《TAIPEI TIMES》 Premier meets with caucus leaders

OPPOSITION ADVICE: Su met with the heads of the KMT, PFP and New Power Party caucuses, most of whom praised his leadership style before urging various actions

By Sean Lin / Staff reporter

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Premier Su Tseng-chang （蘇貞昌） yesterday went to the Legislative Yuan to seek support from the opposition caucus leaders for bills proposed by the Executive Yuan, after meeting with Legislative Speaker Su Jia-chyuan （蘇嘉全）, a Democratic Progressive Party （DPP） member.

Su Tseng-chang was accompanied by Vice Premier Chen Chi-mai （陳其邁）, Executive Yuan Secretary-General Li Meng-yen （李孟諺） and DPP caucus whip Ker Chien-ming （柯建銘） as he met with Chinese Nationalist Party （KMT） caucus secretary-general William Tseng （曾銘宗）, KMT caucus whip Johnny Chiang （江啟臣） and KMT Legislator John Wu （吳志揚）, as well as People First Party （PFP） caucus whip Lee Hung-chun （李鴻鈞） and New Power Party （NPP） Executive Chairman Huang Kuo-chang （黃國昌）, among others.

The visit came two weeks before Su Tseng-chang is due to present an administrative report to the legislature.

Chiang told the premier that he approved of his surprise inspection on Monday of Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport’s baggage check system as part of the government’s efforts to keep African swine fever out of the country, saying that he has lived up to his reputation as a man who always takes the lead.

However, his leadership style would be best rewarded if he occasionally pauses to ensure there has been sufficient communication with opposition parties, Chiang added.

The KMT caucus hopes that Su Tseng-chang would bring government policies more in sync with public opinion as he pledged during a speech at the Presidential Office last week, he said.

Tseng praised the premier’s “very, very strong” ability to get things done, citing his experience working under him at the Financial Supervisory Commission during his earlier term as premier from January 2006 to May 2007.

He said that he hopes the premier would channel this energy when improving the nation’s economy, including solving the problems of low wages and shortages of land, water, talent, workers and electricity facing Taiwanese businesses returning from China.

Wu, who is scheduled to take over as KMT caucus secretary-general next month, called on the premier to overhaul the national energy policy to reflect public opinion as shown by the results of referendums held alongside the Nov. 24 elections last year.

The plan to build an upgraded coal-fired Shenao Power Plant in New Taipei City had been shelved in favor of construction of a third liquified natural has terminal in Taoyuan’s Guantang Industrial Park ahead of the elections to help the approval rating of Su Tseng-chang, who was then the DPP’s candidate for New Taipei City mayor, Wu said.

Now that Su Tseng-chang is premier, he should reevaluate whether to restart the environmental impact assessment procedure for the terminal, which has been criticized by environmentalists for the potentially negative effects it would have on ecologically sensitive algal reefs along the coast of Taoyuan’s Guanyin （觀音） and Sinwu （新屋） districts.

Lee praised the premier for being willing to again take on the job and its heavy burdens, and promised to cooperate with the Cabinet in pushing policies that would promote the public interest.

Huang commended Su Tseng-chang’s effort to prevent an outbreak of African swine fever, saying that it would hopefully instill in his Cabinet a sense of urgency when serving the public.

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES