Ma also announced that Double Ten National Day celebrations and his planned trip to South Pacific allied countries would be canceled because of the disaster.
Commenting on Ma’s press conference, Lee Mao-sheng (李茂盛), a retired policeman in Kaohsiung County’s Namasiya Township (那瑪夏), said that an apology was not enough.
“What type of government leaves its people in pouring rain for three days before it begins rescue work?” Lee said.
Xiaolin Village (小林) survivors said that without having paid them a visit since the storm struck, Ma’s press conference was meaningless to the victims.
Xiaolin Self-Help Association spokesman Tsai Song-yu (蔡松諭) said his villagers demanded that Ma come and pay his respects to the souls of the dead on the 14th day after their deaths.
According to traditional Taiwanese belief, family members of the deceased prepare a treat for their loved ones and hold religious rituals every seven days for 49 days.
“Don’t you think that after a disaster of this magnitude, the president should come?” Tsai said.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY AFP
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