Taipei Mayor's Reliance on Prompts Sparks Debate on Leadership Grasp

Taipei City Mayor Chiang Wan-an has become the focus of attention following allegations that his Research, Development and Evaluation Commission Chairman, Yin Wei, acts as a "hidden puppeteer" during council meetings. Reports suggest Yin Wei provides Chiang with answers in real-time via an iPad, assisting his responses to questions.

This practice has drawn criticism, particularly from lawyer Lu Chi-yuan, who commented on social media. While supporters argue that a mayor cannot possibly know everything, Lu found it "absurd" that Chiang seemed unaware of basic city matters, citing an example of him not knowing the four mountains surrounding Taipei.

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The real problem is not whether Chiang Wan-an needs Yin Wei's prompts, but whether, without Yin Wei, he still knows what is happening in Taipei City.

The core issue, according to Lu, is not whether Chiang needs assistance, but whether he understands Taipei's affairs independently. Recent city issues, including rat infestations, public safety concerns, and disputes with the central government, have led to perceptions that the city government's responses are more politically driven than based on a deep understanding of the problems.

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Leaders don't necessarily need to know the price of rice, but at least they should know why the people are complaining about the price of rice; they don't necessarily need to know how many rats there are, but at least they should know why citizens are starting to worry about rat infestations; they don't necessarily have to personally implement policies, but they must be able to clearly explain why policies are effective and why they deserve the people's trust.

When the screen prompting the mayor was revealed, many citizens reportedly felt less impressed by the mayor's reliance on notes and more concerned about his actual grasp of issues without them. Lu emphasized that leaders don't need to know every detail, like the price of rice, but should understand why citizens are complaining or worried.

Lu concluded that the real discussion isn't about whether politicians use prompts, as most do globally with scripts, earpieces, or teleprompters. Instead, the crucial question is whether Yin Wei is aiding a well-informed leader or inadvertently highlighting the mayor's unfamiliarity with key topics.

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The question is whether Yin Wei is assisting a leader who has fully grasped the situation, or is actually mocking the mayor's unfamiliarity with the issues?