In the wake of last month’s presidential election, the campaign to recall Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) has picked up speed.
From a democratic perspective, the Civil Servants Election and Recall Act (公職人員選舉罷免法) gives residents the right to recall their mayor, allowing voters who regret their choice at the ballot box the opportunity to dissolve the contract.
The outcome of a recall procedure is decided by city residents in a vote.
To date, no campaign to recall a county commissioner or a mayor of a city or special municipality has been successful. If Kaohsiung residents vote to recall Han, they will create a political milestone that is certain to become the envy of Hong Kong residents and Chinese citizens alike.
Why should Han be recalled? There are several reasons:
Some people feel that he deceived them and they did not understand that he was a country bumpkin. Others feel that there was no way he could fulfill the election promises of his mayoral campaign. Yet others feel that his entry into the presidential race only a few months after being elected mayor showed a lack of sincerity, while others say that he likes China more than Taiwan.
Some people reportedly want to recall Han because he gave NT$6 million (US$197,811 at the current exchange rate) to a woman surnamed Wang (王) who lived in New Taipei City’s Sinjhuang District (新莊).
There are many reasons.
All of these seem to make sense, but none are the top reason he should be recalled, which is because he has no idea what it means to be a mayor — he does not even know what a mayor does.
Anyone who has served as a mayor understands that the residents of their city look to them as a benevolent, parent-like official, and the mayor looks on residents as members of their own family. A mayor does all in their power to care for the residents, which means that it is a 24-7 job, allowing no rest or time off.
Han looks at his mayorship as a nine-to-five job, and even says that weekends and after he leaves work in the evenings is his time off.
This approach raises several questions: When there is a risk of a dengue fever epidemic, do mosquitoes follow a five-day workweek? Does the city government never arrange weekend activities? Are there no weddings, funerals or anniversaries that a mayor has to attend?
How could someone who does not even understand the responsibilities of a mayor be qualified to serve as one?
It is not strange that the efficiency of the Kaohsiung administration declines when the mayor “goofs around as much as possible and milks his job for all its worth,” as he encouraged civil servants to do in connection to the central government’s pension reforms two years ago.
This is why the right reason to recall Han is that he does not know what it means to be a mayor.
After Han returned to Kaohsiung, the media have kept close tabs on when he arrives at work and leaves, as if clocking in on time is a major achievement. This brings shame on the position of mayor, and holding other mayors and county commissioners to the same standard would be absurd.
Twu Shiing-jer is a former Chiayi City mayor.
Translated by Perry Svensson
Recently, China launched another diplomatic offensive against Taiwan, improperly linking its “one China principle” with UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 to constrain Taiwan’s diplomatic space. After Taiwan’s presidential election on Jan. 13, China persuaded Nauru to sever diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Nauru cited Resolution 2758 in its declaration of the diplomatic break. Subsequently, during the WHO Executive Board meeting that month, Beijing rallied countries including Venezuela, Zimbabwe, Belarus, Egypt, Nicaragua, Sri Lanka, Laos, Russia, Syria and Pakistan to reiterate the “one China principle” in their statements, and assert that “Resolution 2758 has settled the status of Taiwan” to hinder Taiwan’s
The past few months have seen tremendous strides in India’s journey to develop a vibrant semiconductor and electronics ecosystem. The nation’s established prowess in information technology (IT) has earned it much-needed revenue and prestige across the globe. Now, through the convergence of engineering talent, supportive government policies, an expanding market and technologically adaptive entrepreneurship, India is striving to become part of global electronics and semiconductor supply chains. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Vision of “Make in India” and “Design in India” has been the guiding force behind the government’s incentive schemes that span skilling, design, fabrication, assembly, testing and packaging, and
Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s (李顯龍) decision to step down after 19 years and hand power to his deputy, Lawrence Wong (黃循財), on May 15 was expected — though, perhaps, not so soon. Most political analysts had been eyeing an end-of-year handover, to ensure more time for Wong to study and shadow the role, ahead of general elections that must be called by November next year. Wong — who is currently both deputy prime minister and minister of finance — would need a combination of fresh ideas, wisdom and experience as he writes the nation’s next chapter. The world that
As former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) wrapped up his visit to the People’s Republic of China, he received his share of attention. Certainly, the trip must be seen within the full context of Ma’s life, that is, his eight-year presidency, the Sunflower movement and his failed Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement, as well as his eight years as Taipei mayor with its posturing, accusations of money laundering, and ups and downs. Through all that, basic questions stand out: “What drives Ma? What is his end game?” Having observed and commented on Ma for decades, it is all ironically reminiscent of former US president Harry