DPP caucus objects to calls for investigative committee

By Sean Lin and Abraham Gerber / Staff reporters





Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) yesterday voiced objections to separate motions filed by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and New Power Party (NPP) caucuses to form a cross-caucus investigative committee to probe potentially flawed policymaking that might have contributed to a massive power outage on Tuesday.

The Legislative Yuan yesterday held cross-caucus negotiations to decide topics for a third extraordinary session, which begins today.

The KMT and the NPP tendered the motions to form the committee, with KMT caucus secretary-general Lin Wei-chou (林為洲) saying that its functions should include “establishing the facts” about the nation’s energy policy.

New Power Party caucus convener Hsu Yung-ming, center, yesterday speaks at a news conference in Taipei about Tuesday’s power outage as the party’s Executive Chairman Huang Kuo-chang, left, and Legislator Freddy Lim look on. Photo: George Tseng, Taipei Times

It should also address the public’s doubts regarding a hidden Taiwan Power Co (Taipower) “electricity stash,” Lin added.

“The Legislative Yuan needs to be responsible for and actually investigate what happened, instead of just summoning Premier Lin Chuan (林全) for a dressing down,” NPP caucus convener Hsu Yung-ming (徐永明) said.

The Cabinet might be unable to carry out an impartial investigation if it independently probed the power outage, which was caused by state-run enterprises that it oversees, he said.

“Even if the government calls in outside experts, it would still be the one choosing them,” Hsu said, adding that any Executive Yuan-led investigation would amount to a probe of itself.

He also raised doubts over the “vulnerable” design of Datan Natural Gas Power Plant in Taoyuan’s Datan Township (大潭).

The facility is connected to only one natural gas pipeline, meaning its supply is vulnerable to disruptions caused by human error, which caused Tuesday’s blackout, Hsu said.

Hsu warned Derek Chen (陳金德), chairman of state-owned oil refiner CPC Corp, Taiwan, over his numerous appearances in the media since the incident, saying that as a person of interest in the investigation, Chen should refrain from trying to influence public opinion and that lawmakers might be forced to take action against him.

Hsu reiterated the caucus’ calls for the resignations of Chen and Taipower chairman Chu Wen-chen (朱文成), following the resignation of minister of economic affairs Lee Chih-kung (李世光).

NPP Executive Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) called for the premier to provide a clear account of the safety of the nation’s electricity grid, as well as supply concerns, but did not call for his resignation.

“The dissolution of a Cabinet is a major constitutional event and should only represent dissatisfaction with the government’s performance,” Huang said, adding that “those who are responsible should step down.”

DPP caucus secretary-general Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋) questioned whether lawmakers have the professional expertise to conduct such an investigation.

“Would this just end up being a public show for the sake of getting in front of the cameras?” Lee Chun-yi said.

While the legislature had established investigative committees on prior occasions, it currently only has the power to view documentary evidence, he added.

The Constitution vests investigative power in the Control Yuan, which is charged with supervising and monitoring other government bodies.

Ker said there would not be enough time for lawmakers to review the Cabinet’s budget proposals for the Forward-looking Infrastructure Development Program if they also had to deal with the motions to form the committee.

He rejected KMT caucus vice secretary-general Lee Yen-hsiu’s (李彥秀) call for the nation’s energy reserves to be increased, saying that doing so would likely “crush” Taipower’s finances.

Ker also dismissed People First Party (PFP) caucus whip Lee Hung-chun’s (李鴻鈞) proposal to allocate NT$100 billion (US$3.3 billion) from the NT$420 billion budget of the first stage of the Forward-looking program to improve the nation’s power supply network, saying that the vulnerable system has plagued the nation for decades and that the sum would be insufficient to solve the problem.

Legislative Speaker Su Jia-chyuan (蘇嘉全) announced that the KMT and PFP motions would be discussed in the extraordinary session.

The caucuses resolved to summon Lin Chuan to brief lawmakers and answer their questions regarding the power outage.

Following the talks, Lee Yen-hsiu criticized Su’s decision to discuss the motions, saying that it degraded the negotiations into a formality that would only justify the DPP’s actions when it votes the motions down in a plenary session.

Additional reporting by Yang Chun-hui