Artists, industry representatives and local residents yesterday jointly asked the government to stop the construction of Suhua Freeway.
"We asked the government to be responsible and cancel the project immediately," they said in a joint statement.
The joint statement, titled "Short-term strategies will destroy Hualien and Taitung," was endorsed by several celebrities and public figures, including Taiwan Visitor Association chairman Stanley Yen (
Yen and Hou held a press conference in January opposing the construction of the freeway along the east coast on the grounds that it would destroy the coast's natural beauty.
The appeal has attracted endorsement from a number of well-known individuals.
Yen said yesterday that although the Hsuehshan Tunnel would shorten travel time between Taipei and Ilan, Ilan's residents would not benefit from the change.
"Tourists can come and leave in one day, leaving nothing but a bunch of disposable utensils," Yen added. "Realtors are taking the opportunity to raise property prices, leaving no affordable housing for Ilan's residents."
Lin said yesterday he opposed the construction of the Suhua Freeway, but added that it did not mean he was against development in Hualien and Taitung.
He said that sound planning could turn these two counties into attractions similar to Indonesia's Bali Island.
Tseng Dar-jen (
The Taipei Department of Health yesterday said it has launched a probe into a restaurant at Far Eastern Sogo Xinyi A13 Department Store after a customer died of suspected food poisoning. A preliminary investigation on Sunday found missing employee health status reports and unsanitary kitchen utensils at Polam Kopitiam (寶林茶室) in the department store’s basement food court, the department said. No direct relationship between the food poisoning death and the restaurant was established, as no food from the day of the incident was available for testing and no other customers had reported health complaints, it said, adding that the investigation is ongoing. Later
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