Legislators Must Conduct Themselves with Dignity, Self-Love, and Self-Reflection

Recently, the Taiwan Association for Human Rights (Cheng-she) released its second congressional monitoring report, investigating concurrent positions held by 5th-term legislators and disclosing their asset statuses. The following day, People First Party Legislator Ch'iu I flew into a rage before the media, claiming that the disclosure of his assets threatened his family's safety, and proceeded to attack the personal life of Ch'ü Hai-yüan, convener of Cheng-she's congressional monitoring team. Such conduct by a legislator is truly baffling.

First, as a legislator, Ch'iu I should know that his asset data has long been published in the Control Yuan Gazette, which anyone can purchase and obtain. Cheng-she cited information made publicly available by government departments in accordance with the law; this neither infringed upon Legislator Ch'iu's "privacy" nor was it used for anything other than the legitimate purpose of monitoring the legislature. Is Legislator Ch'iu's harsh criticism therefore fair?

Second, as public officials, legislators ought to be subject to public scrutiny, which is precisely the legislative purpose of the Public Functionary Assets Disclosure Act. In the past, before becoming a legislator, Ch'iu frequently published articles criticizing public officials, including legislators. Today, when Cheng-she engages in the exact same conduct, it provokes Ch'iu's anger—does this not easily lead people to associate his actions with the saying, "a change in seat brings a change in mind"?

In particular, during his media interview, Legislator Ch'iu claimed that Cheng-she's report could make his children the next Pai Hsiao-yen and himself the next Pai Ping-ping. However, not only does no one wish to see such a tragedy happen again, but Ch'iu's analogy is not only alarming but also seems to commit the fallacy of "striking the wrong target." Fairly speaking, to prevent kidnapping for ransom or murder for money, the objects of a legislator's questioning and oversight should be the National Police Agency under the Ministry of the Interior, not Cheng-she. How could Ch'iu I, as a legislator, not know this? Instead, by blurring the focus and even turning to attack Professor Ch'ü's personal life, Ch'iu easily misleads people into thinking that he neither understands the true meaning of "sunshine acts" nor comprehends the sacred duty of "people's representatives." Such temperament and conduct are truly difficult to condone.

In reality, based on the Judicial Reform Foundation's years of experience in judicial reform work, we have acutely felt that the legislative speed and quality of the Legislative Yuan have truly become a major obstacle to current judicial reform! Furthermore, a newspaper poll a few days ago showed that 75% of the public believes the chaos in the legislature stems from the legislators themselves. From the public's perspective, rather than frequently witnessing legislators neglecting their proper duties, becoming embroiled in scandals, or engaging in war-of-words disputes, we would much rather welcome conscientious groups like Cheng-she to monitor the Legislative Yuan on behalf of the people. Based on this, the Judicial Reform Foundation fully affirms and supports Cheng-she's dedication in monitoring the legislature this time. Likewise, we eagerly look forward to legislators conducting themselves with dignity, self-love, and self-reflection; only then can the legislature truly earn the respect and affection of the public.

※ Published in: Liberty Times