Taipei City Official Slams Citizens Online, Calls Them 'Low IQ' and Mocks Su Chiao-hui's Appearance; Mayor Chiang Responds Coldly: Park Department Will Explain

Taipei City government is once again embroiled in controversy. Recently, a Threads account has been aggressively responding to public criticism of the city's tree-cutting policies and flood management, lashing out at citizens and claiming to 'lower Taipei's IQ ratio.' The account has also repeatedly attacked Green Camp politicians, including making personal remarks about Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) New Taipei mayoral candidate Su Chiao-hui, saying she 'looks like her father.' The account has been identified as belonging to Liu Yu-hua, a public relations officer at the Department of Public Works' Parks Office, sparking public backlash. Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an, when asked about the incident on the 26th, declined to elaborate, merely stating, 'The Parks Office will issue a statement.'

Liu Yu-hua has been widely criticized for her confrontational online behavior. When netizens questioned the city's tree-cutting practices, she responded, 'It's normal tree maintenance! Good thing you don't live in Taipei—don't lower the city's IQ!' When users posted photos of trees being cut down, she dismissed them, asking, 'Where? Could this be Kaohsiung?'

Beyond attacking citizens, Liu has repeatedly mocked Green Camp figures, including Su Chiao-hui, DPP Taipei mayoral candidate Shen Po-yang, and Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai. Her personal insult toward Su's appearance drew sharp criticism from Taipei City Council candidate Lin Po-hsun, who compiled her controversial remarks and condemned them: 'Is this the kind of petty tactic the city government is resorting to? How can someone who insults others' appearances serve as a department secretary? Is the Parks Office so idle that they just browse social media all day?'

In response to Lin's post, Liu defended herself, writing, 'As a press liaison, collecting public opinion is my duty. Taipei also has rivers—learn from the good, reflect on the bad. Thank you for your advice. If there's corruption, please report it.' However, netizens fired back, saying, 'Your replies are full of attacks—how can you claim to reflect on yourself?' 'Are civil servants allowed to spend all day monitoring citizens online? Are you just bored?' 'Always blaming Kaohsiung and mocking people's looks.' 'Of course, you expose your own personal info and then claim to be threatened.'

Su Chiao-hui, when interviewed, responded calmly: 'Taiwan is a democratic, rule-of-law society. Everyone has freedom of speech. As long as it doesn't involve defamation, slander, or false personal attacks, diverse opinions should be accepted. We will run a positive and transparent campaign.' She emphasized that voters are watching not just policies, but also the team's attitude.

When asked about the controversy, Mayor Chiang Wan-an only said, 'The Parks Office will issue a statement,' refusing to address the issue directly.