move, Taiwan's Legislative Yuan passed a new amendment on Tuesday (May 28) evening, introducing the crime of contempt of parliament.

This legislation mandates up to one year of imprisonment for public officials who make false statements during hearings or when being questioned. The decision has sparked a heated debate among legislators, highlighting the tension between the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the Kuomintang (KMT).

The passage of the amendment was not without controversy. A fierce verbal altercation erupted inside the Legislative Yuan between DPP legislator Shen Fa-hui and KMT caucus whip Fu Kun-chi.

Shen alleged that even Fu's wife, Hualien County Magistrate Hsu Chen-wei, was afraid to sign the contempt of Congress reform bill. Legislative Yuan Speaker Han Kuo-yu later intervened in an attempt to quell the dispute between Shen and Fu.

Following the amendment's approval, which subjects public officials to a maximum of one year in prison, detention, or a fine of up to NT$200,000 for false statements, the DPP caucus whip Ker Chien-ming announced plans to request a constitutional interpretation to challenge the amendment.

The Control Yuan issued a statement criticizing the amendment for not aligning with the constitution and violating the principle of separation of powers. In response, Fu criticized the Control Yuan for bias and announced plans to abolish the institution, starting immediately.

Furthermore, Taiwan People's Party (TPP) legislator Huang Kuo-chang supported the idea that the Control Yuan's investigative powers and the Legislative Yuan's parliamentary inquiry rights do not conflict.

Both the KMT and TPP have expressed their intention to jointly promote the establishment of a "Special Investigation Division for the Opposition," aiming to expedite the investigation of corruption cases and demonstrate a commitment to reform.