Independent aspirant Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) yesterday held his own against Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Pasuya Yao (姚文智) in the first of three scheduled debates of the DPP’s second-stage primary for the Taipei mayoral campaign, erasing views that the physician-turned-politician would perform poorly.
The National Taiwan University Hospital physician handled the 60-minute televised debate with poise, laying out six visions for the nation’s capital and declaring that he would be a honest, passionate and responsible mayor if elected in November.
“My campaign would be more than seeking an election victory. It would be a culturally oriented social movement as well, that tries to change Taiwan’s political culture,” Ko, 54, said in his closing remarks.
The goals Ko envisioned for the capital were developing a just society, making it a cultural city, health and security for the residents, promoting the concept of care and sharing, community-building and an open and transparent government, with transparency and civic participation highlighted as the backbone of his administration.
Ko said that opaque governance and corruption scandals have been the root causes of the city’s fall from grace, and attributed them to the decade of dominance by second-generation Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) politicians, such as two-term Taipei mayor and President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), incumbent Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) and KMT candidate Sean Lien (連勝文), son of former vice president Lien Chan (連戰).
He said that was why he has promotes policies that would facilitate open government and civic participation.
Ko cited the disclosure of public budgets and expenditures on the Internet and suggested that online voting could be a tool that assures Taipei residents could determine virtually all city affairs.
He added that part of public budgets would also be open for accepting citizens’ proposals.
Corruption-tainted projects would be adapted or possibly canceled, he said.
Regarding the Taipei Twin Tower project, Ko said he planned to transform it from the original function for business and finance into a center for innovation and entrepreneurship.
His opponent Yao, who defeated other DPP contenders in the first-stage primary to compete against Ko — whose support rate leads among all “pan-green” aspirants for the final candidacy — focused on his prime initiative to eliminate the Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport) and transform the area into a 400-hectare grand central park.
The 48-year-old highlighted his experience as a politician who served in Greater Kaohsiung and the central government, hinted that Ko’s open government policy would not be feasible and questioned Ko’s leadership skills.
However, Yao had trouble finishing his remarks within the allotted time more than once and appeared to have not gained any advantage with his attacks on Ko.
The contenders are scheduled to participate in two more debates before the final public opinion poll on June 12, with the second debate — a television interview with talk show host Cheng Hung-yi (鄭弘儀) — scheduled for tomorrow, and the third debate to be televised by Formosa Television on Saturday.
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