The DPP yesterday released the results of an opinion poll indicating that more than half of the public support holding referendums on major policies.
The party also declared it would hold a referendum on public policy before President Chen Shui-bian's (
"Despite opposition from around the world to Taiwan holding a referendum, more than 58 percent of the respondents in the poll think Taiwan should be firm and pass legislation on referendums," DPP Deputy Secretary-General Lee Ying-yuan (
"Of the 58 percent, 48 percent demand that Taiwan pass the draft bill for the referendum law as soon as possible," Lee said.
He said that the results of the poll revealed how popular the idea of the referendum had become among Taiwanese.
"A referendum means the right of initiation stipulated in the Constitution, but these rights have been deprived by the KMT government in the past. The DPP vows to return these rights to the people," Lee said.
The poll, conducted on Monday, asked people whether they supported Taiwan's efforts to pass legislation on referendums despite opposition from the rest of the world.
Twenty-six percent of respondents disagreed with the idea of referendum legislation and 17 percent said they had no comment about the issue.
Lee said Beijing was the main force opposing referendums in Taiwan and had pressured the US to dissuade Taipei from passing the required legislation.
"Taiwan pursues cross-strait stability and peace. Taiwanese people have been maturing after getting direct election and recall rights. Now they want to use the referendum right to decide public policies and there is no doubt that they could use this right. The US should respect this fact," he said.
Lee said there was nothing Beijing could do to stop this country holding referendums if that is what the people want.
"The exact date of a referendum will be decided by the Executive Yuan, but one thing for sure is that we definitely will carry out the policy to hold a referendum before President Chen's presidency expires on May 20 next year," Lee said.
Yangmingshan National Park authorities yesterday urged visitors to respect public spaces and obey the law after a couple was caught on a camera livestream having sex at the park’s Qingtiangang (擎天崗) earlier in the day. The Shilin Police Precinct in Taipei said it has identified a suspect and his vehicle registration number, and would summon him for questioning. The case would be handled in accordance with public indecency charges, it added. The couple entered the park at about 11pm on Thursday and began fooling around by 1am yesterday, the police said, adding that the two were unaware of the park’s all-day live
Fast food chain McDonald's is to raise prices by up to NT$5 on some products at its restaurants across Taiwan, starting on Wednesday next week, the company announced today. The prices of all extra value meals and sharing boxes are to increase by NT$5, while breakfast combos and creamy corn soup would go up by NT$3, the company said in a statement. The price of the main items of those meals, if ordered individually, would remain the same. Meanwhile, the price of a medium-sized lemon iced tea and hot cappuccino would rise by NT$3, extra dipping sauces for chicken nuggets would go up
Yangmingshan National Park’s Qingtiangang (擎天崗) nature area has gone viral after a park livestream camera observed a couple in the throes of intimate congress, which was broadcast live on YouTube, drawing large late-night crowds and sparking a backlash over noise, bright lights and disruption to wildlife habitat. The area’s livestream footage appeared to show a couple engaging in sexual activity on a picnic table in the park on Friday last week, with the uncensored footage streamed publicly online. The footage quickly spread across social media, prompting a tide of visitors to travel to the site to “check in” and recreate the
Minister of Digital Affairs Lin Yi-ching (林宜敬) yesterday cited regulatory issues and national security concerns as an expert said that Taiwan is among the few Asian regions without Starlink. Lin made the remarks on Facebook after funP Innovation Group chief executive officer Nathan Chiu (邱繼弘) on Friday said Taiwan and four other countries in Asia — China, North Korea, Afghanistan and Syria — have no access to Starlink. Starlink has become available in 166 countries worldwide, including Ukraine, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam, in the six years since it became commercial, he said. While China and North Korea block Starlink, Syria is not
RSS