TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The newly elected mayor of a township in eastern Taiwan on Monday (Nov. 28) announced that she has decided to not take office claiming a failure to reach consensus with family members amid controversy over a botched art event.
Chang Jung-jung (張容榕), the mayor-elect of Hualien County's Fuli Township, on her Facebook page expressed "deep gratitude" for those who voted for her but announced that she had decided not to take up the position. She then emphasized that election activities held by her fan club were all spontaneous gestures of support from local residents and that she had not initiated them.
The Hualien County Election Commission stated if Chang does not appear on Dec. 25, the day when new local public officials take their oath of office, the election committee will ask her to take the oath of office on another day, if she fails to appear on that alternate date, she will lose eligibility for office.
The government will then appoint an interim township mayor before holding a by-election.
On her Facebook post, Chang asserted that her win represented the "voice of change" from the people of Fuli Township. However, she then reiterated that she had announced on Oct. 3 that she would withdraw from the township's mayoral race.
She explained that when she initially registered for the election, she wanted to serve her hometown. However, in the midst of campaigning, she was unable to reach a consensus on her candidacy with her family, causing a "strong backlash," which compelled her to announce her withdrawal.
Chang expressed her "deepest apologies" to all the people who voted for her and hoped that in the forthcoming by-elections the public will continue to express their will and make the best choice, "leading Fuli Township forward."
The mayor-elect had faced controversy for an art event that she had organized in the township because it was delayed and downsized, and the artists invited alleged that they never received the promised compensation. Chang did not mention the controversial event on her Facebook.
