Taipei Times
Date: Sep 08, 2015
By: Chang Hsiao-ti and Jonathan Chin  /  Staff reporter, with staff writer

Taiwan Solidarity Union Legislator Yeh Chin-ling (葉津鈴) yesterday said the government’s budget for next year’s presidential inauguration was wasteful and urged all presidential candidates to pledge to reduce the cost of the ceremony.

Yeh said the Presidential Office has earmarked a budget of NT$41.31 million (US$1.25 million) for the 14th presidential inauguration next year.

In light of the government’s fiscal difficulties, Yeh criticized the amount as excessive.

She also said that in 1996, when Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) was voted the nation’s first democratically elected president, he spent just NT$7.08 million on his presidential inauguration.     [FULL  STORY]