PFP and KMT legislators yesterday boycotted the review of a referendum law by manipulating the rules of procedure in the Legislative Yuan, arguing that it would damage cross-strait ties.
The draft law, submitted by DPP Legislator Trong Chai (蔡同榮), was scheduled to be reviewed by the legislature's Home and Nations Committee yesterday afternoon.
But the opposition parties' caucuses proposed that the meeting end immediately after it began, after which KMT and PFP legislators disrupted proceedings with a noisy protest.
Screaming at the meeting to paralyze any possible discussion of the issue, KMT legislative leader Liu Cheng-hung (劉政鴻) condemned the DPP and TSU for raising the issue at what he said was a sensitive time.
He said the law could upset China, which would endanger the nation's security at a time when the US was not capable of helping to defend Taiwan, he said.
TSU and DPP legislators tried to seek an agreement on the issue, but the opposition declined to attend any cross-party negotiations.
Chai's proposal, bearing the signatures of 114 DPP, TSU and independent lawmakers, states that the nation's citizens are entitled to hold referendums on such issues as the country's boundaries, formal title, anthem and "other important national policies," except the budget, taxation, government salary bills and personnel appointments.
Under the proposal, a referendum would be called when 2 percent of the population adds their signatures to a petition on "crucial national policies" involving such matters as nuclear power generation and the legalization of gambling.
On issues such as those involving "national orientation," which include the nation's boundaries, formal name and anthem, signatures from 4 percent of the population would be required.
Alternatively, referendums could conceivably be called with the approval of two-thirds of legislators present at a meeting attended by at least two-thirds of all legislators.
The president can also call for a referendum if it is approved by the Cabinet.
The Ministry of the Interior, which has been lobbying for the passage of an initiative and referendum law (創制複決法), has said that its version would be more comprehensive than Chai's version.
DPP legislative caucus leader Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) said that his party basically supports the law and is willing to discuss whether to remove issues such as national boundaries, a formal title and the national anthem, which the PFP and KMT worry about most, from the draft bill.
"This is a domestic issue. I don't understand why we should worry about the war," said TSU legislative leader Chien Lin Whei-jun (錢林慧君) in the legislature meeting.
The committee is scheduled to review the controversial bill again tomorrow.
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