Wang Jung-chang and Huang Shu-ying, both DPP at-large lawmakers, made the claims in response to the fact that Vice Premier Chiou I-jen recently requested that the party’s legislative caucus propose to raise the monthly pension for elderly farmers by NT$1,000 to the level of NT$6,000, no matter whether there is a budget for the pension raise.

Wang and Huang were both nominated by President Chen Shui-bian as the DPP’s lawmakers at-large, as representatives from local social welfare groups.

Wang said if the Cabinet wants to hike the pension for farmers, it should raise the proposal on its own, not passing the buck to the DPP legislative caucus.

He continued that if the monthly pension for elderly farmers is hiked, then other similar pensions for the elderly and aboriginal natives should also be raised. “But where should the budget come from?” Wang asked.

Wang stressed he would resign his job if the DPP legislative caucus raises a motion to upwardly adjust pensions for senior farmers.

Meanwhile, Huang said that what counts most in this regard is to accelerate the legislation of the draft national pension program. She hoped that lawmakers of the ruling and opposition parties could join forces to make the program clear the legislative floor as soon as possible, thus solving the controversial move to raise farmers’ pensions.

Some other DPP lawmakers also voiced opposition to hiking pensions of elderly farmers — for the moment. Lawmaker Cheng Yun-peng, for instance, urged the party’s presidential candidate Frank Hsieh to indicate his stance on the controversial issue. Cheng noted the DPP should place a priority on pushing the national pension program through the legislature, instead of hiking farmers’ pensions.

Also yesterday, Wang Hsing-nan, a whip of the DPP’s legislative caucus, said his caucus would raise a motion to boost pensions for farmers in the short-term, adding that in case members of the caucus have different opinions, they can join the discussions at relevant caucus meetings.

Wang said members of the DPP’s legislative caucus may finally vote to determine whether the said motion should be raised by the caucus.

In related news, the Legislative Yuan yesterday completed its first reading of the draft revisions to the farmers health insurance statute, stipulating that as long as farmers have joined the health insurance system for two years, then their qualification for buying such insurance cannot be dropped, even if there is proof to disqualify them from buying the insurance.

Subscribe to The China Post and save.  Click hereSharePrintEmail

Write a Comment

Enter your comments - 800 characters max

Receive China Post promos

Respond to this email