REFERENDUM ACT:Decreasing the voter turnout threshold was a priority until Penghu held a referendum in September that was exempted from the requirements, critics said
Taipei Times
Date: Nov 06, 2016
By: Abraham Gerber / Staff reporter
Premier Lin Chuan (林全) should issue a clear explanation for any delay in passing amendments to the Referendum Act (公民投票法), New Power Party (NPP) Executive Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) said, while renewing calls for a committee-centric review of legislation.
“The amendments have already received substantive committee review and could be quickly passed by arranging for their second and third readings, but now he is saying this is not a priority — there needs to be an explanation for his change in attitude,” Huang said during an interview on SuperFM 98.5 on Friday.
He said any delay would raise questions over whether the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was responding to Chinese pressure, calling for a final vote to be held on revisions by the end of the current legislative session.
While revisions to reduce the high turnout threshold and other restrictions on referendums were one of the “priority bills” announced by the DPP legislative caucus’ internal administration working group in September, rumors have since surfaced that the amendments have been shelved following a controversial local referendum to legalize casino gambling in Penghu, which was opposed by the DPP leadership. [FULL STORY]