Newly sworn in Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Legislator-at-large Liu Shu-pin (劉書彬) — who replaced former TPP legislator-at-large Wu Chun-cheng (吳春城) following his resignation — on Monday questioned a National Science and Technology Council official about Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co’s investments in the US and its core chip manufacturing technologies. However, she consistently misspoke throughout her inquiry, saying meter (米) instead of nanometer (奈米).
When reporters attempted to ask her about the mistake, Liu said: “I was just speaking too quickly. You didn’t hear me clearly.”
I happened to be eating lunch at a street stall when I saw the report on the news the following day. I nearly spit out my food.
Liu was actually speaking quite clearly. She said “meter” — and not very quickly, either. From her debut, it was evident that this legislator-at-large had not done her homework, and that lying comes quite easy to her — is this the kind of lawmaker that the TPP carefully selected as Wu’s replacement?
If Liu were a member of a different party, there is no doubt that former TPP chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) would have criticized her no end, calling her anything from a cockroach to a rat.
Some lawmakers benefit from the public’s resources, yet live in their own bubbles, completely oblivious to the costs we bear while using our livelihoods to accomplish nothing. It is truly disappointing.
This kind of figure will only harm the TPP’s reputation further — the original video went viral and garnered online mockery, with comments such as “a chip that large ... are they going to carve it with a plow?”
Liu has already become a laughingstock.
Fang Fu-chuan is an international trader.
Translated by Kyra Gustavsen
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