People First Party (PFP) Chairman James Soong (
"James Soong's recent words and actions have violated the Referendum Law (
Chen said that people who urge the public not to participate in a referendum in order to affect the referendum's outcome are violating Article 142 of the Criminal Code.
He said that the TSU caucus would report the PFP leader to the Ministry of Justice.
Soong has expressed his disapproval of the referendum in the past and he said a few days ago that he would not cast a vote in the referendum.
TSU Legislator Chien Lin Huei-jyun (
"Someone told me yesterday that he had received a phone call from an anonymous person asking his preference in the presidential election, and he said he was a supporter of the pan-blue ticket. The anonymous caller then asked him not to vote in the referendum and to spread the word," Chien Lin said.
Meanwhile, PFP legislators yesterday attacked the referendum for its "meaninglessness."
"The Ministry of National Defense has shown that its attitude toward the referendum is one of no participation, no endorsement, and no acceptance," PFP Legislator Chin Hui-chu (
"Since the ministry won't accept the result, should we continue with this kind of referendum? Is this referendum meaningful?" the lawmaker said.
PFP Legislator Chao Liang-yen (
The PFP comments followed statements to the legislature on Wednesday by Minister of National Defense Tang Yao-ming (
In a related story, independent Legislator May Chin (
She advocates voting no to the first referendum question -- the one concerning weapons purchases -- because she is anti-war and she would like to see money spent on programs for Aboriginals instead of on weapons.
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus, upon seeing that more people are signing up to be opposition speakers, has suggested that the Central Election Commission consider holding more debates on the referendum than the scheduled 10 to accommodate all those who want to speak for the opposition side.
The caucus also offered to send its legislators to speak in support of the referendum if more debates are held.
Also, a group of five people in their 20s and 30s -- including DPP Taipei City Councilor Hsu Chia-ching (
A verbal conflict ensued and the five were expelled from the legislature.
The brilliant blue waters, thick foliage and bucolic atmosphere on this seemingly idyllic archipelago deep in the Pacific Ocean belie the key role it now plays in a titanic geopolitical struggle. Palau is again on the front line as China, and the US and its allies prepare their forces in an intensifying contest for control over the Asia-Pacific region. The democratic nation of just 17,000 people hosts US-controlled airstrips and soon-to-be-completed radar installations that the US military describes as “critical” to monitoring vast swathes of water and airspace. It is also a key piece of the second island chain, a string of
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IN FULL SWING: Recall drives against lawmakers in Hualien, Taoyuan and Hsinchu have reached the second-stage threshold, the campaigners said Campaigners in a recall petition against Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Yen Kuan-heng (顏寬恒) in Taichung yesterday said their signature target is within sight, and that they need a big push to collect about 500 more signatures from locals to reach the second-stage threshold. Recall campaigns against KMT lawmakers Johnny Chiang (江啟臣), Yang Chiung-ying (楊瓊瓔) and Lo Ting-wei (羅廷瑋) are also close to the 10 percent threshold, and campaigners are mounting a final push this week. They need about 800 signatures against Chiang and about 2,000 against Yang. Campaigners seeking to recall Lo said they had reached the threshold figure over the
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