Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

ECFA referendum proposal rejected

Taipei Times

The Executive Yuan's Referendum Review Committee late last night voted down the Taiwan Solidarity Union's (TSU) request to hold a referendum on the government's proposed economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) with China. The vote, which was announced shortly before 11pm, was 12-4.

The TSU's application requested a referendum on the question: “Do you agree that the government should sign an ECFA with China?”

Nightmare scenario under ECFA

Taipei Times Editorial

The local economy’s worst nightmare will be realized if China blocks Taiwan from signing free-trade agreements (FTAs) with other countries even if an economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) is inked later this month.

Worries that Taiwan might have to endure this nightmare are not groundless.

Commandos arrive in Taichung

Taipei Times

A total of 41 armed officers from the National Police Agency’s elite Wei-An Special Police Commando unit arrived in Taichung City yesterday afternoon to help maintain public order following a recent spate of serious crimes in the city.

This was the fifth time since 1999 that the unit was deployed to Taichung.

Committee should not muzzle public

Taipei Times Editorial

In a democracy, public servants — by definition — are employees hired by taxpayers to serve public interests. They exist as agents to attend to the collective concerns of the people, not the other way around, such as acting in their own interests, hijacking the people’s rights and deciding for the people what they can ask the civil service to do and not to do.

Such absurdity appears to be brewing in Taiwan as an appeal petitioned by about 200,000 people is now on the brink of being rejected by a handful of public servants who are supposed to serve them, thanks to the birdcage Referendum Act (公民投票法), which is known for its unreasonably high threshold needed to launch a referendum drive and the establishment of a so-called Referendum Review Committee that screens people’s voices.

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