Taiwan's Control Yuan Probes Bureaucratic Arrogance, Privatized Docks at Dahu Park

Taiwan's Control Yuan has defended its investigation into the Dahu Park kayaking dispute, refuting claims of bureaucratic overreach and emphasizing its role in safeguarding public interests. The inquiry, initiated after a citizen group's request to kayak in the park was met with bureaucratic delays and eventual rejection, targets "bureaucratic arrogance" and the "privatization of public docks."

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This is a serious misinterpretation and political smear. The Control Yuan has never investigated 'whether boating is allowed,' but rather 'government's integrity towards the people,' 'whether public docks have been privatized,' and 'whether the policy of returning water to the people can be implemented.'

Supervisors Fan Sun-lu and Su Li-chiung stated that the investigation is not about whether people can kayak, but about government integrity, the misuse of public facilities, and the implementation of policies to return water access to the public. They criticized Taipei City Government for not immediately informing the group of existing regulations prohibiting boating, instead making them repeatedly submit documents.

During the investigation, supervisors discovered that public docks, which the city government claimed were available for public use, were instead marked with "private dock, no entry" signs by contracted vendors. This forced citizens to use unmanaged rescue docks, posing safety risks. The Control Yuan intervened, compelling Taipei City to remove these exclusionary signs.

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The public docks were all marked with 'private dock, no entry' signs by contracted vendors. Citizens were forced to launch from unmanaged rescue docks, and could face safety accidents if not careful during low tide.

The Dahu Park case, according to the supervisors, reflects broader challenges in Taiwan's "return water to the people" policy. These include fragmented regulations for water recreation, public servants' fear of criticism hindering access, and a lack of accessible facilities. The Control Yuan's intervention has led to improvements, such as the year-round opening of the Nan'ao sea area and the construction of accessible facilities at Zengwen Reservoir.

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The Dahu Park case is merely a mirror reflecting the difficulties the government faces in promoting the 'return water to the people' policy.

The supervisors concluded by stating that their aim is to promote legal transparency, water access, and equality for disadvantaged groups. They condemned the "malicious distortion" of their investigation by some politicians, arguing it undermines the legal reforms and the nation's progress toward a free and progressive society.

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Maliciously distorting macro-level investigations concerning 'people's rights, public property justice, and equality for the disadvantaged' not only negates the legal transformation achievements jointly fostered by countless grassroots civil servants and the Control Yuan, but also deals a major blow to Taiwan's stride towards a free and progressive society.