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.
UPGRADE: The Kang Ding-class frigate is replacing its Chaparall missiles with Tien Chien II and Hua Yang VLS, which would provide it with long-range, 360° air defense Taiwan plans to produce 1,200 to 1,376 Hai Chien II missiles (海劍二, Sea Sword II) — also known as TC-2N — to serve as the standard air defense system of the navy’s surface combatant fleet, a source said yesterday. Last week, the Hai Chien II, the naval version of the Tien Kung II missile (天劍二, Sky Sword II), completed a live-fire test in waters off the National Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology’s Jiupeng facility (九鵬) in Pingtung County’s Manjhou Township (滿州). The MIM72 Chaparral and other dated air defense missiles that currently arm Taiwanese ships have inadequate range to combat Chinese
REASONS FOR TRAVEL: An assistant professor said that proposed amendments to penalize drivers if they used drugs overseas would not deter people from traveling People who operate a motor vehicle under the influence of marijuana would have their driver’s license revoked, even if they used the substance while overseas, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday, citing proposed amendments to the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act (道路交通管理處罰條例). The amendments would also authorize the government to revoke the licenses of people determined to have used Category 1 or Category 2 narcotics, even if they were not operating a vehicle while under the influence of drugs, as well as ban them from taking the license test for three years, the ministry said. People aged 18 or
HEAVY WEATHER: Typhoon Jangmi is due to crash straight into the Ryukyus as airlines look to shift flights to larger aircraft or cancel flights to Okinawa entirely Taiwan’s international air carriers announced flight adjustments over the weekend as Typhoon Jangmi is forecast to hit the Ryukyu Islands today and tomorrow. The Central Weather Administration (CWA) upgraded Jangmi from a tropical storm to a typhoon at 8am yesterday, with the eye located 580km south of Naha city. It was moving north at 19kph. Today, China Airlines’ CI-120, CI-121, CI-122 and CI-123 flights between Taoyuan and Naha, Okinawa, have been canceled as well as CI-132 and CI-133 between Kaohsiung and Naha. EVA Air’s BR-112, BR-113, BR-186 and BR-185 flights between Taoyuan and Naha are also canceled. Low-cost carrier Tigerair Taiwan canceled IT-230,
Johanne Liou (劉喬安), a Taiwanese woman who shot to unwanted fame during the Sunflower movement protests in 2014, returned to Taiwan last night after being deported from the US. She is to stand trial in Taiwan for charges involving embezzlement, fraud and drug crimes. The Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) said it took her into custody at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and would first question her before transferring her to the New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office. She was arrested upon disembarking a flight from San Francisco that landed shortly before 7pm. Liou absconded to the US in 2019 after jumping bail
RSS