Premier Jiang Yi-huah today visited the Taipei City Hospital's Heping Fuyou Branch to personally extend his condolences to four victims injured and the family of a victim killed by the Taipei Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) attacker yesterday (May 21). The premier condemned the brutal killings of innocent passengers and expressed his sympathy for the deceased and their families.
Following the shocking slaughter on an MRT train which left four dead and 23 injured, the Executive Yuan has dispatched 80 police officers to assist Taipei and New Taipei City to enhance security patrols at MRT stations as well as trains. The premier demanded the Directorate-General of Personnel Administration and the National Police Agency (NPA) to recruit more police officers within the legally permitted quota so as to bolster law enforcement manpower and better maintain public order and security.
Jiang also demanded ministries and local authorities review and improve their emergency response mechanisms and drills so that police officers, MRT staff and medical personnel can promptly handle and react to emergency incidents.
Meanwhile, all people should pay closer attention to their friends' and family members' psychological condition and mood changes, the premier advised. "If someone commits any extreme antisocial or discriminatory acts, you must comfort him or her and seek the assistance of mental health professionals or social counselors in a timely fashion." He also urged citizens not to harm innocent people and cause deaths or broken families because of momentary feelings or thoughts.
The premier then stated that he had enjoined the NPA and the Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation to improve MRT communication facilities and video surveillance equipment in order to allow station staff, police and medical personnel to deal with emergencies as soon as they occur and ensure the safety of mass transit.
"All citizens expect safe public transportation," Jiang emphasized. "Taiwanese are proud of the Taipei MRT, and I hope everyone can empathize with the victims of this incident and maintain the safety of the transit system together."