Lawmakers fight over proposed reforms that would drastically expand legislative powers, reforms that have alarmed civic groups and sparked protests.
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00:00 Another day of chaos in Taiwan's legislature.
00:03 "Democracy, democracy, democracy."
00:08 On Friday, lawmakers resumed readings of deeply controversial bills
00:12 that would drastically expand legislative powers.
00:15 Divisive items that would give lawmakers the power to compel testimony.
00:20 And finer jail those who don't answer questions completely.
00:23 The bills are the work of two opposition parties,
00:26 the Kuomintang, or KMT, and Taiwan People's Party, the TPP,
00:31 who together form a majority.
00:33 The two parties are trying to push the bills through
00:36 over stiff opposition from the Democratic Progressive Party.
00:39 And at times, the proceedings have taken a violent turn.
00:44 "Don't push the bills, don't push the bills."
00:46 "They came from behind and hit me.
00:49 I turned around and didn't see what was behind me.
00:53 I turned around and..."
00:54 "I was defending myself.
00:56 He attacked first, I defended myself.
00:59 Now it's a trend, it's a trend,
01:02 hitting people, calling people."
01:03 Civic groups say the way the legislators handled the bills
01:07 goes against fair and normal procedures.
01:10 "The lack of procedural justice in the enactment of these bills
01:14 is even more worrying,
01:15 as there has been no substantive room for serious review
01:19 or civic participation or input.
01:21 Abiding by normal legislative procedures
01:24 would have actually improved the quality of legislative reform
01:27 and the prospects of implementation."
01:29 And thousands of people in Taiwan also have concerns.
01:33 Organizers of a Friday protest against the bills
01:36 outside the legislature say 100,000 people turned out,
01:41 and five other protests took place in other parts of the country.
01:45 "We demand fair and just discussion.
01:47 We refuse the black box of Congress."
01:51 "I'm most concerned about all the bills
01:54 that are currently against the people,
01:55 including the inability to hire lawyers,
01:57 and the inability to refuse all legislators.
02:00 This is a bill that is passed by a legislator.
02:03 I think this is very unreasonable."
02:05 "As long as the blue and white legislatures are united,
02:07 all bills can be passed.
02:08 As long as we unite China,
02:10 all bills can be passed.
02:11 No matter how hard the DPP tries,
02:14 we still can't win."
02:16 Lawmakers are readying for the third reading,
02:19 set for next week.
02:20 Protesters say they'll be there too,
02:23 making their voices heard from outside the chamber.
02:26 Yixin Chen and Harrell Hughes for Taiwan Plus.
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