President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) took the Maokong Gondola yesterday for the first time since the system resumed operations in March. He praised the system’s safety — for the first time — and its upgraded infrastructure as well as Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌).
Hau and a group of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Taipei City councilors accompanied Ma on the gondola yesterday morning and a tour of the adjacent area.
Ma lauded Hau, saying he had improved the safety of the system, while stabilizing it and making it more comfortable. He also said he expected more municipal achievements from Hau, who is seeking re-election in November’s special municipality elections.
PHOTO: CNA
“This is the second time I have ridden the Maokong Gondola, and it really feels different this time. It’s more safe, stable and comfortable. I am also impressed by the designs to lower the noise and other new facilities,” Ma said.
“Municipal projects should be improved under different municipal teams, and I am glad that Mayor Hau has been able to achieve more than me,” he said.
The Maokong Gondola system was built during Ma’s term as Taipei mayor. It was one of his major municipal projects.
The gondola became a popular tourist attraction soon after operations began in July 2007, but it was closed in October 2008 after the foundations of a support pillar were eroded in the wake of a typhoon.
The problematic pillar, known as Tower No. 16, was moved to a new location, and the gondola system reopened in March.
Ma rode the gondola for the first time on July 4, 2007 — also with Hau — during the system’s inaugural run, but the two men got stuck in mid-air for more than 10 minutes because of a technical glitch.
The gondola was seen as a sore point between Ma and Hau because Ma was reportedly unhappy that Hau had acknowledged problems with the system’s pillars.
Yesterday’s ride was seen as an attempt to downplay speculation about a rift in the two men’s relationship and to help boost Hau’s support rate.
Ma congratulated Hau for turning the Maokong area into one of the city’s major tourist attractions.
Hau said he has always had a good relationship with Ma, and that he and Ma often talked by telephone about municipal projects.
“I am confident that with great municipal achievements and my team’s continuous efforts, I will win the Taipei mayoral election,” Hau said.
The city government said yesterday it would offer free gondola rides to elementary-school students in the city from July 6 to Aug. 31, and give a 50 percent discount on tickets to junior-high and high schools that take their students to the gondola as an extracurricular activity.
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