Hsinchu Baseball Stadium should have been a source of pride for the city, but due to suspended Hsinchu Mayor Ann Kao’s (高虹安) political manipulation and administrative incompetence, it has instead become synonymous with an absurd farce.
The Hsinchu City Government in 2023 found that the stadium had a faulty drainage system and its surface was unsuitable for players. Suspicions were raised last year that city officials had given illegal benefits to a contractor during the stadium’s multi-year renovation project, which was completed in 2022.
A new investigation was opened at the beginning of this year after reports that excavations of the outfield revealed a large amount of illegally dumped concrete that had been mixed with plastic products, abandoned electrical wires, red bricks and other construction materials.
The Taoyuan District Court on Oct. 31 dealt a major blow to the Hsinchu City Government’s false promise to “pursue the truth,” revealing that the city government — to cover up the stadium’s various issues — tampered with the site, obstructed judicial appraisal and refused to let the truth come to light. This is more than just a construction project controversy — it is a blatant betrayal of Hsinchu residents’ rights and interests.
The court said the city government not only failed to complete the stadium’s inspection and acceptance in accordance with the law, but also went as far as digging up and deconstructing the field before the appraisal, causing the entire inspection and acceptance process to collapse.
Even more astonishing is that the city government then blocked impartial third-party experts from entering the stadium to conduct judicial appraisals, citing a baseless “zero tolerance” policy for workplace safety.
The judge ruled that as an attempt to cover up wrongdoing.
The city government’s actions not only concealed the truth, but also obstructed a judicial investigation.
The city government’s farce harmed Hsinchu residents and baseball fans. A stadium that was meant to be a source of local pride and a catalyst for sports development has — as a result of the city government’s incompetence and political fanfare — devolved into a repeatedly excavated pile of construction waste. Fans cannot watch games as scheduled, the city’s image and credibility have been damaged, and public funds continue to be poured in while the social costs continue to rise.
This incident involves much more than engineering and construction issues — it is a classic example of the Hsinchu City Government using politics as a cover for their problems, and using publicity and propaganda to obscure procedural justice. When even the most basic processes — inspection, acceptance and judicial appraisal — are subject to political interference, public works projects become mere tools of political manipulation, and members of the public are the ones who suffer.
The Hsinchu City Government and Acting Hsinchu Mayor Andy Chiu (邱臣遠) must put a swift end to this dishonest political performance, confront the issue truthfully, respect judicial procedures and deliver to Hsinchu residents a truly quality and useable baseball stadium. This is the most basic form of respect owed to the public and the first essential step toward rebuilding trust in the government.
Hsinchu’s baseball fans deserve better. Political fanfare only ensures that the truth remains forever buried. The city and its residents must no longer be sacrificed in the name of meaningless political theater.
Yang Chih-chiang is a teacher.
Translated by Kyra Gustavsen
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