Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je’s (柯文哲) election campaign office yesterday unveiled its mobile campaign headquarters, which it said would join a fun fair in Beitou District’s (北投) Qixing Park (七星公園) on Saturday.
The announcement prompted criticism from his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) rival, Legislator Pasuya Yao (姚文智), who accused Ko of copying his idea for a mobile campaign office and the Taipei City Government of being unfair for rejecting his proposal to hold a campaign activity in a park.
Less than a month before the nine-in-one elections on Nov. 24, Ko’s campaign office showcased its “mobile campaign headquarters” — a 26-tonne truck painted in light blue, featuring a large letter “K” and Ko’s campaign slogan “keep it possible.”
Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Taipei Times
The truck can unfold into a makeshift stage for events.
Ko’s campaign office spokesman Tsai Chun-wei (蔡峻維) said the truck was lent to the office for two months by a supporter and that customized design cost only about NT$410,000.
He said the truck could serve as the main stage for upcoming campaign events and that the mobile campaign headquarters was Ko’s idea, allowing him to get closer to city residents by traveling to different places to meet them, and supporters or Ko can give speeches like soapboxes in parks, while saving on campaign costs.
Yao had earlier showcased his campaign truck, which is painted in green and has his name, a large photograph of him and his campaign slogan “trending Taipei” printed on one side, and a large LED screen on the other side, which can also open up to become a stage.
“Someone seems to be copying me,” Yao said, adding that his truck has been driving on the streets since Oct. 3.
Asked why he has yet to set up his campaign headquarters, Yao said he and 27 DPP city councilor candidates have established a joint campaign headquarters, so he has been questioning the need for an individual headquarters.
Yao’s campaign office spokesman Hung Li-chi (洪立齊) said that Yao had applied to hold a campaign activity at Lioukong Park, but it was rejected by the city government, which said that campaign activities could not be held in public parks prior to the election period.
Hung said Ko appears to have double standards when it comes to his opponents.
Yao said he would not hold election campaign events under the guise of other type of activity.
Accusing Ko of hypocrisy, Yao said his behavior is typical of the deceitful and ambiguous political culture that the public hates.
Asked whether Saturday’s event is actually a campaign event, Ko said that it is a “fun fair” and would conform to regulations on holding events in public parks, such as not raising flags, wearing campaign vests and chanting slogans.
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