Going on the offensive against the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) Taipei mayoral candidate Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌), the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislative caucus yesterday questioned Su’s governing record during his previous stint as Taipei County commissioner.
KMT caucus whip Chang Hsien-yao (張顯耀) told a press conference that during Su’s tenure as Taipei County commissioner from 1998 to 2006, his administration only appropriated a budget of NT$350 million (US$11 million) for the sewage system whereas the incumbent commissioner Chou Hsi-wei (周錫瑋) of the KMT allocated NT$1.13 billion for such project.
KMT Legislator Sun Ta-chien (孫大千) alleged that Su was reluctant to push for the implementation of the sewage system plan because doing so would create the need to expropriate people’s property, hence upsetting the people.
INDICATIVE
“That goes to show alot about Su’s stance: Whether he opts for upsetting people or caring for the region’s long-term development,” Sun said.
In response, DPP caucus whip Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲) advised the KMT caucus to be mindful of its criticism against Su as it might instead come back and hurt the electoral outlook of the KMT’s own Taipei mayoral candidate, incumbent Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌).
“What the KMT caucus said is basically suggesting that Chou does a better job than Hau, [which is really not helping Hau],” Kuan said.
HIGH RATINGS
DPP Legislator Yeh Yi-jin (葉宜津) added that Taipei County residents would be the judge of Chou’s and Su’s governances, noting that a poll conducted by the Chinese-language China Times in 2004 showed the approval rate for Su was 77 percent and that a survey by Global Views Monthly magazine had also given Su five stars for his governing performance.
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