Former Executive Yuan secretary-general Liu Shih-fang (劉世芳) has questioned Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Vice Chairman Hau Lung-bin’s (郝龍斌) referendum drive on an import ban on food products from five Japanese prefectures, saying that Hau was a staunch opponent of plebiscites when he served as the head of the EPA.
Liu, who is now a Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmaker, said that Hau had criticized a “consultative referendum” on Sept. 13, 2003, on whether the government should allow residents of Pinglin Village (坪林) in what was then Taipei County to use parts of National Freeway No. 5, saying it allowed public opinion to be elevated above professional advice.
The EPA said that Pinglin residents were not allowed to use the road, as the township is within a water source conservation zone.
Hau said a few days later that if legislation was passed based on the referendum, it should exclude environmental protection issues, before vociferously opposing allowing environmental assessments and land development issues going to a referendum, as it would be “the beginning of an environmental protection disaster,” Liu said.
Following the Executive Yuan’s endorsement of the DPP caucus’ draft bill, Hau offered his resignation in October that year, saying that he doubted he would be able to carry out national policies because his views on referendums differed from those of the Cabinet.
“Whether foodstuffs from Japan are contaminated by nuclear pollution is a highly professional question,” Liu said, adding that Hau’s attempt to make a professional issue the subject of a referendum is shocking.
Liu made the remarks days after Hau announced earlier this month he would push for a referendum on the import ban.
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