TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Kuomintang (KMT, 國民黨), Taiwan's main opposition party, proposed a motion Friday (Jan. 9) to prioritize budget review for the TPASS commuter pass (TPASS通勤月票) and other key programs in the Legislative Yuan, Taiwan's parliament. The motion targets maternity benefits, school infrastructure, and river management projects. Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) noted the TPASS affects approximately 1.028 million commuters nationwide monthly, yet parliament has not reviewed the 2026 fiscal year budget.
The Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS, 主計總處), Taiwan's budget agency, reported the unapproved 2026 fiscal year budget amounts to NT$299.2 billion (around US$9.5 billion). This total includes NT$101.7 billion (around US$3.2 billion) for new initiatives that remain frozen pending legislative approval. Article 54 of the Budget Act (預算法) requires completion of budget review for emerging capital expenditures and new plans, except under Article 88 provisions or with Legislative Yuan approval.
The KMT proposal criticized the Executive Yuan, Taiwan's cabinet, for not budgeting increased pension replacement rates for volunteer military personnel and police officers. The opposition party accused the cabinet of causing societal division through its budget priorities. The proposal referenced Taiwan's non-closing mechanism, which prevents government shutdowns and allows the Legislative Yuan to devise remedial measures if the budget is not finalized by the deadline.
KMT legislator Lo Chih-chiang (羅智強) called on President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) to resolve the budget impasse and expedite military salary increases. KMT legislator Niu Hsiu-ting (牛煦庭) emphasized the caucus's strategic approach in handling various budgetary issues amid the ongoing standoff. The budget dispute highlights tensions between Taiwan's opposition-controlled parliament and the ruling Democratic Progressive Party administration over fiscal priorities. ◼