Appointing Sergeant-at-Arms in Legislature to Prevent Taiwan from Being Disgraced

Appointing Sergeant-at-Arms in Legislature to Prevent Taiwan from Being Disgraced

Stephen S. F. Chen, Convener of National Security Division,

National Policy Foundation

Hsieh Chih-chuan, Assistant Research Fellow, National Security Division, National Policy Foundation

Source: China Times

April 28, 2010

All signs indicate that the DPP has lost leverage in their massive protests against closer economic ties with the Mainland after the ECFA debate between President Ma Ying-jeou and DPP Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen.  DPP legislators have decided to launch another battle recently.  They resorted to violence to oppose the draft revisions of the “University Act” and the “Independent College Act,” which would allow Mainland college students to study in Taiwan, in front of more than 100 university presidents and vice presidents.

In a single week, two melees broke out in the Legislative Yuan (LY), making it clear that the LY should reconsider appointing a Sergeant-at-Arms by legislation as soon as possible.  DPP legislators are aware that the KMT has found a solution to cope with the problem of the DPP constantly occupying the podium on the floor of the Legislature.  DPP legislators understand that the floor is too wide to control, so they have to shift the battlefield to committee conference rooms.  Judging from past experiences, it is clear that committee rooms will become a new venue for fist fights whenever there is discussion about any bill concerning cross-Strait issues.  We have to ask the public if it is willing to allow such behavior.  Are legislators being paid to engage in fist fights or review bills?  If legislators are being paid to engage in fist fights, we are setting a bad example for future generations.

In order to prevent violence from breaking out again, the writers suggest that the LY should enact a law to provide the LY with a Sergeant-at-Arms to maintain order.  Of course, during the process of enacting such a legislation, it is inevitable that fist fights will break out and blood might even be shed.  However, such a law must be enacted so as to prevent fist fighting in the LY once and for all.  If a Sergeant-at-Arms is appointed, the Sergeant-at-Arms and his staff can not only execute their authority on the floor of the Legislature, but also in the committee rooms.  President Ma once demanded that DPP Chairperson Tsai control the conduct of DPP legislators in the LY.  Although democracies are expected to abide by a high standard of morals, there is no legal ground for a party chairperson to restrain the conduct of party members in the legislature.  The key to the problem is the LY, so the LY should emulate advanced democracies and appoint a Sergeant-at-Arms by legislation as soon as possible.

Fist fighting in the LY is always given extensive coverage in the foreign media, making Taiwan an international laughingstock.  The appointment of a Sergeant-at-Arms can bring order to the LY and prevent the country from being disgraced.

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