Petition to recall Han Kuo-yu crosses 117,000 signatures

By Ko Yu-hao and William Hetherington / Staff reporter, with staff writer





A petition to recall Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) garnered 117,818 signatures in five days, the organizers of the petition said yesterday.

Before bowing in front of cameras for 30 seconds at a news conference in Kaohsiung, the four organizers said they aimed to collect 300,000 signatures within 30 days, before the petition drive ends.

Lead organizer Chen Kuan-jung (陳冠榮) thanked fellow Kaohsiung residents for their support, and said that he would continue to work with Citizens Mowing Action (公民割草行動), WeCare Kaohsiung, the Taiwan Statebuilding Party and others to recall Han.

The organizers of a petition to recall Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu, including main organizer Chen Kuan-jung, second left, hold a news conference in Kaohsiung yesterday. Photo: Ko Yu-hao, Taipei Times

“This is quite a monumental result, so we bow to you, Kaohsiung,” Chen said, commenting on the number of signatures.

Since taking office, Han has seriously lacked neutrality in handling city government affairs, and as the city’s election committee is under the city government’s administration, those who sign the petition should be prudent about avoiding mistakes, Chen said.

Use of simplified Chinese characters, abbreviations or mistakes in writing could be grounds for the city government to invalidate the petition, he said.

He called on the city government not to interfere with the petition, so that it could remain fair and transparent, Chen said.

Those involved in the petition have been insulted and threatened by Han’s supporters, but they would continue to demonstrate love and tolerance toward them, he said.

“A recall has nothing to do with party affiliation. Recalls cross party lines,” Chen said.

WeCare Kaohsiung founder Aaron Yin (尹立) also urged Han’s supporters to avoid verbal attacks on those working on the petition, saying that they were volunteers and have been working hard.

Petitions are a moderate and rational course of action, and a normal part of the democratic process, he said.

“Han Kuo-yu is like a dark cloud over Kaohsiung, and the city’s residents have had looks of gloom and despair since this cloud arrived,” Taiwan Statebuilding Party News Department deputy director Chang Po-yang (張博洋) said.

If Han had any sense of shame he would resign so that the city’s “honor and glory could be restored,” Chang said.

Petition organizers hoped to set a precedent for others nationwide to follow in the protection of democracy, Citizens Mowing Action said.