Premier Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) went to a water--splashing festival in Greater Taichung over the weekend, the first port of call on a tight schedule that was to include a wedding and a speech later in the day. The security guards for the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) vice presidential candidate, not wanting their ward to get wet, made sure all buckets were emptied and all water pistols dry. For the sake of the official visit, the water-splashing festival was turned into a “water lacking” festival, completely spoiling the fun and leaving participants fuming.
Wu was jeered by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators, who called him a “troublemaker.”
It is ridiculous that the premier poked his nose into what was supposed to be an enjoyable day for the locals, but instead completely ruined the atmosphere.
He tried to explain by saying he was due in Greater Kaohsiung after his appearance at the festival, to be witness at a wedding and to give a speech. If he were soaking wet, he said, he would not have been allowed on the high-speed rail. Putting it all down to a minor misunderstanding, he apologized for any inconvenience caused.
Was his speech at the water festival really all that important? Why didn’t he just skip it if he couldn’t get wet?
It’s difficult to fathom how Wu failed to foresee that he might get splashed at a fun day out with members of the public armed with buckets and water pistols. To save the premier from potential embarrassment, security personnel ran in and locked down the site as if the government had received a terrorist threat, disarming unsuspecting members of the public of their weapons of moist destruction and restraining anyone who looked likely to unleash a watery offensive. You could have cut the tension with a knife.
The funny thing is, Wu made an appearance at the festival to show his face and convince people to vote for him in the election. It is difficult to imagine anyone present being more likely to vote for him after this performance.
People tend to splash water at water-splashing festivals. Greater Taichung Mayor Jason Hu (胡志強) understands this, and knows to jump right in. He stood beneath the stage to give his speech, showing people that he was fair game, and even took up a water pistol to engage in a water fight with the crowd.
Soaked, he left the stage, thanking the crowd for paying him the compliment of directing their attention at him and promising them he would see they were rewarded. This is the way to join in the fun. Knowing what the public want and giving it to them — that is democracy.
This brings to mind the time when then-premier Lien Chan (連戰) went to inspect flooding in Taipei City’s low-lying Shezi Island (社子島). He refused to get out of his car for fear of getting his leather shoes, worth several thousand US dollars, wet. The press had a field day with that one. When the canny operator James Soong (宋楚瑜) went to inspect a flood-hit area during his tenure as governor of Taiwan Province, he got right in there, floodwaters, mud and all, showing that he understood what the public was going through. Memories of that incident contribute to his political capital even today.
Fundamental to democracy is doing what the public want and avoiding what they do not want. Wu did precisely the opposite. He clearly has his own interests at heart and not the public’s. Such behavior in the lead up to the presidential election will surely be damaging to the ticket of Wu and President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九).
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