Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) yesterday said that he would not contest his recall after nearly 940,000 of the city’s residents on Saturday voted to oust him, paving the way for a by-election in September.
Han said in a statement that he respects the public will and would not seek legal action against his recall.
All media speculation about his plans is wrong, he said, as he only wishes to rest after stepping down and has not planned his next move.
Photo: AP / Kyodo News
He said he prayed that society would invest its time and energy in revitalizing the economy after the COVID-19 pandemic, caring for disadvantaged people and educating the future generation, rather than speculating on his next move.
It was his honor to have served Kaohsiung residents, he said, thanking his supporters for having given him the opportunity.
Meanwhile, Vice Premier Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁), who ran against Han in the 2018 Kaohsiung mayoral election, remained tight-lipped about whether he was the Executive Yuan’s choice for acting Kaohsiung mayor.
The question was brought up several times by media personality Clara Chou (周玉蔻) during a radio interview, but Chen said he had not discussed the matter with Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌), who is to choose the nominee.
He would keep the public updated once a decision has been made, Chen said.
The Civil Servants Election and Recall Act (公職人員選舉罷免法) requires the Central Election Commission to issue an official announcement on the outcome of the recall on Friday and relieve Han of his duties.
Asked what contributed to the large number of votes against Han, Chen attributed it to young people voicing their opinion through the ballot box and the rapid dissemination of information in the digital age.
He said that on a train to Kaohsiung, his hometown, to vote last week, the car was mainly filled with young people, many of whom were discussing the recall vote.
Kaohsiung residents are candid with the way they vote and its young residents are full of ideals, he said.
He believes that the administration of the acting mayor should recruit more young Kaohsiung residents, Chen said.
Asked what an acting mayor should do after taking office on Monday next week, Chen said that they should redouble their efforts to establish the Ciaotou Science Park and relocate the Dalinpu Village (大林蒲).
They should iron out details regarding plans to attract businesses to start operations in the proposed Asia New Bay Area and work in close collaboration with the Executive Yuan to develop 5G applications and next-generation semiconductors to gain market share globally, he said.
Asked whether dredging sewers, flattening roads and erecting street lights — achievements which Han has touted as Kaohsiung mayor — were not important, Chen said although they are connected with residents’ daily lives, they pale in comparison with efforts to reform the global supply chain amid the US-China trade dispute.
Separately, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) on Monday issued a statement saying that having party Chairman Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) run for Kaohsiung mayor was “not among the [KMT’s] viable options,” in response to reports that Chiang has not ruled out running in the by-election.
The party will find a candidate that “best meets the expectations of Kaohsiung residents” and can “best build and arrange a blueprint for the future for Kaohsiung,” it added.
Additional reporting by Sherry Hsiao
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