It has been a demoralizing week for both the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), with their leaders, President Chen Shui-bian (
The DPP's Central Review Committee is expected to discuss tomorrow how to discipline first lady Wu Shu-jen (
According to this rule, Wu's DPP membership should already have been suspended for her indictment on corruption and forgery charges in connection with the president's "state affairs fund."
But on Thursday, the committee couldn't reach a quorum to discuss the matter. Although certain members had planned to refrain from attending meetings indefinitely, or at least until after the upcoming elections, public pressure has compelled them to convene tomorrow to discuss Wu's case.
Ma has also been questioned by prosecutors over irregularities in the use of his special mayoral allowance. He has promised that if he is indicted, he will abide by KMT rules that demand the suspension of his party membership and his resignation from the party's chairmanship.
To resolve Ma's crisis, some KMT members have proposed an amendment to the party's rules, while other members have begun to make plans that would allow him to register as an independent candidate representing the pan-blue camp in the 2008 presidential race.
Chen and Ma both wanted to formulate strict party rules to crack down on "black gold," or corruption.
The KMT mayor of Keelung, Hsu Tsai-li (
Now the hammer is coming down on Ma, but it is not clear whether he will follow party rules or seek to tiptoe around them.
In terms of party rules, this is a simple issue.
Politically, however, it is much more difficult. This is not about individual people, families or political parties, but about safeguarding the credibility of the parties in question. Chen and Ma face a situation that will not only affect the immediate present, but that will also influence Taiwan's future direction.
Chen and Ma should remember the reasons why they amended their party charters in the first place. If integrity is an ideal that the DPP and the KMT value, then Chen and Ma may have to sacrifice their positions. If rules are twisted to help them stay in or attain office, it would be tantamount to deciding that the process is secondary to political "necessity."
Chen and Ma have proclaimed their innocence. They may be indicted at some point, but that is for the judicial system to work out.
The nation's political parties, however, must do some serious soul searching. The DPP and the KMT must decide whether their rules are indeed standards to live up to, or whether they exist only to be broken when political expedience deems it necessary.
Under DPP rules, Wu should be expelled.
Under KMT rules, if he is indicted, Ma's membership in the party should be suspended and he should resign as chairman.
Both parties should remember that the nation's voters will watch -- and judge -- their response.
Two weeks ago, Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh (楊紫瓊) raised hackles in Taiwan by posting to her 2.6 million Instagram followers that she was visiting “Taipei, China.” Yeoh’s post continues a long-standing trend of Chinese propaganda that spreads disinformation about Taiwan’s political status and geography, aimed at deceiving the world into supporting its illegitimate claims to Taiwan, which is not and has never been part of China. Taiwan must respond to this blatant act of cognitive warfare. Failure to respond merely cedes ground to China to continue its efforts to conquer Taiwan in the global consciousness to justify an invasion. Taiwan’s government
This month’s news that Taiwan ranks as Asia’s happiest place according to this year’s World Happiness Report deserves both celebration and reflection. Moving up from 31st to 27th globally and surpassing Singapore as Asia’s happiness leader is gratifying, but the true significance lies deeper than these statistics. As a society at the crossroads of Eastern tradition and Western influence, Taiwan embodies a distinctive approach to happiness worth examining more closely. The report highlights Taiwan’s exceptional habit of sharing meals — 10.1 shared meals out of 14 weekly opportunities, ranking eighth globally. This practice is not merely about food, but represents something more
In an article published on this page on Tuesday, Kaohsiung-based journalist Julien Oeuillet wrote that “legions of people worldwide would care if a disaster occurred in South Korea or Japan, but the same people would not bat an eyelid if Taiwan disappeared.” That is quite a statement. We are constantly reading about the importance of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC), hailed in Taiwan as the nation’s “silicon shield” protecting it from hostile foreign forces such as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and so crucial to the global supply chain for semiconductors that its loss would cost the global economy US$1
Concerns that the US might abandon Taiwan are often overstated. While US President Donald Trump’s handling of Ukraine raised unease in Taiwan, it is crucial to recognize that Taiwan is not Ukraine. Under Trump, the US views Ukraine largely as a European problem, whereas the Indo-Pacific region remains its primary geopolitical focus. Taipei holds immense strategic value for Washington and is unlikely to be treated as a bargaining chip in US-China relations. Trump’s vision of “making America great again” would be directly undermined by any move to abandon Taiwan. Despite the rhetoric of “America First,” the Trump administration understands the necessity of
RSS