Pan Meng-an, a DPP heavyweight, said yesterday no huge bonuses should be awarded to government employees while Taiwan is being threatened by an impending financial and economic crisis.

He said the Chinese Petroleum Corporation, a state-owned enterprise, has budgeted a year-end bonus of NT$335,000 per employee.

"They are expected to receive a bonus amounting to 4.6 months' pay," Pan charged.

Taiwan Power Company, another government-owned enterprise that is losing money, wants to give out a year-end bonus of NT$145,000 on an average, Pan added.

Taiwan's money-losing National Health Insurance Bureau appropriates a mean NT$216,000 year-end bonus.

All employees are usually entitled to a year-end bonus of one month's pay.

"But," Pan said, "we are facing a crisis and the government can't afford to give employees that much money for year-end bonuses."