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🇹🇼 Taiwan /Elections & Politics

DPP slams KMT proposal to reinstate double pensions for retired officials

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • KMT legislator Yeh Yuan-chih proposed removing restrictions on retired military, civil servants, and teachers re-entering public service.
  • DPP legislator Wu Si-yao criticized the proposal, calling it a revival of the "double-dipping" practice and questioning its link to teacher shortages.
  • Wu argued that addressing teacher shortages requires improving current teachers' benefits and reducing their workload, not competing with young teachers for promotion opportunities.

A proposal by Kuomintang (KMT) legislator Yeh Yuan-chih to remove restrictions on retired public servants, military personnel, and teachers re-entering government roles has sparked sharp criticism from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

When the KMT was in power, it promoted the reform that civil servants cannot receive double pensions.

— Wu Si-yaoHighlighting the historical context of the 'double-dipping' restriction.

Yeh's proposed amendments aim to eliminate the current requirement that retired personnel must cease receiving their pensions when they take up new public service positions. He claims the move is intended to address shortages in teaching and school safety personnel. However, DPP legislator Wu Si-yao vehemently opposes this, labeling it an attempt to revive the "double-dipping" practice, where individuals collect both a pension and a salary.

Yeh Yuan-chih is now trying to overturn Ma Ying-jeou's reform, he needs to clarify himself.

— Wu Si-yaoChallenging Yeh Yuan-chih's current proposal in light of past KMT policies.

Wu Si-yao questioned Yeh's motives, pointing out that the restriction was implemented in 2010 under a KMT administration led by then-President Ma Ying-jeou. She argued that Yeh's proposal seeks to overturn a reform initiated by his own party. Wu further challenged Yeh's justification, asking if opening up re-employment for retirees is the only solution to the current teacher shortage. She suggested that competing with younger teachers for promotion opportunities is not the best approach.

Does the teacher shortage in the education field mean that retired personnel should be allowed to return to their original positions and compete with young teachers for promotion opportunities?

— Wu Si-yaoQuestioning the logic of Yeh's proposal as a solution to teacher shortages.

Instead, Wu emphasized that addressing teacher shortages requires improving current teachers' benefits, reducing their workload, and providing comprehensive support. She noted that these are ongoing policy efforts. Wu also criticized Yeh for deflecting blame, accusing him of misrepresenting the issue and attempting to shift focus from his controversial proposal by attacking the DPP's education policies.

Yeh Yuan-chih should not simplify the issue of teacher shortages in the education field. Improving current teachers' benefits, reducing their workload, and providing various forms of support are the correct approaches.

— Wu Si-yaoProposing alternative solutions to address teacher shortages.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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