Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) says the Taipei City Government should fund the building of a bigger mosque to signal the city’s friendliness to Muslims.
Ko made the remarks on Sunday in response to queries about Taiwan’s inclusion in a US-led multinational coalition to fight the Islamic State group, according to the Operation Inherent Resolve Web site, which, in a list of coalition member states, showed the Republic of China national flag under the heading “Taiwan.”
“When there is an errand to run or a job to do, they call us Taiwan. When they do not need us, they kick us out,” Ko said, before reiterating his commitment to running an inclusive and friendly city, and touting Taipei’s various Muslim-friendly facilities, including the establishment of prayer rooms at city hall.
Ko said he had been invited to attend a service at a Taipei mosque during Ramadan and found that overcrowding was a problem.
The city should use its budget to build “a bigger mosque, preferably close to an MRT [Mass Rapid Transit] station, ” Ko said, adding that he would speak with Minister Without Portfolio Chang Ching-sen (張景森) about the matter.
When asked for comments, Taipei City councilors appeared to be surprised by Ko’s remarks, with many decrying the timing or propriety of the proposal.
Democratic Progressive Party Taipei City Councilor Ho Chih-wei (何志偉) said the mayor’s suggestion needed to be “proof-read for logic,” adding that the government has “almost no history” of giving financial aid for the construction of religious buildings, regardless of faith or creed.
“The chief issue is Taipei’s migrant workers have no place to go during holidays and the problem should be addressed by involving the representatives of Muslim nations to find suitable and friendly spaces for them,” Ho said.
“If the mayor is serious about the proposal, then of course I will support it as a city councilor, but the mayor needs to think things over before opening his mouth; making light of the proposal might inadvertently show disrespect to our Muslim friends by disappointing their expectations,” Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Taipei City Councilor Chen Lee-hui (陳孋輝) said.
Former imam of the Taipei Grand Mosque Hajj Ishag Ma (馬孝棋) said that although there are other ways to help Taipei’s migrant workers, Ko deserves to be congratulated for displaying goodwill, especially when “erroneous beliefs” about Muslims persist.
“Allah will not blame a man for not doing what exceeds his ability, but gives heart to those who harbor benevolence,” Ma said.
Meanwhile, in response to criticism from some in Taipei’s Muslim community that the mayor had seemingly associated Muslims with terrorism, Ko yesterday clarified his remarks by stating that he did not intend to offend.
He said his comments were prompted by a desire to alleviate overcrowding at the Taipei Grand Mosque in Daan District (大安), which has been serving a large congregation of Muslim migrant workers that its facilities are not spacious enough to accommodate.
Ko said he visited the Taipei Grand Mosque during Ramadan and had inspected Taipei Railway Station at the weekend, where he found that more than 10,000 Muslim migrant workers congregate.
“This shows that there is a religious need,” Ko said.
FUKUOKA SITUATION: Japanese media reported that the pathogen is expected to be identified by the summer, while the CDC downplayed the idea that it was hMPV A “mysterious cold-like illness” reported in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture does not seem to be a new disease, but Japanese authorities have been asked about the situation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. The Fukuoka Prefectural Medical Association on Wednesday told a news conference that a “mystery cold” that has become a hot topic on social media is “highly likely to be caused by some kind of viral infection,” Japan’s KBC News reported. “Many people are experiencing symptoms starting with a sore throat, followed by a runny nose, phlegm and a severe cough,” KBC News reported, citing association officials. Health authorities are
Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) arrived in Taiwan yesterday ahead of upcoming AI and technology events, saying he plans to meet with clients and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) during his visit. After landing at Taipei Songshan Airport, Huang posed for photos with fans and handed out Yakult drinks to reporters and supporters waiting at the scene, saying he has “a lot to do” during the trip. Asked about reports that Nvidia’s planned headquarters site in Taipei’s Beitou Shilin Technology Park could break ground on May 27, Huang said that if the company holds an event, he would
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
Taiwan Travelogue (臺灣漫遊錄), which earlier this week became the first Taiwanese novel to win the International Booker Prize, is to be adapted into a television series through a Taiwan-Japan coproduction, producer Chang Chen-yu (張辰漁) said yesterday. Chang, a producer at World Softest Production Film Co, wrote on Facebook that the company had been searching for projects with international appeal that retain a strong Taiwanese identity after colleagues and Japanese partners strongly recommended the novel. After reading the book, Chang said he immediately decided to pursue the screen rights. “A great story has the power to transcend time and borders, and connect countless people,”
RSS