The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus yesterday convened to discuss referendums to counter Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) proposals, KMT caucus whip Fu Kun-chi (傅?萁) said yesterday.
The DPP has proposed four referendums aimed at the opposition party, a challenge the KMT would not shy from, Fu said.
The KMT referendums would focus heavily on the welfare of Taiwanese, he said.
Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times
Some local media reported that a participant at the caucus meeting said they had discussed proposing a referendum against the abolition of the death penalty to counter recall campaigns against KMT legislators.
That person also said the party hoped the recall vote could be on the same day as voting on referendums, expected to be held on Aug. 23.
Asked if the party would propose a referendum to keep the death penalty, Fu said the caucus had not yet arrived at a consensus, adding that it must complete all procedures before May 23, leaving little time to prepare additional proposals on capital punishment.
Under amendments to the Referendum Act (公民投票法), referendums are held every two years on the fourth Saturday of August.
Referendum proposals need 1,995 signatures to pass the initial threshold and 290,000 signatures to be sustained, the KMT said.
If a proposal does not meet referendum requirements, the party is considering proposing it at the Legislative Yuan, it said.
Under Article 15 of the Referendum Act, if the legislature deems it necessary to hold a referendum, it can — after the main text and the statement of reasons for the referendum are adopted in a plenary session — forward the proposal to the Central Election Commission for implementation within 10 days.
Separately, KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) said during a meeting of the KMT’s Central Standing Committee that he would shoulder all responsibility for the controversy generated by the party’s recall proposals and asked supporters to stop blaming volunteers.
Thirty-two recall proposals against KMT members had passed signature thresholds, while all recall proposals against DPP members have failed to pass and require supplementary signatures.
The party is in close contact with legislators on the issue of recalls and understands the importance of effectively mobilizing supporters.
The KMT recognizes that some parts of its recall campaign were not perfect, Chu said, adding that he is responsible as party chairman.
Additional reporting by CNA
The Chinese military has built landing bridge ships designed to expand its amphibious options for a potential assault on Taiwan, but their combat effectiveness is limited due to their high vulnerability, a defense expert said in an analysis published on Monday. Shen Ming-shih (沈明室), a research fellow at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said that the deployment of such vessels as part of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy’s East Sea Fleet signals a strong focus on Taiwan. However, the ships are highly vulnerable to precision strikes, which means they could be destroyed before they achieve their intended
The first two F-16V Bock 70 jets purchased from the US are expected to arrive in Taiwan around Double Ten National Day, which is on Oct. 10, a military source said yesterday. Of the 66 F-16V Block 70 jets purchased from the US, the first completed production in March, the source said, adding that since then three jets have been produced per month. Although there were reports of engine defects, the issue has been resolved, they said. After the jets arrive in Taiwan, they must first pass testing by the air force before they would officially become Taiwan’s property, they said. The air force
GLOBAL: Although Matsu has limited capacity for large numbers of domestic tourists, it would be a great high-end destination for international travelers, an official said Lienchiang County’s (Matsu) unique landscape and Cold War history give it great potential to be marketed as a destination for international travelers, Tourism Administration Director General Chen Yu-hsiu (陳玉秀) said at the weekend. Tourism officials traveled to the outlying island for the Matsu Biennial, an art festival that started on Friday to celebrate Matsu’s culture, history and landscape. Travelers to Matsu, which lies about 190km northwest of Taipei, must fly or take the state-run New Taima passenger ship. However, flights are often canceled during fog season from April to June. Chen spoke about her vision to promote Matsu as a tourist attraction in
PAWSITIVE IMPACT: A shop owner said that while he adopted cats to take care of rodents, they have also attracted younger visitors who also buy his dried goods In Taipei’s Dadaocheng (大稻埕), cats lounging in shops along Dihua Street do more than nap amid the scent of dried seafood. Many have become beloved fixtures who double as photography models, attracting visitors and helping boost sales in one of the capital’s most historic quarters. A recent photo contest featuring more than a dozen shop cats drew more than 2,200 submissions, turning everyday cat-spotting into a friendly competition that attracted amateur and professional photographers. “It’s rare to see cats standing, so when it suddenly did, it felt like a lucky cat,” said Sabrina Hsu (徐淳蔚), who won the NT$10,000 top prize in
RSS