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DPP legislator incensed about Ma's `flying boat'

"They never tested the balloon, what if it falls? Has the city government bought insurance for the crowd?"

Wang Shih-chien, Democratic Progressive Party legislator

The Taipei City Government's New Year's Eve party is expected to attract more than 100,000 people tonight, but a 5kg hot air balloon in the shape of a boat sparked safety concerns as a legislator called for mayor to offer to step down should any accidents occur.

Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Wang Shih-chien (王世堅), a former Taipei city councilor, yesterday accused the city government of planning to fly a 10m by 5m hot air balloon above the city hall, which is situated within an aircraft-controlled zone.

Wang criticized Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) for holding such a high-profile party to tout his achievements and asked him to assume full responsibility should any accidents occur.

"They never tested the balloon, what if it falls? Has the city government bought insurance for the crowd?" he asked.

The Taipei city government refuted Wang's accusations and requested him not to politicize the issue.

"The `boat' is equipped with a camera to film the party from above. It is a balloon that weighs only 5 kg, and is very safe. We are not doing some experiment, the balloon is a common photographic tool," said Lo Chih-cheng (羅智成), commissioner of the Taipei City Information Department.

The balloon, Lo said, was not part of the entertainment, but a remote-controlled photographic tool designed by the event organizer, CTI TV, to film the whole party. The TV station had applied to the Civil Aeronautics Administration under the Ministry of Transportation and Communications and was allowed to fly the balloon between 11 pm and 6 am, Lo said.

The balloon's flight level will not exceed 500m, which is no higher than the Taipei 101 Mall. If the balloon were to be punctured, it would deflate slowly and would not hurt people, Lo explained.

In addition, the city government has already purchased NT$ 3 million in accident insurance for citizens in case of any accidents occurring at the party.
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