Abhisit vows to expose PM's graft, mistakes

Abhisit vows to expose PM's graft, mistakes

More than 20 Dems line up to grill govt

The opposition will show in a two-day censure debate how Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has contributed to widespread graft and mishandled policy, its leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said.

He said more than 20 opposition MPs have signed up to speak in the no-confidence debate,which kicks off today.

He said the highlights of the debate will be how the government headed by Ms Yingluck has encouraged or failed to stop corruption.

A total of 25 hours, plus breaks, have been set aside for the no-confidence debate scheduled for today and tomorrow. A vote is expected on Thursday, which is the last day of the parliamentary session.

Mr Abhisit said the two-day debate would be enough to cover everything the opposition wants to discuss so long as it is not interrupted by protests.

He noted the street protests led by former Democrat MP Suthep Thaugsuban will not affect the grilling. The opposition is prepared to carry out its checks-and-balances role.

The no-confidence debate targets Ms Yingluck and Interior Minister Charupong Ruangsuwan.

The opposition also seeks the removal of Ms Yingluck, Mr Charupong and Deputy Prime Minister Plodprasop Suraswadi from office.

Democrat list-MP Korn Chatikavanij said yesterday he will expose the prime minister's abuse of authority.

"I am confident the prime minister won't be able to respond. Her explanations will be useless because the alleged wrongdoing is real," he said.

Mr Korn said opposition chief whip Jurin Laksanavisit is in charge of the opposition's tactics and he is the only person who sees the big picture of the debate.

Democrat MP for Phitsanulok Warong Detkitvikrom said the debate will make the public realise that the prime minister is responsible for alleged irregularities in the rice-pledging programme.

As the prime minister, Ms Yingluck chairs the National Rice Policy Committee and has the authority to approve budgets for the scheme, he said.

"I believe that after the censure debate ends, the government will find itself more vulnerable," he said.

Meanwhile, Ms Yingluck yesterday met Commerce Minister Niwatthamrong Bunsongphaisan and his deputy Yanyong Phuangrach to prepare for the censure debate.

Ms Yanyong said the opposition's charges are likely to cover ineffectiveness and corruption involving the ministry's rice-pledging scheme.

He said the prime minister has nothing to do with the implementation of the scheme and her role is limited to policy-making.Mr Yanyong said the prime minister will answer all the allegations in the House herself and the charges are nothing new.

He added that China's Guangdong Stationery & Sporting Goods Imp & Exp Corp (GSSG) is upset with the opposition's claim that it is not a state-owned enterprise.

GSSG has recently sent a protest letter to the ministry and said it is ready to cooperate in the National Anti-Corruption Commission's probe into the rice scandal.

Chief government whip Amnuay Khlangpa said the street protests will not disrupt or obstruct the House debate but noted that security authorities have a contingency plan if access to parliament is blocked.

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