As part of the 17 national security strategies proposed earlier this year by President Lai Ching-te (賴清德), the Veterans Affairs Council (VAC) plans to revise the Veterans Assistance Act in order to strip benefits from retired generals who make comments that “damage national dignity.” VAC Minister Yen Teh-fa (嚴德發) emphasized that the purpose of the amendment is to discourage retired personnel from being exploited by the CCP.
This Wednesday, Yen explained to legislators that per current regulations, only monthly pension payments are affected in the event retired military officers and soldiers violate national security-related laws. He says the new amendment will also revoke medical care, employment assistance, and other privileges afforded by the VAC. The draft is currently under review and the VAC expects to submit it to the Cabinet by September.
DPP legislator Puma Shen (沈伯洋) argues that the definition of “damaging national dignity” is too vague. He proposes additional revisions to the relevant articles of the Cross-Strait Act in the hopes that the draft could be reviewed alongside the VAC’s drafted amendment.