2016年CRI Taiwan experts voice doubts over deadly bus arson

On Saturday, Taiwan prosecutors 1 confirmed the driver Su Ming-cheng was drunk and intentionally 2 dispersed 3 gasoline and set fire to kill himself and other passengers on the bus.

They said Su was a solitary 4 person and had a criminal record for sexual assault. 

But they say it is still unknown why those on board were unable to unlock the emergency exit and escape.

Following the release of the report some local experts voiced their uncertainty 5 about how the case was handled. 

They said it reveals incompetence 6 on the part of the island's authorities. 

Yu Tzu-Hsiang, with Shih Hsin (she hsin )University, cast his doubts.

"Some prosecutors gave questionable 7 information during the briefing. They should have released all their investigation 8 results at one press conference without holding anything back. They released information through some media, informally, so people have to think that maybe there's something undisclosed."

Yu also blamed the island's authority for rejecting a proposal to include the mainland in the probe.

He suggested it's important and necessary to have multiple parties involved in the investigation since suspicions and rumors 9 were growing among the public.

At the same time, there is also controversy 10 over the reaction of the island's leader.

After the fire occurred, Tsai Ing-wen's response was considered a lack of empathy as she was absent at the public memorial service for mainland victims, while expressing due respects to the killed local guide.

Chiu Yi, with Chinese Culture University, warned the improper 11 conduct may lead to serious consequences.

"At the very beginning, Tsai Ing-wen should have agreed to establish a joint 12 investigative team consisting of prosecutors and police from across the Straits to make the process more transparent 13. (The families of victims) thought the fire was an accident, and signed a reconciliation 14 agreement which lead to an agreement on the compensation amount. It then turned out to be a man-made accident after they left Taiwan. Isn't it irresponsible? It was devasting to people across the Straits." 

The professor also condemned 15 attempts aimed at using the victims for political purposes.

On the mainland, just hours after the report was released, the Taiwan Affairs Office under the State Council strongly condemned the incident, saying the incident, as well as various words and deeds in Taiwan, had negative influence on people across the Straits and greatly affected 16 mainland tourism to Taiwan. 

It urged relative departments in Taiwan to work on follow-up procedures.

The bus fire on July 19 left all 26 people on board killed. Apart from the driver himself and a local tour guide, all of the rest were from the mainland.

But Taiwan prosecutors said the driver won't be charged posthumously 17.

As the case has been confirmed to be a criminal one, it would seem that the families of the mainland victims should be entitled to additional compensation from the relevant departments in Taiwan.