Race for Taipei mayor needs less mudslinging and more policy
Editorial 2014-10-19 09:04 (GMT+8)
Sean Lien, right, seeks support from vendors at a the Huaxi Street Night Market in Taipei, Oct. 15. (Photo/CNA)
Sean Lien, right, seeks support from vendors at a the Huaxi Street Night Market in Taipei, Oct. 15. (Photo/CNA)
In this year's mayoral and magistrate elections in Taiwan, voters have remained largely apathetic, especially those in Taipei, despite wave after wave of verbal exchanges between the two leading candidates in the mayoral race Ko Wen-je, running as an independent for the pan-green camp, and Sean Lien, the KMT candidate, as well as the fanfare staged by the media.
As the campaign enters the final stages, both camps in Taipei finally agreed on a televised debate, giving both parties a long overdue opportunity to return to discussion of their respective policy platforms.
What is most necessary is for the two candidates to put forth their policies on the municipal economy, which is critical for the well-being and employment prospects of Taipei residents.
Taiwan is under mounting pressure to pinpoint a niche industry for its development, at a time when its regional rivals, including Tokyo, Seoul, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Manila, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, are progressing by leaps and bounds. Seoul, for example, which has attracted large numbers of tourists in recent years, is taking advantage of the craze for Korean TV dramas in the region. As a bastion for Chinese pop music and performing arts, Taipei has a strong edge in developing the cultural and entertainment industries.
Another challenge is how to overhaul the appearance and landscape of Taipei via the execution of urban renewal projects, which will not only refresh the image of the city but also create ample business opportunities and job opportunities.
Another major task is creating a hi-tech living environment, commensurate with the astronomical development of mobile computing, cloud-end services, big data, and the widespread use of social media, on top of the balanced development between the eastern and western parts of the city and construction of the projected twin-tower buildings near Taipei Main Station, which will function as a gateway for the city.
In line with Taiwan becoming an ageing society, foremost on the agenda of the new mayor should be the care of the city's expanding senior population, including assisting the development of related businesses, which can not only help local senior citizens lead a better life but can also give the local economy a shot in the arm on top of creating more jobs.
Due to the prevalence of mudslinging in the campaign up to now, most Taipei residents have overlooked the development plans outlined by both camps, such as that of Ko, who has proposed to develop a green city featuring zero growth in power consumption, on top of plans to foster the development of cultural startups, promoting the pop music industry and developing industries aimed at caring for seniors.
Sean Lien has also unveiled a kaleidoscope of development plans for Taipei, spanning music, medicine, tourism, hi-tech, cultural innovation, housing, senior care, agriculture, and transport, on top of accelerated development of western Taipei and childcare.
Both candidates so far have focused on why voters should not vote for their rival, rather than giving voters reasons to support them.
We hope that the upcoming televised debate will drive the campaign back on to a healthier track, so that citizens can select a new mayor based on policy who will lead Taipei on to a new track of development.
References:
Ko Wen-je 柯文哲
Sean Lien 連勝文
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