Taiwanese legislator calls for tracking system after colleague's hunger strike absence

Taiwanese legislator Wu Hsin-tai is urging the Taipei City Council to establish a public and transparent system for tracking councilors' attendance and reasons for leave. This initiative comes after KMT Taipei City Councilor Yang Chih-tou took a leave of absence to participate in a 154-hour hunger strike at Ketagalan Boulevard, missing several important legislative sessions. Yang's absence included a plenary session on July 22, where first, second, and third readings of city government and councilor proposals were handled, and he forfeited his right to vote on legislative matters. Wu questioned whether Yang also took leave for the scheduled financial and construction committee's business report and questioning on July 21, noting the absence of any record of his participation or questioning of relevant bureaus. Wu criticized Yang's actions as a "stunt" and a potential dereliction of duty, drawing a parallel to the recall of former Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu for perceived detachment from constituents' suffering. She argued that while councilors have the right to take leave for personal reasons, voters should be informed about how their representatives spend their time, especially when paid with taxpayer money. Wu emphasized that the proposed "Councilor Attendance and Leave Reason Tracking System" is not about punishment but about providing information. She believes that public access to attendance records and reasons for absence, along with complete records of questioning sessions, would empower voters to make informed judgments about their elected officials. The call for transparency applies to all councilors, regardless of party affiliation, advocating that their time should be spent effectively serving the public and subject to scrutiny.

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any political representative, since they receive taxpayer money, should spend their time effectively and be subject to public scrutiny.