ents with Mayor Hau Lung-bin over public health policies. In a rather surprising move, Sung, who took office on Feb. 1, 2005, announced his resignation at a news conference held on Thursday noon, saying that he "feels saddened" over Hau's intervention in the city's public health policies and "sees no turning point at which his ideals can be realized under Hau's leadership."
Sung, who holds a Ph.D. in immunology from Cornell University, New York, said Hau's "arbitrary" decisions not to retain Taipei City Hospital (TCH) Director Sun Jui-sheng and the firing of TCH Hoping Branch Superintendent Chu Da-cheng in the wake of a diagnosis dispute that occurred at the Hoping branch late last year, were completely unacceptable.
Hau's strongly-worded criticism of the Taipei Department of Health (TDH), at a city government meeting Wednesday for "negligence" over the allegedly illegal operation of an after-childbirth confinement and convalescence center in Taipei, and his demand for a "name list" of TDH officials in charge of related affairs, were moves tantamount to measures adopted during Taiwan's "white terror" era, Sung said.
Sung, who served as a professor with National Yang Ming University's Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology before joining the Taipei city government, asked Hau to "find somebody smarter" to replace him.
In response to Sung's sudden resignation, Hau said he was surprised by Sung's unexpected move. Hau continued that Sung's resignation was really a pity, but he respects Sung's decision.
Hau, who took office just a month ago, added that maintaining quality medical services is one of the priorities of his city administration and there is still room for improvement in this area.
The mayor has instructed deputy director Teng Su-wen to serve as an acting director of the TDH.
Also yesterday, Hau presided over a changeover ceremony for several department chiefs, urging the new members of his team to offer their best services to the citizens through interdepartment cooperation.
The five new department chiefs are Department of Finance Director Lin Chien-yuan, Fire Department Commissioner Hsiung Kwang-hua, Feitsui Reservoir Administration Director-General Lee Kung-che, Research, Development and Evaluation Commission Chairman Sheng Chih-jen, and Department of Personnel Director Han Chun-ying.
Noting that these new department chiefs are all elite persons in their respective spheres of work, Hau said their arrival will complete the Taipei city government team.
Addressing the changeover ceremony on behalf of other new section chiefs, Sheng said although individual performance is important, he would like to focus on teamwork in the future to help Hau implement his policies.
