Arms bill blocked again, but cracks appear in opposition ranks

Taiwan's opposition lawmakers again blocked a controversial arms-purchase bill yesterday but the fragile unity of the pan-blue alliance was put to the test after five members failed to turn up for the showdown with the ruling Democratic Progressive Party.

The legislature yesterday held its first review session to discuss the proposed NT$480 billion ($112 billion) budget for the US arms package, only to have the debate killed off by the opposition, which joined forces with independent lawmakers to vote to adjourn the meeting.

'With a vote of 113 to 100, the proposal by the opposition Kuomintang and People First Party to adjourn the meeting is approved,' Speaker Wang Jin-pyng announced.

Mr Wang, who is a KMT member, said the KMT and PFP legislative caucuses raised the motion to kill the review session because they did not think it was legal to put the proposed budget on the legislative agenda for review yesterday.

DPP lawmakers raised a surprise motion in the agenda committee on Tuesday to present the proposed budget for review, while most opposition lawmakers were busy negotiating over other legislation.

The move triggered uproar from the pan-blue camp made up of the KMT, PFP and New Party, which vowed to nip the review in the bud. KMT chairman Ma Ying-jeou yesterday sought help from independent legislators.