President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) was heckled in Taichung City yesterday when protesters expressed concern over the city’s proposed mass rapid transit system (MRT), which they said might end up with similar problems as the Muzha-Neihu Line in Taipei City if the capital city’s construction team were to handle the project.
Ma was heckled while addressing the audience at a ground-breaking ceremony for Taichung City’s MRT system.
Shouting “Ma Ying-jeou, shameless” and “Ma Ying-jeou, don’t come here,” Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Taichung City councilors interrupted Ma’s speech soon after it began.
PHOTO: CNA
Ma, who ignored the hecklers, continued his speech, as city government officials and organizers tried to contain the noise, while Taichung Mayor Jason Hu (胡志強) and Deputy Mayor Hsiao Chia-chi (蕭家旗) looked embarrassed.
Seeking to make himself heard over the protesters, Ma raised his voice and said “let’s hope our DPP friends stop making so much noise for the sake of the future of the greater Taichung area.”
Protesters and city officials then engaged in a wrestling match, with officials trying to seize the protesters’ banners.
Protesters shouted: “Why are you pushing us? Is this the way you treat your guests?”
Protesters said they were worried that Taichung’s MRT system would have the same problems as the capital city’s Muzha-Neihu Line if the team responsible was brought in to build the new system in Taichung.
The Neihu-Muzha Line has experienced a series of malfunctions and system breakdowns since it began services on July 4. DPP Taipei City councilors have condemned the city government for doing a poor job of integrating the Neihu Line’s Bombardier system with the Muzha line’s Matra system. The constant problems led the city to consider returning the Muzha Line to the Matra system and suspending the Neihu Line for inspections.
Operations on the line have improved substantially since the Deaflympics began early last month. Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) has said the city government will work with Bombardier to bring system stability to 99 percent by the end of next month.
Hau has apologized to the public over the system’s instability and formed an emergency response team to handle the crisis.
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