TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has slammed the opposition for fast-tracking a legislative reform package it described as an unconstitutional power grab, reports said Wednesday (April 17).

The source of the DPP complaint was a meeting of the Legislative Yuan’s Judiciary and Organic Laws and Statutes Committee on Monday (April 15). The DPP said its views on a proposal to allow hearings and investigations by the legislature did not receive fair treatment, per CNA.

Up to 40 DPP motions to stop the meeting were rejected, while the proposal was accepted and referred to negotiations between the party caucuses. At a news conference Thursday (April 18), DPP Spokesperson Justin Wu (吳崢) accused the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) of undermining the work of the legislative committee by disregarding comments and suggestions from the ruling party.

According to the version proposed by KMT caucus convener Fu Kun-chi (傅崐萁), anyone found to have made false statements to a legislative hearing could face a prison sentence of up to three years. However, the Council of Grand Justices already ruled that such cases should only be sanctioned by fines, Wu said.

The DPP spokesperson also attacked  contradictions between proposals from different KMT lawmakers. In addition, the TPP abandoned its past insistence on point-by-point reviews of legislative proposals, just letting the KMT move the legislative reform out of the committee stage, Wu said.

One of the main points of conflict in the proposals was the KMT insistence on introducing the notion of “contempt of Congress.” Government officials failing to tell the truth during question-and-answer sessions at the Legislative Yuan could face a prison sentence of up to one year and a maximum fine of NT$100,000 (US$3,100). The DPP rejected the proposal while the TPP did not mention the issue.