Coattail effect and dynasties
A video posted by Taiwanese influencer Tsai A-ga (蔡阿嘎) early last month shared certain “special” ways in which Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Fu Kun-chi (傅?萁) promoted himself while serving as Hualien County commissioner. The reaction to Fu was divided and depended largely on political leanings.
Fu and his wife, Hualien County Commissioner Hsu Chen-wei (徐榛蔚), have long monopolized control over the Hualien County Government.
It seemed like the couple were the only option in town until Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴), now the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) vice presidential candidate, was elected as the legislator representing Hualien County in 2016.
Although there are four candidates running for county legislator in next year’s elections, it is essentially a race between the KMT and the DPP.
When Hsiao returned to Hualien County on Nov. 26 after resigning as representative to the US to establish her vice presidential campaign headquarters, more than 5,000 locals turned out in support, with some holding up banners to show how much they missed her.
Whether Chang Mei-hui (張美慧) — the wife of former Hualien mayor Tien Chih-hsuan (田智宣) and a two-term Hualien County councilor herself — could succeed in being elected as the DPP legislative candidate depends not only on her platform — including the provision of free dentures for people aged 65 and older, the promotion of a Hualien-Taitung Expressway plan — it would also depend on Hsiao’s coattail effect.
Fu has spent part of his time as county commissioner in jail, and only in the final part of his term did he start work on improving traffic in Hualien County.
Fu ran his campaign under the slogans “decisive battle for the Hualien-Taitung Expressway” and “the choice between peace and war,” and was a strong advocate of a “blue-white alliance.” Yet after the proposed blue-white alliance failed, he has not commented.
Both Chang’s and Fu’s platforms mention the Hualien-Taitung Expressway, increasing Taiwan Railways Administration services to Fuli and setting up the Suhua Highway Improvement Project.
Still, Fu has not implemented his platform on Freeway No. 6, but has kept criticizing the efficiency of the Suhua Highway Improvement Project.
By contrast, Chang has focused her attention on follow-up on this year’s Taroko Gorge Marathon incident, questioned Hsu’s double standards on illegal agricultural land use and proposed 28 policies on tourism, transportation, agriculture and the local economy.
Whether the DPP could win Hualien residents’ votes in next month’s legislative elections would have to do with the effectiveness of Hsiao’s support. Do they prefer Chang or Fu’s continuing chaos in office? We shall find out on Jan 13.
Wong Chien-chung,
Hualien County
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