AMENDMENT SOUGHT TO REFERENDUM ACT|林義雄將再禁食 要求民進黨補正公投法

Former DPP Chairman Lin Yi-hsiung, among others, will stage a hunger strike outside the party's headquarters to push for the revision of the Referendum Act. The 16-day fast relay is aimed at protesting what it called the foot-dragging by the Legislature on the issue. In response, the Presidential Office said it will respect the Legislative Yuan's decision on setting the agenda. Last year, the Legislative Yuan passed the preliminary review of the Referendum Act amendment. However, second and third review of the amendment have not taken place. On Apr.17, the People Rule Foundation, initiated by former DPP Chairman Lin Yi-hsiung, announced that starting from Apr.26, it will launch a 16-day relay hunger strike in front of DPP headquarter. The foundation called on the Legislative Yuan to pass the amendment prior to May.20. Lin will take part in the protest on May.11. == CHEN LIH-KUEI People Rule Foundation == After the DPP won a majority of seats in the Legislative Yuan, we thought that the amendment will soon be passed. However, until now, the DPP did not take any action. We think that the DPP is brushing off the issue. We have been contacting and visiting DPP legislators to propose our appeal, but to no avail. DPP spokesperson Wang Min-sheng said that the amendment is currently under cross-party negotiation. The party has always promoted amendment of the act. == WANG MIN-SHENG DPP spokesperson== From what I know, the issue is currently under cross-party negotiation. The DPP will continue to promote the amendment of the Referendum Act. The Presidential Office said that amending the Referendum Act is the priority of this legislative session. The office will respect the Legislative Yuan's procedures on setting the agenda. ==ALEX HUANG Presidential Office Spokesperson== Amending the Referendum Act is the priority of this legislative session. The amendment is currently under review. The foundation said that it is disappointed with DPP since it took no action to push for the amendment after coming to power last year. The foundation also said that if the DPP made no response to the issue prior to May. 20, it may take even stronger follow-up actions. TRANSLATED BY ARIEL HSIEH 由前民進黨主席林義雄成立的人民作主教育基金會，今天宣布將從26號開始到民進黨部前展開為期16天的24小時接力禁食行動，呼籲520前立院通過公投補正案。對此民進黨回應，目前案子已通過初審，民進黨會積極推動；總統府則表示，全案正由國會審議中，府方尊重立法議程的安排。 去年底，立法院完成公投法修正草案的初審，至今卻遲遲未完成二、三讀，由前民進黨主席林義雄成立的人民作主教育基金會，今天宣布，將從4月26號到5月11號，發動為期16天的24小時接力禁食行動，到民進黨黨部前，表達補正公投法的訴求，要求立法院在5月20號前通過草案；而林義雄也會在5月11號，加入禁食。 ==人民作主教育基金會董事長 陳麗貴== 立院過半之後 我們以為很快就可以補正成功 可是到現在都還沒有呀 我們是這樣覺得 就是還滿敷衍的啦 我是覺得說 我們有給他們很多的善意 就說我們都是默默的行走 然後也有去拜會過 這些立法委員們 對此，民進黨強調，目前案子在朝野協商中，民進黨團一直有在推動公投法的補正。 ==民進黨發言人 王閔生== 目前我了解的狀況是 在協商期當中 那這後續我們都會持續 而且積極的來推動 這個補正公投法的修正案 總統府也回應，公投法是民進黨本會期的優先法案，府方尊重國會的議程安排。 ==總統府發言人 黃重諺== 那有關公投法現在的修法的議程 那在本會期現在是 也是民進黨的優先法案 那目前也在國會當中 在進行審議 不過，陳麗貴強調，基金會一直以苦行方式，表達補正公投法的訴求，民進黨完全執政後，卻遲遲沒有動作，令人失望，如果520前，民進黨沒有回應，不排除會有更強烈的行動。 記者 陳佳鑫 張梓嘉 張志雄 應磊奇 台北報導