The second televised debate between opposition hopefuls for the Taipei mayoral election yesterday focused on the aspirant who skipped the event and criticism against what they called the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) princelings’ poor governance of the capital in the past 16 years.
The debate, organized by the Taiwan Association of University Professors and televised by Formosa TV, gathered all four Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) contenders and independent Neil Peng (馮光遠), an award-winning screenplay writer, following a similar debate between DPP-only aspirants on March 9.
National Taiwan University Hospital physician Ko Wen-je (柯文哲), who has been hailed as the leading opposition contender, backed off from his earlier commitment to participate, saying that a debate between opposition camp contenders was unnecessary.
Photo: Chien Jung-fong, Taipei Times
Several aspirants were unhappy with Ko’s absence, with former vice president Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) calling him a “runaway physician.”
Lawyer Wellington Koo (顧立雄) also lambasted Ko in his closing remarks, accusing the independent of “constantly revealing contempt and disrespect for the values of democracy, progressiveness and the Taiwanese identity.”
Ko has been embroiled in controversy after his recent comments that he would cast an abstention vote on same-sex marriage; that he, as a family member of victims of the 228 Massacre, encouraged everyone to forget about the past and move on; and that he saw himself as Chinese, culturally.
The DPP’s decision last week to work out a mechanism between Ko and the DPP hopefuls to choose a final candidate, which means that the party could not nominate its own candidate, could explain why the aspirants focused on attacking Ko.
The 135-minute debate adopted a format that allowed participants to pose questions to one another, in addition to taking questions from the organizers.
While participants discussed their platforms, which mostly concerned affordable housing and an effort to balance regional development and revive the west side, they also said that one of the key factors behind Taipei’s stalled development in the past 16 years was the KMT’s privileged stratum.
Both President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) and Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) were KMT “princelings” and both served for two terms each as Taipei mayor, and now a third “princeling,” Sean Lien (連勝文), son of former vice president Lien Chan (連戰), is running for mayor, they said.
All the participants said it was time for Taipei residents to decide whether they wanted to see that trend continue after a decade-long “deification” of KMT politicians, such as Ma, with “beautiful resumes, looks and US degrees,” which was carried out by certain media outlets, had sacrificed people’s welfare.
Citing local media reports in August last year, Lu said the Lien family had invested in Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen for long-term care centers with a total capacity of more than 3,000 senior citizens and the family would have to explain about its investment in China.
Meanwhile, Peng raised the issue of media interference in the Taipei mayoral election, which is to be held in November, saying that several media outlets have become Beijing’s mouthpieces and have disproportionate coverage on different contenders.
Pundits have also tried to manipulate public opinion, said Peng, known for his humor and political satire, without naming names.
He appeared to be referring to TV host Sisy Chen (陳文茜) and News 98 radio show host Clara Chou (周玉蔻) with his imitation of Chou’s voice and reference to the “Chi Mei nurse,” a nickname given to Chen after she claimed in 2004 that a nurse at Chi Mei Medical Center told her that the presidential election eve shooting of then-president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and then-vice president Lu had been faked.
Taiwan is to receive the first batch of Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 jets from the US late this month, a defense official said yesterday, after a year-long delay due to a logjam in US arms deliveries. Completing the NT$247.2 billion (US$7.69 billion) arms deal for 66 jets would make Taiwan the third nation in the world to receive factory-fresh advanced fighter jets of the same make and model, following Bahrain and Slovakia, the official said on condition of anonymity. F-16 Block 70/72 are newly manufactured F-16 jets built by Lockheed Martin to the standards of the F-16V upgrade package. Republic of China
Taiwan-Japan Travel Passes are available for use on public transit networks in the two countries, Taoyuan Metro Corp said yesterday, adding that discounts of up to 7 percent are available. Taoyuan Metro, the Taipei MRT and Japan’s Keisei Electric Railway teamed up to develop the pass. Taoyuan Metro operates the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT Line, while Keisei Electric Railway offers express services between Tokyo’s Narita Airport, and the Keisei Ueno and Nippori stations in the Japanese capital, as well as between Narita and Haneda airports. The basic package comprises one one-way ticket on the Taoyuan MRT Line and one Skyliner ticket on
Starlux Airlines, Taiwan’s newest international carrier, has announced it would apply to join the Oneworld global airline alliance before the end of next year. In an investor conference on Monday, Starlux Airlines chief executive officer Glenn Chai (翟健華) said joining the alliance would help it access Taiwan. Chai said that if accepted, Starlux would work with other airlines in the alliance on flight schedules, passenger transits and frequent flyer programs. The Oneworld alliance has 13 members, including American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Qantas, and serves more than 900 destinations in 170 territories. Joining Oneworld would also help boost
A new tropical storm formed late yesterday near Guam and is to approach closest to Taiwan on Thursday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Tropical Storm Pulasan became the 14th named storm of the year at 9:25pm yesterday, the agency said. As of 8am today, it was near Guam traveling northwest at 21kph, it said. The storm’s structure is relatively loose and conditions for strengthening are limited, WeatherRisk analyst Wu Sheng-yu (吳聖宇) said on Facebook. Its path is likely to be similar to Typhoon Bebinca, which passed north of Taiwan over Japan’s Ryukyu Islands and made landfall in Shanghai this morning, he said. However, it