Why Was the 'Weng Xiaoling Version' Passed? Ye Yuanzhi Admits One Thing: Didn't Expect Lai Qingde to Be This Ruthless

KMT legislator Weng Xiaoling proposed cutting and freezing NT$30 million from the presidential office's state affairs budget, which disrupted mooncake orders from sheltered workshops and drew public criticism against KMT legislators. On a recent episode of the program 'Facing the News,' host Hsieh Chen-wu questioned legislator Ye Yuanzhi about the budget freeze, asking why Weng's version was ultimately passed when other legislators, such as Lin Pei-hsiang, had proposed different alternatives.

In response, Ye Yuanzhi explained that they had not anticipated President Lai Qingde would refuse to countersign the bill passed by the legislature. 'We didn't know President Lai Qingde would be so ruthless. Now we're scrambling to fix the damage,' he said.

Regarding the state affairs budget, Hsieh Chen-wu expressed confusion, noting that the KMT caucus, including Lin Pei-hsiang, had proposed freezing only NT$6 million, and that Legislative Yuan Speaker Han Kuo-yu had mediated discussions. 'Why did the final vote pass Weng Xiaoling's version? Why didn't Weng withdraw her proposal at the end?'

Ye Yuanzhi responded that Weng is considered a hawk within the party caucus and has proposed many such measures, though internal discussions had urged her to withdraw some. DPP legislator Li Kun-cheng added that Presidential Office Deputy Secretary-General Ho Chih-wei had privately contacted the KMT multiple times, indicating awareness that the budget affected Mid-Autumn Festival gift orders. He suggested Lin Pei-hsiang's NT$6 million freeze proposal reflected this understanding.

Hsieh questioned why no one clearly communicated the consequences to Weng during negotiations. Ye explained that multiple versions were discussed, and Weng had been asked to withdraw her proposal. The KMT had expected that if President Lai countersigned the passed bill, the budget would be unfrozen, allowing mooncake purchases. However, Lai did not countersign, turning the situation into a political and social controversy.

Li Kun-cheng immediately rebutted, arguing that since the budget was approved by legislative vote, those who voted in favor must have known it could impact sheltered workshops. Blaming Weng alone for the public backlash, he said, is hard to justify. Ye Yuanzhi responded emphatically, 'I really didn't know. I didn't expect Lai Qingde to be so heartless as to sacrifice sheltered workshops for political struggle.'

Additional exclusive reports from Storm Media: - 'Can't Buy Sheltered Workshop Mooncakes If State Budget Is Frozen?' Chan Jiang-cun Reveals Budget Truth, Accusing the Green Camp of Political Manipulation - 'Where Did the Annual Budget for the Vulnerable Go?' Presidential Office Uses State Affairs Funds for Mooncakes—Hsieh Han-ping Argues Opposition Cuts Were Justified - 'Can't the State Affairs Budget Buy 15,000 Mooncakes for the Vulnerable?' Li Lai-hsi Raises Doubts, Condemning 'Inept Governance'