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.
The first two F-16V Bock 70 jets purchased from the US are expected to arrive in Taiwan around Double Ten National Day, which is on Oct. 10, a military source said yesterday. Of the 66 F-16V Block 70 jets purchased from the US, the first completed production in March, the source said, adding that since then three jets have been produced per month. Although there were reports of engine defects, the issue has been resolved, they said. After the jets arrive in Taiwan, they must first pass testing by the air force before they would officially become Taiwan’s property, they said. The air force
GLOBAL: Although Matsu has limited capacity for large numbers of domestic tourists, it would be a great high-end destination for international travelers, an official said Lienchiang County’s (Matsu) unique landscape and Cold War history give it great potential to be marketed as a destination for international travelers, Tourism Administration Director General Chen Yu-hsiu (陳玉秀) said at the weekend. Tourism officials traveled to the outlying island for the Matsu Biennial, an art festival that started on Friday to celebrate Matsu’s culture, history and landscape. Travelers to Matsu, which lies about 190km northwest of Taipei, must fly or take the state-run New Taima passenger ship. However, flights are often canceled during fog season from April to June. Chen spoke about her vision to promote Matsu as a tourist attraction in
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy’s (PLAN) third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, would pose a steep challenge to Taiwan’s ability to defend itself against a full-scale invasion, a defense expert said yesterday. Institute of National Defense and Security Research analyst Chieh Chung (揭仲) made the comment hours after the PLAN confirmed the carrier recently passed through the Taiwan Strait to conduct “scientific research tests and training missions” in the South China Sea. China has two carriers in operation — the Liaoning and the Shandong — with the Fujian undergoing sea trials. Although the PLAN needs time to train the Fujian’s air wing and
PAWSITIVE IMPACT: A shop owner said that while he adopted cats to take care of rodents, they have also attracted younger visitors who also buy his dried goods In Taipei’s Dadaocheng (大稻埕), cats lounging in shops along Dihua Street do more than nap amid the scent of dried seafood. Many have become beloved fixtures who double as photography models, attracting visitors and helping boost sales in one of the capital’s most historic quarters. A recent photo contest featuring more than a dozen shop cats drew more than 2,200 submissions, turning everyday cat-spotting into a friendly competition that attracted amateur and professional photographers. “It’s rare to see cats standing, so when it suddenly did, it felt like a lucky cat,” said Sabrina Hsu (徐淳蔚), who won the NT$10,000 top prize in
RSS