More than 70 percent of people polled said they were unhappy with the way Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) handled the controversy over the Taipei International Flora Exposition and about 67 percent said the matter would affect the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) prospects in the November special municipality elections.
The Taipei City Government has been accused of procuring flowers, and exhibition items for the upcoming Taipei International flora expo at highly inflated prices.
The city’s slow response to the allegations has exacerbated the situation and undermined Hau’s image, costing him support in opinion polls less than three months before the election.
In the latest poll, released by the Taiwan Thinktank, about 78 percent of respondents said Hau had no idea what the public was thinking when he tackled the controversy over the overpriced greenery and building materials.
Over 70 percent said they believed there was malpractice in the flora expo and 85 percent urged prosecutors and investigators to look into the corruption allegations.
Sixty-two percent of respondents said it was inappropriate for the city to mobilize public servants, police and students to learn the flora expo dance.
While President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) on Friday criticized the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) for its continued attacks on the international event, nearly 66 percent of the respondents said they disagreed with the president.
About 62 percent also said they did not agree with the argument that a show of support for the expo was a show of their love for Taiwan.
When asked about the impact of the controversy on the KMT’s prospects in the November elections, 67 percent of respondents said it was bound to deal a blow.
Nearly 47 percent said the DPP would garner more votes, while 33 percent said the KMT would collect more. In terms of seats, 49 percent said the DPP would secure more seats against 34 percent who said the KMT would get more.
The poll, conducted on Friday and Saturday, questioned 1,007 adults and had a margin of error of 3.1 percent.
Additional reporting by CNA
Also See: EDITORIAL : The KMT’s budding nightmare
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