Taipei Times
Date:  Aug 17, 2015
By: Loa Iok-sin  /  Staff reporter

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) yesterday defended the use of cross-party negotiations, which are often criticized for being non-transparent, as a necessary tool with a legal basis to facilitate political communication.

“Cross-party negotiation is actually regulated by Article 68 of the Act Governing the Exercise of Legislative Power (立法院職權行使法), and, while many people call it ‘secret chamber negotiation,’ there are actually quite a lot of people in the ‘secret chamber’ when a cross-party negotiation takes place,” Ker said during a talk with Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) at an event for National Hsinchu Senior High School alumni. Both men are alumni of the school.     [FULL  STORY]