The chairman of Taiwan's Nanyang Industries is asking managers to assist with a campaign for a referendum against same-sex marriage in the country, promising NT$1,000 (US$33) to cover their expenses, the Apple Daily reported Thursday.

Despite ruling last year that the "one man, one woman" definition of marriage in the country's civil code as unconstitutional, Taiwan has been mulling a referendum on the issue, with  Taiwan's Central Election Commission passing proposals related to same-sex marriage and one related to same-sex education.

The proposals were initiated by the anti-gay marriage group, the Happiness of the Next Generation Alliance, which opposes revising Taiwan's Civil Code to allow same-sex marriage but supports crafting a separate special law to protect the rights of same-sex couples to "build a permanent life together."

Nanyang Industries Chairman Tsai Wei-li reportedly told managers to collect petitions in favor of the referendum from staff while offering cash incentives. 

Tsai told The Apple Daily he agreed with the referendum organizers that marriage should be between one man and one woman, and that schools should not be teaching gay issues.
Nanyang Industries distributes South Korean Hyundai vehicles in Taiwan.

LGBT activists in Taiwan have urged the government and lawmakers to quickly amend and enact laws in accordance with the ruling of the Constitutional Court in May last year, which ruled that the prohibition of same-sex marriage in the Civil Code violates the Constitution.

The court gave the Legislature two years to amend existing laws or pass new ones to protect the marriage rights of gay couples.