edge of dictatorship

In news from and about Taiwan this morning,

President Lai Ching-te recorded a public address late last night in which he
accused opposition lawmakers of forcibly pushing forward legislation that
poses - what he described as - being a significant threat to the nation and
its people.

According to Lai, the central government's general budget for next year not
yet been reviewed ...

... the special defense budget has been deliberately shelved, and opposition
lawmakers are forcibly pushing through controversial amendments to laws such
as the decriminalizing of the embezzlement of assistant funds ...

... all which Lai said will push Taiwan to the brink of "legislative abuse of
power and an opposition dictatorship."

Lai said the legislative actions being taken by the opposition lack
sufficient discussion or oversight and such actions violates constitutional
principles.

The president also said the abusive legislation sends a dangerous signal - as
if the bills are passed and take effect, Taiwan's security, democracy,
economy, and the rights of its people, will be jeopardized.

And he went onto say the opposition's actions are not a demonstration of
democracy, but an erosion of it.

Lai's address was released after Premier Cho Jung-tai defended his decision
not to enact amendments to the Act Governing the Allocation of Government
Revenues and Expenditures - saying the Cabinet has exhausted all available
constitutional remedies.

Lawmakers from the K-M-T and the Taiwan People's Party passed the amendments
on November 14 - stating that local governments will receive a larger share
of the central government revenue each year.

According to the premier, the amendments violated constitutional principles,
undermined the separation of powers and encroached on the executive branch's
authority over budget formulation.

Cho says his decision to not countersign the amendments represents the
Cabinet's final means to correct what it considers to be legislative
wrongdoing.

The opposition led Legislative Yuan could now initiate a no-confidence vote
against the premier.