Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) yesterday criticized the protracted four-month interim period between the presidential election and the presidential handover, saying the issue must be resolved by a legal amendment, as no other country has such a long interval between the two dates.
“I think that the late handover date must be resolved. Which other country in the world has to go through such a long wait for the presidential handover?” he said in Osaka, Japan, in response to media queries.
Asked whether Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) president-elect Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) should try to solve the issue during her first term in office, Ko said: “The sooner it is solved, the better. The establishment of a system should not be based on personal interests, but on long-term national development.”
Photo: CNA, courtesy of the Taipei City Government
Ko said he has a “major issue” with the handover date.
Asked what his reactions were to news reports of Tsai’s aides mocking a recently established hotline between him and Tsai, saying that given Ko’s fondness for using the instant messaging app Line to direct city government officials, he should just send Tsai instant messages, Ko said that instant messaging software was not only an efficient communication tool, but it is also free.
He said he does not put too much stock in what the media say, as if he were to respond to everything reported, he would probably die of exhaustion within three days.
“It is useless to sow discord, because my good rapport with her [Tsai] will not be affected,” he added.
On President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) complaint that Tsai did not send any Democratic Progressive Party officials to Itu Aba Island (Taiping Island, 太平島) to join him on Thursday when he visited the disputed island, Ko said Tsai has not yet been sworn in and whoever the incumbent is should assume responsibility for the island.
“Like I said before, just ignore everything he [Ma] does,” Ko said.
Ko later in the day met with former Osaka Prefecture deputy governor Hiroshi Ueda, with the two discussing the issue of plans to integrate the prefecture and Osaka City.
Ko said that what is happening in Japan now could happen in Taiwan in five to 10 years, as Taipei also faces the challenge of integration with other northern municipalities to constitute what he termed the “capital circle.”
He said that Taipei would closely watch Osaka’s next moves.
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