The nominee for president of the nation’s top watchdog body – the Control Yuan – argued on Tuesday that the body plays a vital role. The nominee is Chang Po-ya. She was speaking at the legislature as part of her nomination process.
There have been calls for the disbanding of the Control Yuan, which is one of the five branches of the government. But Chang said Tuesday that’s not possible.
"The purpose of the five branches of government lies in checks and balances, with the five branches each having its own function. The Control Yuan is mandated by the constitution, it cannot be disbanded," said Chang.
Chang said the purpose of the Control Yuan is to protect the citizens from inappropriate use of power on the part of the government, and to oversee government finances. She said that some 150 countries have similar independent watchdog bodies, which participate in an international watchdog organization.
Chang said that while the role of these bodies varies from country to country, government oversight is an international trend and is conducive to national development.
Chang said that as president of the Control Yuan, she would not be swayed by political parties and would vie to give committee members absolute freedom of oversight without interference. She said she would also work to protect human rights.