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Presidential election 2008: 15 days to go: CEC open to separating poll, plebiscite

The top election official said yesterday it would still be possible to hold the referendums and the presidential election separately if the legislature amends the law to lower referendum thresholds.

Central Election Commission (CEC) Chairman Chang Cheng-hsiung (張政雄) made the remarks while fielding a question from Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator John Wu (吳志揚) at the legislature's Home and Nations Committee meeting.

The CEC decided in a meeting last month to hold two referendums on the nation's UN bid together with the presidential election on March 22.

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)-sponsored referendum asks if voters support seeking UN membership using the name "Taiwan," while the KMT initiative asks if voters support rejoining the world body under the "Republic of China" or any other "practical titles."

Some pan-blue politicians have called on voters to boycott both referendums.

After a meeting with Taiwan Solidarity Union Chairman Huang Kun-huei (黃昆輝) on Wednesday, President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) said he would hold cross-party negotiations on separating the referendums and the presidential election if the KMT consents to amending the Referendum Law to lower the voting threshold for referendum results.

Current law stipulates that the petition to hold a referendum requires the signature of 0.5 percent of eligible voters who took part in the most recent presidential election -- about 80,000 people. In addition, the signature of 5 percent of the number of voters in the nation, or approximately 800,000 people, are needed before the petition can be screened by the Referendum Review Committee.

After the petition is approved, a 50 percent voter turnout -- approximately 8 million voters -- is required for a referendum to be considered valid.

"[The CEC] does not rule out holding a new round of discussions [on separating the referendums and the election] if there's a change in circumstances -- such as an amendment to the Referendum Law to lower thresholds," Chang said.

Chang added that if the referendums were held separate from the election, "it should be handled seven days before the election at the latest."

At a separate setting yesterday, KMT caucus whip Lin Yi-shih (林益世) said the caucus still needed to discuss versions of the amendment and related issues, including how to lower the thresholds even if it agreed to amend the law.

"The UN referendum issue should be resolved as soon as possible. If President Chen thinks that the referendums can be separated from the election, the CEC should solve the issue," he said.

KMT Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung (吳伯雄) yesterday declined to comment on whether the KMT was willing to amend the law, adding that the party would make its stance clear after the Central Standing Committee meeting on Wednesday.

"The KMT does not oppose referendums, but we oppose twisting the meaning of the referendums," Wu said.

DPP presidential candidate Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) said yesterday he could accept a compromise version of the referendum if the legal thresholds for the referendum results to be considered valid were lowered.

"But if the KMT rejects all options and works to thwart the referendums, we don't have much choice," he said.

Holding a referendum together with the poll could boost the odds of it succeeding, he said.
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