Facing a challenge from Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers urging the party to nominate its own candidate for next year’s Taipei mayoral election, independent Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) yesterday said he was only raising questions about what he saw as problematic issues.
Ko has been publicly criticizing the DPP government, despite his alliance with the party, leading to calls from some DPP lawmakers to end the party’s cooperation with the mayor.
“When I see a problem, I raise my hand and that is all there is to it. Of course, it would be wrong if I randomly criticize or tell lies, but I was only raising questions,” Ko said in response to media queries about some DPP members expressing the hope that he would stop criticizing the DPP government.
Photo: Chang Chia-ming, Taipei Times
Regarding some DPP members’ criticism that Ko often spoke ill of the central government in public, rather than discuss the matters in private, Ko said: “If only there were private channels I could speak to.”
He said politics has its diversity and it is normal for people to argue over different opinions, and while everyone can freely express their opinions, he is surprised that some DDP members urged the party headquarters not to support him.
Asked if he feels pressure from such proposals, Ko said: “I feel pressure every day and even feel pressure when I breathe, but I still have to get on with my life.”
DPP Legislator Cheng Pao-ching (鄭寶清) has said the party’s legislators and city councilors have signed a petition urging the party to nominate its own candidate and told a radio interview that Ko stopped his criticisms after learning about the petition.
Ko yesterday responded by saying that “tough talk” is useless and should stop.
He said he knew Cheng and had prepared to attend his campaign rally when Cheng ran in the primary election for Taoyuan county commissioner.
“Is this not what happens all the time in politics?” Ko said when asked if he thought Cheng was “repaying the kindness with ingratitude.”
Taiwan is to receive the first batch of Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 jets from the US late this month, a defense official said yesterday, after a year-long delay due to a logjam in US arms deliveries. Completing the NT$247.2 billion (US$7.69 billion) arms deal for 66 jets would make Taiwan the third nation in the world to receive factory-fresh advanced fighter jets of the same make and model, following Bahrain and Slovakia, the official said on condition of anonymity. F-16 Block 70/72 are newly manufactured F-16 jets built by Lockheed Martin to the standards of the F-16V upgrade package. Republic of China
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