Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers have voiced concerns, saying that several controversial bills are expected to be fast-tracked in the legislature, including a draft absentee voting act, referendum reforms, changes to nationality rules and outlying island development, sparking debate over election integrity, local autonomy and national security.
Bills expected to advance include the proposed absentee voting act, amendments to the Referendum Act (公民投票法), the Nationality Act (國籍法), and the Offshore Islands Development Act (離島建設條例).
The Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) caucus proposed a draft absentee voting act that would allow domestic voters to cast ballots via transferred votes or at designated polling stations.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
“Eligible voters are those registered in the free area of the Republic of China, and legally entitled to vote in elections or referendums,” the TPP bill says, adding that it would cover presidential and vice-presidential elections, central and local offices, recalls, and nationwide referendums.
TPP caucus said the proposed bill aims to strengthen democracy by encouraging voter participation.
The bill would permit only domestic ballot transfers, TPP Legislator Chang Chi-kaisaid.
However, the Central Election Commission and the Ministry of the Interior said that implementing absentee voting could create administrative confusion, especially with about 8,900 ballots involved in upcoming local elections, potentially overwhelming local election offices.
Absentee voting could be exploited by hostile actors to manipulate voters and undermine electoral fairness, the ministry said.
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus’ proposed amendment to Referendum Act would allow future Constitutional Court rulings to be submitted to a referendum for citizens to decide whether to overturn them.
KMT Legislator Lo Chih-chiang (羅智強) said Constitutional Court decisions affect major national policies, and “greater democracy” requires controversial rulings be put to the people.
DPP caucus chief executive Chung Chia-pin (鍾佳濱) said that no democratic country with direct civic rights allows referendums to overturn constitutional rulings, asking how the KMT would determine a court acted illegally.
Separately, KMT Legislator Fu Kun-chi’s proposed amendment to the Nationality Act would allow Chinese citizens to run for public office in Taiwan without renouncing their nationality. Critics said the explanatory notes caused confusion over the law’s applicability to Chinese and overlap with the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (臺灣地區與大陸地區人民關係條例).
However, DPP Legislator Rosalia Wu (吳思瑤) said that all foreign nationals seeking political participation in Taiwan must renounce other nationalities and pledge allegiance to the Constitution.
Separately, KMT Legislator Chen Yu-jen’s (陳玉珍) proposed amendment to the Offshore Islands Development Act would allow “free trade demonstration zones” on outlying islands.
The DPP criticized the bill, saying it could allow Beijing to mislabel Chinese-made products, permit Chinese doctors to practice in Kinmen and Lienchiang (Matsu) counties, and economically integrate Kinmen with China’s Fujian Province, posing a military risk.
Civil society groups said the amendment would open the islands to China and could turn outlying islands into a “Chinese concession” or a demonstration area for the so-called “one country, two systems” model.
Chen said that the proposal’s focus is “to free Kinmen from restrictions and promote development,” and that the free trade zones are intended to boost the local economy, not compromise national security.
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
SIX SUBSIDIES: The monthly allowance for older farmers is to increase to NT$10,000, and NT$5,000 is to be given to homemakers under the national pension system, Lai said The government is to implement major welfare policies for disadvantaged groups, including raising the monthly allowance for older farmers to NT$10,000 and providing homemakers with NT$5,000 per month, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday. Lai made the remarks during a visit to Wangling Temple in Chiayi County, saying that the planned increases were being introduced amid economic growth and an increase in tax revenue. Touting a policy, in which the government plans to provide a monthly allowance of NT$5,000 for every child under the age of 18 in a bid to address Taiwan’s low birthrate, Lai said that if received for the
STAY COOL: The HPA recommended that people stay hydrated, use air-conditioning or fans while indoors, wear loose-fitting clothes and walk in the shade while outdoors Employers must implement measures such as installing cooling equipment, and providing drinking water and rest breaks for outdoor workers starting from Monday next week, the Taipei Department of Labor said on Sunday. Employers who fail to comply could face fines of NT$30,000 to NT$300,000 under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (職業安全衛生法), the department said. Businesses in Taipei employing fewer than 100 workers, as well as registered self-employed workers with labor insurance coverage, could receive on-site assessments and guidance from occupational safety consultants to help them apply for central government subsidies to implement or improve heat-protection measures, it said. Under the Ministry of
NATIONAL SECURITY: Authorities are working to confirm the identities of the military personnel involved and investigating possible illegal conduct and regulatory violations Authorities are probing possible national security implications after Kinmen police and immigration officers on Sunday found a Chinese woman allegedly posing as a tourist while engaging in prostitution involving more than 10 military personnel. The woman, surnamed Chen (陳), has since been deported, authorities said, adding that investigators are still working to confirm the identities of those implicated, as the records only listed code names and aliases. The case stemmed from a report received by the Kinmen District Prosecutors’ Office on Friday last week from the Jinhu Precinct of the Kinmen County Police Bureau. On Sunday, police, along with the National Immigration
RSS