Cho Jung-tai's Salary and Special Expenses Frozen! Legislative Yuan Reveals 'Freeze Amount' — Weng Hsiao-ling: 'We Were Lenient Not to Delete Everything'

The Legislative Yuan convened this afternoon (14th) for a long-delayed vote on the '2025 Central Government General Budget.' KMT legislator Weng Hsiao-ling, who previously declared 'I’m proud to cut budgets,' proposed freezing Premier Cho Jung-tai’s salary for four months (September to December), totaling NT$1.488 million. The motion passed with 59 votes in favor. Regarding the inclusion of his salary in the vote, Cho stated this morning in an interview: 'Personal matters are small; national matters are large,' emphasizing he would stand firm if it meant preventing reduced sentences for military personnel defecting to the Communist Party.

Why was Cho Jung-tai’s salary frozen? What proposals did Weng Hsiao-ling submit?

On the 13th, ahead of the legislative vote, Weng posted on Facebook titled 'Better to Starve the Rogue Government,' accusing President Lai Ching-te of blaming the Legislative Yuan for delayed budget reviews, while the real delay stems from Cho’s failure to legally allocate budgets for military allowances and police/fire retirement gaps. She added that the upcoming year’s central government budget also omits these items. Latest reports indicate Cho refuses to co-sign the 'Taiwan Children and Youth Future Account Act,' which passed its third reading—once again, the legislature has been deceived, receiving betrayal in return for goodwill. Weng stated she submitted a total of 270 budget-cutting and freezing proposals during the budget review. After months of negotiation, about 20 remained before the floor vote.

Weng listed several high-profile budget freeze and cut proposals, accusing President Lai and Premier Cho of unconstitutional and illegal actions that have undermined Taiwan’s constitutional rule of law for over 600 days—'grave crimes.' To deal with such a rogue government, she declared: 'Better to starve it than to fatten it.' The key proposals include:

- Freeze Premier Cho Jung-tai’s salary from September to December: Unfreeze only after Cho completes legal budget allocation and law co-signing, submits a written report to the Legislative Yuan’s Interior Committee, and receives approval before disbursement.

- Cut President Lai’s state affairs discretionary fund by NT$10 million and freeze NT$20 million: Unfreeze only after Lai promulgates five specific laws.

How did Premier Cho respond to the salary freeze?

This afternoon, the Legislative Yuan voted on the salary freeze motion. Among 110 attending legislators, 59 voted in favor and 51 opposed—passing the proposal. In an interview, Weng bluntly stated that not deleting Cho’s entire salary was already an act of leniency. Meanwhile, the session also passed the KMT caucus’s proposal to 'fully delete the Executive Yuan’s operational expenses for September to December' and the motion to freeze the premier’s special expenses. Ahead of the vote, Cho attended a public event and told reporters that despite the prolonged delay in the central government budget review, today’s vote was still good news. As for his own salary being on the ballot, he reiterated: 'National matters are greater,' and he would remain steadfast.

More exclusive reports from Storm Media:

- Weng insists on cutting and freezing Executive Yuan budgets—Han Kuo-yu intervenes, warning: 'There are only about four months left this year.'

- When will the military pay raise plan be announced? She contrasts the government’s move to 'attach allowances to the defense budget' as proof they 'ignore military, police, and firefighters.'

- The 'reason' behind the Control Yuan’s refusal to impeach Cho Jung-tai is revealed—Weng lashes out: 'Lai’s imperial guard should shut down.'