Sun, May 19, 2002 page2

• Yu delays move into new home

  RESTORATION WORK A Cabinet spokesman says the poor condition of the house and `normal procedure' have forced the premier to put off his expected moving date

  • By Ko Shu-ling / STAFF REPORTER
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  Premier Yu Shyi-kun may have to wait until the end of next month to move into his new official residence -- the former home of late chief of the general staff Peng Meng-chi (彭孟緝), who was notorious for his controversial role in the 228 Incident.

  Yu had originally planned to move into the house by last month.

  Cabinet spokesman Chuang Suo-hang (莊碩漢) told the Taipei Times yesterday that the delay resulted from the shabby condition of the house and the "normal procedure" that the Cabinet has to go through.

  "It takes a tremendous amount of time and effort to fix an 80-year-old house," Chuang said. "Besides, there are certain procedures to go through, including finding a suitable contractor to carry out the restoration project."

  The Cabinet had originally planned to spend over NT$1.5 million to fix the roughly 1,000-ping complex located at the intersection of Chinhua Street and Lishui Street in downtown Taipei.

  The price tag, however, went up to NT$7 million after Yu decided to move into the main building of the house for security reasons instead of the second floor of a building which is in the best condition and requires the least amount of restoration work.

  There are four buildings and a swimming pool in the complex. While Yu and his wife, who have been renting an apartment on Hsinyi Road since Yu was appointed secretary-general to the president last October, will live in the main building, 43 of the couple's entourage and security guards will stay in two of the buildings.

  The fourth building, which is next to the pool, will be left as is. The restoration expenses of this building are estimated to be in the millions of NT dollars.

  To save money, the swimming pool will be neither fixed nor used in the future and the premier will bring in his own furniture.

  Residents living in the area expressed divided views yesterday over the expected arrival of their new neighbors.

  Lan Chun-yin (藍俊銀), who has run a vegetarian restaurant with his wife in the area for more than six years, said that he would welcome Yu as a new neighbor.

  "I don't see any reason to reject a neighbor who comes from your own hometown," said Lan, a native of Yilan County.

  Lan's wife, Tien Ruei-ling (田瑞寧), said that she hopes Yu will bring public security to the area, which ranks as one of the city's most dangerous districts.

  "Our store has been broken into about three times since we rented it about six years ago," Tien said. "Burglaries are common here in this area and it seems to get worse everyday."

  A 60-year-old area resident, Cheng Yi-ho (鄭義和), expressed the same opinion.

  "It doesn't matter who lives in that house, as long as it's safe in this area," said Cheng, who has been running a photocopy and printing store on the first floor of his house for about 15 years.

  Cheng recalled the tense days when the former armed-forces head still lived in the residence.

  "Every so often we saw a group of armed military police rushing to the area to crack down on protests staged by dangwai dissidents," he said.

  Another resident of 15 years who asked not to be named, however, said that he personally does not welcome Yu to the area.

  "I personally think he's another shameless politician who feels perfectly comfortable not keeping his word," he said.
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