TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Priority seats on public transportation will stay, though possibly under a new name and with different beneficiaries, Health and Welfare Minister Chiu Tai-yuan (邱泰源) said Thursday (June 20).

The fate of the seats came up for discussion following a spate of incidents between passengers demanding a seat and other passengers refusing to give theirs up. Over the past week, two such altercations erupted on the Taipei MRT and on a bus in Keelung City.

The disputes gave rise to a suggestion to do away with separate seats for the disabled, elderly, women and children to avoid conflict. Under current regulations, at least 15% of seats are set aside as priority seats.

Chiu told reporters Thursday that he opposed abolition but use of the seats needed to be improved, per CNA. One way was to change the name of the seats, the other was to open up their use to more groups by amending the People with Disabilities Rights Protection Act, he said.

Chiu added he would consult with the Ministry of Transportation and Communications to study similar policies overseas. The priority seats represent the idea of care and harmony between the generations, the minister said.

Chiu said he had never taken a priority seat, even though he was of the appropriate age to do so. If younger people felt uncomfortable or tired, they should also be allowed to choose priority seats, he said.

A proposed amendment was submitted to the previous session of the Legislative Yuan, but its review was not completed in time for the January legislative elections. As a result, a new version would have to be discussed by the new legislature.