The governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) are slated to organize town hall meetings across Taiwan “to engage people directly” and explain their stance regarding the legislative reform bills that passed on May 28.
The Executive Yuan on Thursday said it is preparing to have the legislature reconsider the passage of the bills on the grounds they are “unconstitutional” and “difficult to implement.”
The DPP is to hold its “Defend Democracy, Oppose Expansion of Power” series of talks in Hualien County starting Friday, then in New Taipei City on Saturday and Taipei on Sunday, the party’s secretary-general Lin Yu-chang (林右昌) said.
Photo: Lin Liang-sheng, Taipei Times
“Hualien County is the starting place, because the bills were proposed and spearheaded by [KMT Hualien Legislator] Fu Kun-chi (傅?萁),” and Fu has his power base there, as he was elected as legislator and previously as county commissioner there, Lin said on Friday.
Many Hualien County residents would also like to better understand the bills and related issues, he said.
Taipei and New Taipei are the center of gravity for Taiwan’s economy and politic domain, he added.
The DPP chose to get started at those three locations as time is short, Lin said.
“Taiwan’s democracy needs to reach all citizens for them to better understand and participate in the democratic process. This way, they can better evaluate events in politics and what is happening in the legislature. People should get to know how their personal rights might be affected and how our nation’s political framework can function more effectively,” he said.
DPP caucus secretary-general Rosalia Wu (吳思瑤) yesterday said that as the Executive Yuan is poised to ask the legislature to reconsider the bill, “we hope to consolidate all DPP supporters and the potential legislative seats representing them, to express the will of the people, so that the blue and white political camps will concede to the public sentiment, and maybe some of them will reject the bills.”
Meanwhile, the KMT said it plans to start its town hall meeting on Friday in Tainan.
KMT lawmakers are to speak at the event to explain to the public why they think the amendments are necessary.
The party said it plans to hold one such meeting in each city and county across Taiwan.
KMT Legislator Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介) said the DPP is trying to vilify the bills passage.
“They are in control of the government agencies, but they are still quarreling and trash-talking,” Hsieh said
In response to media queries on whether the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) would hold similar events, TPP caucus spokeswoman Vicky Chen (陳智菡) yesterday said that her party plans to do something different to get people more engaged.
The party might organize question-and-answer sessions, to explain its stance to the public directly, “so they would not have to listen to the rumors put forth by the ruling party,” Chen said.
The party has been engaging with the public on the matter, TPP caucus whip Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) said.
“That was why in the legislative process during second reading phase, I livestreamed for three days, explaining to people what is happening inside the legislature. I also accepted an interview request from a YouTuber who held an opposing view on the matter, and I did not try to evade on these issues,” he said.
Additional reporting by Hsieh Chun-lin, Huang Ching-hsuan, and Jason Pan
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