A referendum, by textbook definition, is a democratic right that provides people an opportunity to engage in public policy and express their opinions on issues of national importance through a direct vote.
However, how often do people truly let their voice be heard without their ballot being hijacked by political parties?
To be fair, political parties are not to be blamed. A responsible party in a democracy is duty-bound to make known to the public its stance on a matter being put to a vote. In the case of the upcoming referendum, each of the nation’s major parties has done exactly that.
Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times
On the ballots on Dec. 18 are to be four referendum questions, asking voters if they agree that the government should ban the importation of pork containing traces of the leanness-enhancing additive ractopamine; relocate a planned liquefied natural gas terminal to protect algal reefs off Taoyuan’s Guanyin District (觀音); activate the mothballed Fourth Nuclear Power Plant in New Taipei City’s Gongliao District (貢寮); and hold referendums alongside national elections.
The Democratic Progressive Party on June 30 passed a proposal allotting a special budget of NT$57 million (US$2.05 million at the current exchange rate) for a promotional campaign urging people to vote “no” on all four items.
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) has called on people to vote “yes” on the two items initiated by its lawmakers, namely the proposal on pork imports and the motion on referendums, while saying that it respects and would assist the campaigning of the other two referendum proposals brought by civic groups.
The New Power Party said it is only opposed to the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant, while the Taiwan People’s Party has called on people to vote “yes” on banning the importation of ractopamine pork and protecting the algae reef, while urging them to vote “no” on the power plant question and the motion regarding referendums.
However, there is no denying that the referendum has also become a political arena for parties to bolster their standing, shoehorn the electorate into stamping legitimacy on preconceived policies, or spin it as a vote of no confidence in the government.
This is where the role of a responsible voter comes in.
On complex issues that have been simplified to a “yes” or “no” answer on a ballot, voters have the responsibility to educate themselves so that they can independently form an opinion that truly reflects what they think of the issue.
Due to the large volume of information voters have to consume in a relatively short period before the poll, it is understandable that they often follow the guidance of politicians they trust in deciding how to vote.
This approach, however convenient, defeats the purpose of a plebiscite that claims the legitimacy of direct democracy and allows voters to have a say in the nation’s policymaking.
Conscientious voters must not waste the power in their hands by letting political parties tell them how to vote.
Fortunately, the nation, being a democracy, has a sound system in place to keep voters informed on the pros and cons of issues being put to a vote.
Five televised presentations have been scheduled by the Central Election Commission for the public to gain a better understanding of the referendum questions, with two sessions left to go, which are to take place on Thursday and Dec. 11.
Taiwan has often been lauded for its robust democracy, an achievement every Taiwanese should be proud of.
However, sustaining democracy requires constant effort, which includes voters fulfilling their citizenship duties so that they could be the true masters of the nation and not reduce themselves to marionettes of political parties.
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