Taiwan opposition criticizes ruling party's flood control 'double standards'

Heavy rains in southern Taiwan have caused flooding in Kaohsiung and Tainan, prompting criticism from Lin Pei-hsiang, the legislative whip for the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) party. Lin accused the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) of applying double standards to flood control policies.

“

We don't see flooding in Kaohsiung and Tainan and immediately gloat, saying 'it must be the mayor's incompetence.' Rain doesn't have a party affiliation, and the heavens don't check the mayor's party before it rains.

Lin stated that extreme weather and intense rainfall can overwhelm any city's drainage system. He argued against immediately attributing flooding to the incompetence of local mayors, emphasizing that rainfall is not politically aligned. Lin called for consistent flood control standards from both the central and local governments, urging transparency in funding and outcomes, and criticizing the DPP for politicizing disaster response.

He pointed out the disparity in the DPP's reactions to flooding. While the DPP quickly blamed Taipei's city government for recent flooding there, they attributed the current southern Taiwan floods to extreme weather. Lin questioned this inconsistency, asking if Taipei's rain was caused by its mayor while southern Taiwan's was attributed to nature.

“

Why is it that when flooding occurred in Taipei yesterday, the DPP was eager to criticize the city's incompetence? Was the rain in Taipei caused by Chiang Wan-an, but the rain in Kaohsiung was sent by heaven?

Lin stressed that the KMT does not oversimplify every instance of flooding as a mayoral failure. However, he demanded that the DPP apply the same scientific standards consistently. He criticized the DPP for labeling flooding in opposition-led cities as "municipal incompetence" or "failed flood control" while invoking "extreme weather" for areas they govern. He noted that the public is tired of such political double standards, comparing it to how water does not discriminate based on a car owner's political affiliation.

“

We don't want the DPP to apologize or grovel; we just want the most basic thing in democratic politics.

Lin urged the DPP to hold themselves to the same standards they demand of others. He called for transparency, requesting that both central and local governments disclose details about flood-prone areas, historical flood control funding, project completion rates, design standards, rainfall data exceeding those standards, and the effectiveness of projects funded by taxpayers. He concluded by stating that while weather can change, politicians' standards should not shift based on party affiliation, criticizing the DPP's approach as "political opportunism" rather than genuine flood control.

“

We don't compare colors in flood control; we compare results. We don't compare words in politics; we must be worthy of every penny the people pay in taxes.