Executive Yuan stands by collecting fingerprint data

The Cabinet yesterday repeated its determination to proceed with the collection of fingerprint data for updated national identification cards, but said it would stop collecting the material immediately if the legislature amended the Household Registration Law (戶籍法) or the Council of Grand Justices ordered it to do so.

"The Cabinet will carry out its policies within the law, no matter what happens," Cabinet Spokesman Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said.

Cho's referred to a Democratic Progressive Party decision to file an application to the Council of Grand Justices to test the constitutionality of collecting fingerprint data. The newly designed cards are to be issued after July 1.

Cho the Cabinet would immediately cease the process of collecting fingerprints should the justices decide that the law is unconstitutional.

Asked the government would do with fingerprint data already collected if the justices order the government to halt the program, Cho said it would be regarded as "invalid" information and be destroyed.

"The appropriate government agencies must be very careful on this issue because there remains a risk of confidential information being leaked," he said.

Cho that the government would also immediately suspend the policy if the legislature rejects Article Eight of the Household Registration Law, which authorizes the collection of fingerprint data.