TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan is set to revisit legislation that governs the rights of people with disabilities amid a fresh debate about the eligibility for priority seats on public transportation.

Whether or not to yield seats on public transport systems has long been a controversial topic in Taiwan. Heated discussions were reignited recently after Taiwanese writer Li Ang (李昂) vented her anger on social media Wednesday (Sept. 20) at youngsters who refused to give up their seat to her during a ride on the Taipei Metro.

According to the 71-year-old, she was upset that three young people either declined to yield their seats to her citing unwellness, or ignored her requests. Asking Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) to respond, she said a clearer rule should be in place for such seats as Taiwan becomes an aging society.

Taipei Metro called on passengers Thursday (Sept. 21) to be considerate and yield seats to those in need. It added, however, that this is part of metro etiquette that can hardly be enforced.

Commenting on the matter, health minister Hsueh Jui-yuan (薛瑞元) said an amendment draft for People with Disabilities Rights Protection Act (身心障礙者權益保障法) is pending legislative review. The authority is seeking to change the wording of the regulation, replacing “the disabled, elderly, women and children” with “people with disabilities and other needs” regarding priority seats.

Reactions to the controversy are mixed. Some netizens expressed disappointment at what they say are inconsiderate youths and blamed failed education. Others protested that age should not be used as a privilege.

In February, a train incident where a student was scolded by an old woman for taking up a priority seat for a nap created a stir. The woman would not let up even after the student had given up his seat, prompting him to kneel and beg her to stop the name-calling, wrote Mirror Media.