Premier Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) yesterday instructed Cabinet officials to show more public empathy when drawing up policies as this defines the “value” of a government.”
Executive Yuan Spokesman Su Jun-ping (蘇俊賓) said the premier relayed the instructions during a Cabinet meeting following the resignation on Wednesday of Lin Tyh-ming (林志明), the head of the Directorate General of Highways. Lin abruptly resigned amid rising public complaints over his handling of a government measure on paying vehicle fuel charges.
A contract with convenience store chains signed by the agency last year would have allowed the chainstores to raise commissions to NT$15 from NT$7 on overdue payments of fuel charges. Other financial institutions will continue to charge NT$7.
The measure, expected to take effect starting next month for commercial vehicles and in July for private vehicles, was called off after Wu voiced opposition.
Asked to comment on Lin's resignation, Su said Wu hoped the measure could be reversed because it would inconvenience the public.
Wu was quoted by Su as saying that Lin did not resign “over the NT$8” difference as some newspapers reported, but because the proposed change “would affect the public significantly.”
The measure approved by Lin was “wrong” and showed that Lin “did not have empathy with the people” and “was unaware of the value of the existence of a government,” Wu said.
Su denied, however, that Lin was forced to resign at the request of Wu.
Su said Wu also asked officials to conduct a thorough review of public measures to bring them in line with the principles of “sincerity” and “efficiency.”
Wu also told them that “a government will prosper if it is one with the people and will perish if it loses the hearts of the people,” Su said.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Wang Sing-nan (王幸男), however, said Wu was practicing double standards, comparing Lin's case with that of Department of Health Minister Yaung Chih-liang (楊志良), whose plan to raise health insurance premiums has been widely criticized.
“Yaung has said the increase would be equivalent to NT$80,” Wang said. “NT$80 is a larger amount than NT$8, why doesn't Wu ask Yaung to resign?”
Meanwhile, Lin also wrote a letter to his staff yesterday, saying he was proud to be a member of the Directorate General of Highways.
He said in his letter that the agency had come to a crucial moment of change and has many things to accomplish this year and next year. They include 50 old bridges that need to be fixed and rebuilt, the reconstruction projects at the disaster areas and reforms at the vehicle management systems.
He also encouraged his staff to pursue self-improvement as times and the environment have changed.
“The mentality of a public servant — adhering only to the law and being passive — needs to be changed,” he said. “Without a detailed plan and caution in executing policies, one can be easily swayed by the changing environment and might lose the opportunity to make a difference.”
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY SHELLEY SHAN AND STAFF WRITER
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