Despite its tiny size, the TSU legislative caucus has adopted a formidable agenda for the new session that is due to open on Tuesday. It has vowed to push for technology protection and referendum rules, among other controversial items that sit atop its priority list.
Both bills stand slim chance of being passed, as KMT and PFP lawmakers are bound to obstruct their advancement and the DPP has made preserving harmony its top goal in the run-up to next year's presidential polls.
In two previous sessions, the TSU caucus made 29 attempts to place the referendum bill on the legislative calendar, but to no avail.
The proposal would allow the people to have the final say, through a democratic process, on all policy issues -- including planned changes to the nation's status, symbols and constitution. Under the plan, only government budgets, taxes and salaries for public servants would not be voted on.
TSU Legislator Lo Chih-ming (
According to Lo, a separate referendum bill sponsored by DPP Legislator Trong Chai (
But at the request of President Chen Shui-bian (
The TSU has expressed disappointment at its DPP allies recently over various issues such as the Cabinet's plans to allow domestic chipmakers to move across the Strait. It also frowns on the government's media reform plans, saying they would allow pro-unification media greater control of the market.
Chen has asked all DPP officials to dispose of their stakes in any media organizations in keeping with the party's effort to free the media from political influence.
Lo said he found the move poorly thought-out, as publications with Chinese capital have made inroads into the domestic market in recent years.
He singled out Next magazine and the incoming Apple Daily for criticism, saying they are devoted to scandalizing Taiwanese politicians and celebrities.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), spokeswoman Yang Chih-yu (楊智伃) and Legislator Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介) would be summoned by police for questioning for leading an illegal assembly on Thursday evening last week, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) said today. The three KMT officials led an assembly outside the Taipei City Prosecutors’ Office, a restricted area where public assembly is not allowed, protesting the questioning of several KMT staff and searches of KMT headquarters and offices in a recall petition forgery case. Chu, Yang and Hsieh are all suspected of contravening the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法) by holding
PRAISE: Japanese visitor Takashi Kubota said the Taiwanese temple architecture images showcased in the AI Art Gallery were the most impressive displays he saw Taiwan does not have an official pavilion at the World Expo in Osaka, Japan, because of its diplomatic predicament, but the government-backed Tech World pavilion is drawing interest with its unique recreations of works by Taiwanese artists. The pavilion features an artificial intelligence (AI)-based art gallery showcasing works of famous Taiwanese artists from the Japanese colonial period using innovative technologies. Among its main simulated displays are Eastern gouache paintings by Chen Chin (陳進), Lin Yu-shan (林玉山) and Kuo Hsueh-hu (郭雪湖), who were the three young Taiwanese painters selected for the East Asian Painting exhibition in 1927. Gouache is a water-based
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if its next president decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday. “Of course, we would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, when asked to comment on statements made by two of the three Honduran presidential candidates during the presidential campaign in the Central American country. Taiwan is paying close attention to the region as a whole in the wake of a
OFF-TARGET: More than 30,000 participants were expected to take part in the Games next month, but only 6,550 foreign and 19,400 Taiwanese athletes have registered Taipei city councilors yesterday blasted the organizers of next month’s World Masters Games over sudden timetable and venue changes, which they said have caused thousands of participants to back out of the international sporting event, among other organizational issues. They also cited visa delays and political interference by China as reasons many foreign athletes are requesting refunds for the event, to be held from May 17 to 30. Jointly organized by the Taipei and New Taipei City governments, the games have been rocked by numerous controversies since preparations began in 2020. Taipei City Councilor Lin Yen-feng (林延鳳) said yesterday that new measures by
RSS