Taiwan Democracy Memorial Hall Breaks the Budget Act

The central government has not yet approved the general budget of 2007; however, policies of the Government seem not to be affected.Regardless of the Budget Act, the Government does whatever it wants to do.The best example would be Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall was renamed as Taiwan Democracy Memorial Hall recently.There is no document for the budget of “Taiwan Democracy Memorial Hall;” rather, the budget of it was all included in “National Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall administrative bureau.”Before the general budget is approved, Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall surely needs to follow article 54 of the Budget Act, which is “emerging capital expenditure and projects can be put into practice only after the budget counsel of that year completed.”Besides, in accordance with the same article, the expenditure must come with “the authorized project or the exact expenditure of the last year.”In other words, the expenditure can be merely used on Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall’s original projects, not on newly emerging ones.

It is certainly a newly emerging project that the Executive Yuan boosting Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall to be renamed; consequently, the expenditure should be carried out after the budget counsel.Nevertheless, the budget was illegally used for the bulletin boards, drape, and so on.Even it breaks article 25, clause 1, “the Government cannot surcharge, deal with public properties, or make investments,” clause 2 says “once someone disobey the former statement, he should be required to return the expenditure according to the Civil Law.”In addition, he deserves the punishments of Criminal Law, malfeasance, fabricating, and deceiving.

Before the general budget approves, the government should respect all the rules in the Budget Act.The meaning of Taiwan Democracy Memorial Hall shall be promote the democratic spirit of Taiwan rather than political purpose, trampling down the law with democracy.If the Executive Yuan really wants to boost renaming Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall, it should prompt a new item when the budget is estimated in May, list it on the general budget document, and then carry it out.Renaming should not be done hurriedly, the Executive Yuan might stop utilizing illegal budget instantly.

(This commentary represents the writer’s personal opinion)

(This article was published on Central Daily News, May, 31,2007)