Netizens were abuzz yesterday after Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) was seen riding the city’s MRT rail system instead of using his chauffeured car.
A picture posted on Facebook late on Friday night by a netizen named “FattyMagic” showed Ko in a carriage on the Tamsui Line.
The mayor was photographed leaning with his arms crossed next to a train car door with his entourage nowhere in sight.
Photo: Screen grab from FattyMagic’s Facebook account
The photograph drew praise from netizens.
“Taiwan finally has a mayor who does not just talk about remaining uncorrupted,” a Facebook user named Chiu Tzu-ying (邱紫穎) said in a comment.
Other users described Ko’s pose as “dashing” and “domineering.”
In addition to speculation over Ko’s destination, concern was a main theme running through user comments, with many questioning whether it was safe for the mayor to ride on public transportation.
“Ko has promised to declassify the MeHAS City corruption case and other problematic tenders,” netizen “Pocky Chang” said. “I really feel he should have an escort.”
While some users questioned whether the photo had been taken prior to Ko’s inauguration as mayor on Dec. 25, additional photos quickly surfaced, showing him wearing identical clothing during visits to cultural sites in the city throughout the day.
Ko’s wife, Chen Pei-chi (陳佩琪), confirmed the sighting in a Facebook post yesterday.
Chen wrote that she sat when a seat became available on the couple’s long ride to Beitou (北投) for a dip in the hot springs after a long day.
Ko left his entourage behind for their night out, she added.
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