Highways director quits after proposed surcharge hikes upset Wu

TAIPEI: A spokesman for the Executive Yuan denied yesterday that "Premier" Wu Den-yih played a role in the resignation of Taiwan's top official in charge of highways over an NT$8 surcharge controversy.

Su Jun-pin said Wu made some remarks two days earlier in which he urged civil servants to empathize more with ordinary consumers, but did not "hint" or "imply" that anyone in the government should step down, nor did he offer suggestions on any specific personnel reshuffle.

Lin Chih-ming, head of the Directorate General of Highways under the "Ministry of Transportation and Communications" (MOTC), offered to resign Wednesday, saying in a written statement that he failed to properly manage a proposal to increase service charges for the collection of motor vehicle fuel tax at convenience stores.

Lin's resignation was accepted by "Transport Minister" Mao Chi-kuo that same day. Wu was said to be "very upset" over the MOTC proposal, which would have raised the fuel tax service charge at convenience stores from NT$7 to NT$15 per vehicle.

A local daily reported that Lin resigned after Wu "hinted" that he should quit over the proposal.

The spokesman further said that Wu said Tuesday that the people's dissatisfaction with the government will mount even further should problems that have existed for decades remain unaddressed.

Those problems include motorists often failing to receive traffic tickets or fuel tax notifications because the tickets and notifications are mailed to motorists' household registration address rather than to the addresses they currently live at, Su said.

Wu was reported to have been very angry about the proposed NT$8 service charge increase and to have said that officials who turn a deaf ear to the people's outrage are not fit to hold their positions.

It was unclear whether it was Wu's remarks that prompted Lin to step down, but following Wu's statement, Mao nullified the plan for the service charge hike and signed Lin's resignation letter.

Mao referred to Lin as a "gentleman" and said he accepted Lin's resignation with a heavy heart.

Lin sent an open letter yesterday to his colleagues at the Directorate General of Highways in which he offered his "heartfelt appreciation" to them for their unwavering devotion to work aimed at making Taiwan a better place in which to travel and live.

He exhorted his former colleagues to work hard on a string of reconstruction projects still requiring completion, including 50 old bridges that need to be rebuilt within two years, the integration and computerization of all motor vehicle service and management units, and a review and overhaul of the safety of tour buses.

China Daily/CNA

(HK Edition 02/05/2010 page2)