|
Ma ‘wins’ top villain
poll organized by Lucifer Chu
By Fu Chao-piao, Chen Yi-ching and Stacy Hsu / Staff Reporters,
with Staff Writer
President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) was yesterday named the “No. 1 villain” of the year
in an annual ranking initiated by Internet celebrity Lucifer Chu (朱學恒).
Coming in second in the “top 10 villains of the year” list was Lujhu Township
(蘆竹) Representative Wang Kui-fen (王貴芬) of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT).
Wang was followed by Chang Chi Foodstuff Factory Co chairman Kao Cheng-li (高振利),
Miaoli County Commissioner Liu Cheng-hung (劉政鴻) and Uni-President Enterprises
Corp.
Rounding out the top 10 were “the mother of [my] girlfriend,” the gang of
military officers allegedly responsible for the death of army corporal Hung
Chung-chiu (洪仲丘), Ting Hsin International Group chairman Wei Ying-chun (魏應充),
bakery chain Top Pot Bakery and Farglory Group chairman Chao Teng-hsiung (趙藤雄).
The results were announced yesterday evening through a highly sarcastic video
Chu posted on Facebook.
Chu said the rankings were determined by hundreds of pedestrians in a public
vote. The voters were asked to choose which of the 10 nominees had been the most
vicious this year.
The candidates were proposed by netizens and selected by members of geek group
Otakuarmy based on their conduct throughout the year, Chu said.
According to a video clip Chu released on Friday, Ma was nominated for “stealing
five years from Taiwanese’s lives” by being perceived as an incompetent leader,
while Wang was picked for allegedly slapping a nurse who had refused to inform
her about her father’s medical condition when they spoke on the telephone.
Kao was selected as a nominee for allegedly adulterating Chang Chi’s edible oil
products, while Liu was chosen for the Miaoli County Government’s forced
demolition of four private houses in the county’s Dapu Borough (大埔) in July.
Liu and Chao threatened legal action against Chu earlier this week for
nominating them.
Liu said on Monday that his “candidacy” had gravely damaged his reputation and
the county government’s image.
“It is inevitable that my efforts to push through some infrastructure projects
for the sake of the county’s development would not satisfy everyone. However, I
have never abused my power for personal gain or done anything that went against
my conscience,” Liu said at the time.
Liu also spoke up for Chao, saying that the Farglory Group chairman’s plans to
construct a memorial hospital in honor of his father in Miaoli County, as well
as to invest tens of billions of New Taiwan dollars to build medical and health
facilities there were conducive to the well-being of local residents.
“To label Chao a ‘villain’ is an unsubstantiated defamation of his character,”
Liu said.
Chao was named as a contender for top villain following a controversial remark
he made last year saying that “NT$2.5 million [US$85,000] per ping is not an
unreasonable price for a home.”
The real-estate magnate has said that the comment was taken out of context.
Farglory spokesman Tsai Chung-i (蔡宗易) said earlier this week that a press
release issued by the company clarifying Chao’s remark had been run by several
media outlets and was all over the Internet.
“Nevertheless, Chu still quotes Mr Chao out of context. I think it is either
because he had not done his research or is doing so on purpose. If Chu does not
provide any evidence to back his claims, FarGlory will sue,” Tsai said.
Citing a famous quote by Confucius (孔子), Chu said to Chao and Liu on Tuesday:
“When we see men of worth, we should think of equaling them; when we see men of
a contrary character, we should turn inwards and examine ourselves.”
Chu said Liu could sue him all he liked, because “he may be able to sue one man,
but he could not sue the tens of thousands of netizens who think he is a
villain.”
Additional Reporting by Lin Mei-fen
|
