Taipei politics lands in the gutter as rat spat intensifies

Taipei, May 4 (CNA) A Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) councilor on Monday blasted the Kuomintang (KMT)-led Taipei city government's response to a "severe" rodent problem, prompting KMT accusations of politicization ahead of local elections.

In a Facebook post, Hsu Shu-hua (許淑華) of the DPP criticized the Taipei City government for its slow response to the "growing" rodent problem, while Liu Tsai-wei (柳采葳) of the Kuomintang (KMT) accused the DPP of exaggerating the issue to gain an edge ahead of local elections.

Citing Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an's (蔣萬安) attendance at only one of three related meetings since February, Hsu questioned his commitment to addressing the issue.

"As the rodent problem grows more severe, the mayor's [lack of] resolve and attention has become evident to the public," she wrote.

Hsu also called for long-term measures, including upgrading Taipei's stormwater drainage system and reassessing urban zoning.

She further urged the city government to use bait stations to protect pets and wildlife, disclose rodenticide deployment locations to the public, and investigate improper use, while calling on Chiang to actively convene cross-departmental efforts.

KMT Councilor Liu Tsai-wei (柳采葳) hit back on social media, describing the DPP's actions as "excessive" and alleging that Hsu's remarks were part of a broader effort to politicize rats ahead of the local elections in November.

"It is ridiculous that a [DPP] representative is now demanding the city government deploy rodenticide while simultaneously criticizing it for doing so," Liu wrote in a Facebook post.

Liu said rodenticide application is a key component of pest control and that the city government has continued to carry out anti-rodent measures in accordance with central government guidelines.

On Sunday, the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control said two cases of Hantavirus -- a rodent-borne virus -- had been reported this year, the same number as during the same period over the past four years.

The issue has also highlighted tensions between the KMT-led Taipei City government and the DPP-led central government.

In a statement Sunday, the Taipei Department of Environmental Protection said its staff had carried out rodenticide deployment in accordance with central guidelines, dismissing online rumors of improper handling.

Meanwhile, Environment Minister Peng Chi-ming (彭啟明) on Monday urged Chiang to take a more active role by convening cross-departmental meetings, coordinating relevant agencies and providing regular public updates, saying targeted measures and firm resolve are needed to address the problem.

On the same day, Chiang said frontline personnel had worked diligently and deserved fair recognition, adding that cross-departmental efforts would continue and that concrete response measures would be formulated.