Ma Wen-chun Defends Freezing Submarine and Drone Budgets: 'Failure to Supervise Would Be Dereliction of Duty'

(CNA, Taipei, May 18, reporter Yu Kai-hsiang) Amid external questioning of KMT Legislator Ma Wen-chun's cuts and freezes to defense budgets for submarines and drones, Ma stated today that when people ask for money, they all say the need is urgent, but when legislators supervise, they are blamed for supervising too strongly. In contrast, she pointed out that the F-16V (blk70) fighters purchased from the U.S. have not yet been delivered, and the domestically-built submarine Hai Kun has not been handed over on schedule. The necessary missiles, torpedoes, aircraft, and ships are not in place. She argued that failing to supervise properly would be a dereliction of duty. The Ministry of National Defense has not responded to this for the time being. Ma Wen-chun proposed to freeze the entire NT$11.95 billion allocated in this year's general budget for the Navy Command's third-phase follow-on ship construction. Additionally, she also proposed to cut about NT$500 million from the Armaments Bureau's 'Unmanned Vehicle Advanced Technology Multi-integration Development Plan.' When questioned about why she was cutting and freezing the budgets for drones and the submarine Hai Kun, Ma responded in the Legislative Yuan this morning that regarding drones, many were purchased last year, the year before, or in previous years, but their functionality and performance were not good, and the verification for military-commercial specifications was unclear. Currently, many drone budgets are being allocated in the Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of the Interior, and elsewhere, so she hopes the departments will lay out the detailed information on the drones, and that the Ministry of National Defense, in particular, should clearly explain how the specifications are determined. Ma explained that wasting the defense budget is the real damage, and it's not the case that allocating a small budget will lead to the successful development of an industry. To say that cutting or freezing the budget will hinder industrial development is an overstatement. She hopes the industry can genuinely develop well and that the military can obtain better and more suitable weapons and equipment. Ma also cited the example that this is the final year, yet the F-16V (blk70) jets from the U.S. military purchase have not been received, while payments continue to be made annually. Furthermore, the prototype submarine Hai Kun has not yet passed its tests; it was supposed to be delivered last year but wasn't, and it's delayed again this year. Ma emphasized that she hopes the military will be pragmatic in building the necessary weapons and equipment. 'When people ask for money, they all say the need is urgent, but when legislators supervise, they are quickly criticized for supervising too strongly. Everyone can see that the necessary missiles, torpedoes, planes, and ships are not in place. If legislators do not supervise properly, that is the real dereliction of duty.' (Editor: Chang Jo-yao)