Five months after the Puyuma Train Incident, the Taiwan Railways Administration submitted an investigation report to the Ministry of Transportation and Communications. The report only records a demerit for three former TRA heads and it hold the driver responsible for the accident. Lin Chia-lung, the Minister of Transportation and Communications was dissatisfied with the report and sent it back for review.


In October last year, a Puyuma train derailment took the lives of 18 and injured over 200. The Ministry of Transportation asked the Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) to initiate an investigation on the accident. On March 12, the TRA submitted their investigation report. However, Minister of Transportation and Communications Lin Chia-lung has sent back the report as he was dissatisfied with the light punishment on the three former TRA heads.

The investigation report has cleared the air a bit. But the punishment is way too light. For the family members of the victim and for society, it's not right to ask the train's driver to hold the responsibility.

The TRA's investigation report states that former TRA head Lu Chieh-shen receives a major demerit, whereas two other former director general, Chou Yung-hui and Fan Chih-ku, each receive one demerit. Lu Chieh-shen had already retired, Chou Yung-hui currently serves as head of the Tourism Bureau, and Fan Chih-ku is the president of CR Classification Society. During a question session at the Legislature on March 13, Lin said the punishment for Fan Chih-ku is too light.

(After the accident, Fan Chih-ku) represents the transportation ministry and serves as head of the CR Classification Society. It's totally wrong.

Lin Chia-lung believes that are many mistakes in the procurement and reception process, during which Fan Chih-ku served as the head of TRA and has the biggest share of responsibility. Lin said the report doesn't provide sufficient answer for the public, and the TRA should not hold the driver as the only person responsible. Lin has asked the TRA to get to the bottom of the incident.

The investigation of the accident might affect the interest of those in power. I don't want to see the TRA just brushing it over without really trying to solve the problem.

Family members of the victims in the train accident also believe the punishment is too light, and they suspect the TRA might be protecting the interest of senior officials. Recently, Legislator Huang Kuo-chang also pointed out that the driver's prior record was concealed, further tarnishing the trustworthiness of TRA. Lin Chia-lung said that he will hold another meeting on the matter and those responsible must be punished according to regulations on public sector workers.



去年普悠瑪事故奪走十八條人命，兩百多人受傷。交通部要求台鐵啟動「事故責任調查」。12日台鐵提出報告，但是交通部長林佳龍不滿三位前台鐵局長懲處過輕，要求退件重新檢討。

交通部長 林佳龍表示：「調查的內容已經有釐清一些責任，但是有關的懲處卻是重重拿起輕輕放下，我想對於家屬跟社會來講，不是簡單把這個事情歸咎於司機員。」

台鐵的行政調查報告，前三任台鐵局長，鹿潔身記一大過、周永暉與范植谷各記過一次。其中鹿潔身提早退休、周永暉現任觀光局長、范植谷則擔任驗船中心董事。林佳龍13號上午在立院備詢時，直接點名前台鐵局長范植谷，懲處過輕。

民進黨立委 陳明文 vs.交通部長 林佳龍：「反而代表交通部去擔任中國驗船中心董事長，這根本沒有是非了。」

林佳龍認為，從普悠瑪採購、驗收，長達七年一路出錯，尤其范植谷任內期間責任最大，無法對社會大眾交代，也強調不能只推給司機一人，釐清普悠瑪調查究責，才是台鐵改革的開始。

普悠瑪家屬 朱小姐表示：「這些比較可能牽扯到更大利益的東西上面，我們看不到他誠心想解決問題，台鐵態度只是得過且過的讓它過去。」

普悠瑪家屬也認為，處分過輕，質疑是否涉及利益包庇，再加上日前立委黃國昌指出，司機員通聯記錄被隱瞞查扣，更讓家屬對台鐵失去信任。至於後續究責報告是否再加重處分？林佳龍表示，本週將再開會，但仍然要按照公務人員懲處規定。