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. He obtained support from most members of the Non-Partisan Alliance, which holds six seats in the legislature. With their support, the opposition succeeded in adjourning the review session, meaning the budget bill will have to be sent back to the agenda committee. The DPP cried foul over the outcome, accusing the blue camp of 'bowing to pressure from the mainland authorities'. Five pan-blue legislators, including four from the PFP, failed to show up for the review session, suggesting a unity problem. Taiwanese media said Mr Ma was tipped off about the no-show, and therefore went to the Non-Partisan Alliance to seek support. The pan-blue camp holds 106 seats in the 214-seat legislature, while the DPP and its Taiwan Solidarity Union ally hold 98 seats. This makes the Non-Partisan Alliance a key minority in any showdown between the two camps.