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Critics slam plans for pricey Ma museum in Miaoli

The Miaoli County Government has come under fire after allocating NT$50 million (US$1.6 million) to build a museum dedicated to President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) in Tongsiao Township (通宵) in a bid to attract tourists, its second project to capitalize on Ma’s popularity.

Miaoli County Commissioner Liu Cheng-hung (劉政鴻) approved the sum of NT$50 million for the museum, which will chronicle Ma’s path to the top and which the county hopes will become its No. 1 tourist destination.

The project follows on the heels of Liu’s allocation of NT$170 million to upgrade roads around Ma Village (馬家庄) — a traditional village whose residents are mostly surnamed Ma.

The Hong Kong-born Ma’s ancestors did not come from the village. None of his family have ever lived in or visited the village, but Ma made a stop there on his campaign trail. Because of the felicitous surname coincidence, however, the county is investing in the village in hopes of drawing tourists interested in the president’s story.

The museum is set to be built near Ma Village and will feature pictures and memorabilia from Ma’s life, including personal belongings from his past such as books, clothes and childhood pictures.

The county government said the museum will expand local tourism, thereby benefiting the township’s residents, but some critics have called the project inappropriate.

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) County Councilor Chan Yun-hsi (詹運喜) said that since the county is putting around NT$170 million into developing “Ma Village,” the county should put the NT$50 million allocated for the museum into fixing the dilapidated infrastructure in nearby townships.

“It is a waste of taxpayer money to build a Ma museum in a place that has nothing to do with him,” said Hsu Ching-jung (徐進榮), the head of the DPP’s Miaoli Chapter.

Lin Chih-hong (林志宏), 37, from the county’s Toufen Township (頭份) applauded the project, saying that it “not only could boost local tourism, young kids can also be inspired by the president’s struggle,” he said.

“President Ma won more than 7 million votes in the elections. Many of his supporters would like to learn about how he rose from an ordinary citizen to become the nation’s president. His experience is something worthy of emulation for young people. I hope the public will not politicize a tourism project,” he said.

Peng Cheng-hsi (彭鉦熹), a 60-year-old Miaoli resident, said that while he agreed that the museum could bring lucrative business opportunities to local residents in the short-term, he believed the profits would not amount to much.

“In a weak economy such as the one right now, NT$50 million is not a small sum. The money would be better spent on improving the education system,” he said.
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