After being defeated in the 2020 presidential election and being recalled by the same people who had elected him as Kaohsiung mayor, Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) has resurfaced after dropping out of sight for more than a year.
When asked about next month’s Kaohsiung mayoral election in an interview, Han gave a politically laden reply, saying it is expected that Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) would win and it would take a miracle for former legislator Ko Chih-en (柯志恩), the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) candidate, to be elected, so it is up to the people of Kaohsiung to decide whether they want what is expected or “a miracle.”
Ko followed up the reply by saying that Kaohsiung is a city “filled with miracles,” an apparent attempt to duplicate Han’s temporarily successful strategy of building a “Han wave” in 2018.
However, have these politicians, who are adept at bombastic rhetoric and political stunts, ever considered whether Kaohsiung residents perceive their so-called “miracles” as such or as nightmares?
Han’s rise to political power stemmed from his demagoguery and populist excesses, yelling his slogans and thumping his tubs to excite crowds. “Export goods out; welcome people in; let Kaohsiung prosper” — was accompanied by other excessive and whimsical policies, such as “drilling for oil on Taiping Island” (Itu Aba Island, 太平島) and building a “Love Ferris wheel,” a proposal that gained nationwide attention.
After assuming office, Han not only failed to deliver on his promises, but his administration was chaotic, earning the satirical catchphrase: “Suffer what the people suffer, but sleep until noon.”
Allegations of improper conduct, inappropriate language and maladministration cast a shadow over his Cabinet. Daily affairs were put on the back burner, leading to the deterioration of the cityscape, with untrimmed street trees and parks overgrown with weeds.
While minor things such as parks went unattended, major issues such as floods and dengue fever prevention, or attracting investment were ignored or addressed in the most bizarre manner.
Han’s spontaneous and over-the-top governance turned into moments of ridiculousness, including when he climbed a tree during a dengue fever outbreak to check whether there were places where mosquitoes breed and scooped up water to smell it when inspecting flood damage.
Despite the evidence to the contrary, he touted among his top accomplishments road and street light maintenance, and unclogging of drains — things that most city administrations would regard as the most basic services — but even those limited “achievements” failed to stand the test of floods.
Moreover, the city government faced a high risk of Chinese infiltration during his time in office.
Han ran Kaohsiung as if it were a simulation, and did so with an air of pomp and farce, so he only has himself to blame for being removed as mayor after being handily defeated by President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) in the 2020 presidential election.
From the time Han took office until his recall, after which Chen won the mayoral by-election, Kaohsiung went through 18 months of stagnation.
Next month’s election is another opportunity for Kaohsiung voters to decide if they want another “miracle.”
Hopefully they are wise enough to make the right choice without any need to backtrack again.
Roger Wu works in the service industry in New Taipei City.
Translated by Rita Wang
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