Print

Mail

wiki links

KMT says citizens living abroad should get vouchers

The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus yesterday urged the Ministry of the Interior to include citizens living abroad in the consumer voucher scheme.

At a press conference held by the caucus, KMT Legislator Justin Chou (周守訓) said the ministry had ignored a group of overseas Taiwanese who had lost their household registration records as a result of the Household Registration Law (戶籍法).

In accordance with Article 16 of the law, Taiwanese lose their household registration record if they stay overseas for two consecutive years without returning to Taiwan.

Chou said it would be difficult to give a precise number of citizens living abroad that would be eligible.

Chou said the government should not overlook the economic effect these people could create if they were given the vouchers to spend in Taiwan.

The Cabinet announced on Nov. 18 its plan to grant every citizen with a household registration record NT$3,600 in consumer vouchers by taking out loans equaling NT$83.5 billion (US$2.4 billion).

On Nov. 24, the government said the vouchers would also be granted to 150,000 foreign spouses who had obtained long-term residency or stayed in Taiwan as dependents.

Citing statistics from the Overseas Compatriot Affairs Commission (OCAC), Chou said a total of 8,594 overseas Taiwanese had returned for the Double Ten national day celebration in October.

Of these compatriots, 6,875 people claimed the NT$3,200 travel subsidy offered by the OCAC and stayed for five days on average, spending NT$200 million during their stay, Chou said.

Given the precedent, the ministry should also offer consumer vouchers to overseas citizens who have lost their household registration record as an incentive and encourage them to spend money when they return to Taiwan for Lunar New Year holidays next month, Chou said.

“I believe many overseas Taiwanese would be glad to support President Ma [Ying-jeou’s (馬英九)] call to save the nation’s economy by increasing consumption in Taiwan,” Chou said.

“Anyone who has Republic of China citizenship should be entitled to the vouchers,” KMT caucus deputy secretary-general Yang Chiung-ying (楊瓊瓔) said.
This story has been viewed 1186 times.