TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Opposition lawmakers in the Legislative Yuan blocked a review of the Lai administration’s NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.5 billion) special defense budget on Friday, marking the eighth time a reading of the draft bill has been delayed.

The special defense budget was proposed by the Cabinet to bolster Taiwan’s defense capability in November but it has been blocked in the Procedure Committee since Dec. 2, reported LTN. A major demand of the opposition lawmakers is the addition of pay increases for military personnel.

Earlier this week, the Ministry of National Defense held classified briefings with lawmakers to give explanations of the weapons included in the defense budget. Defense Minister Wellington Koo (顧立雄) hoped the briefings would help persuade lawmakers to expedite the review process.

On Tuesday, DPP lawmakers scheduled a review of the bill for a plenary session on Friday. However, when the item was brought forward by committee members on Friday morning, ruling and opposition party lawmakers failed to reach consensus on the draft agenda for the day’s proceedings.

In response to objections from KMT lawmakers, Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) held a vote on whether or not to adopt the DPP’s agenda, which included a review of the special defense budget, per LTN. Opposition lawmakers instead chose to adopt a draft agenda proposed by the TPP, which excluded any review of the defense budget.