The Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) stolen assets have long been a subject of public criticism, but the KMT is so impervious to criticism that it has never dealt with the issue.
During his first stint as KMT chairman, President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) promised he would settle the dispute over the party’s ill-gotten assets. More than two years have passed since that pledge and the issue remains unresolved.
With Ma soon to take up the KMT chairmanship again, the public will see whether he pursues his promise. No one in the KMT has mentioned it, but Minister of the Interior Jiang Yi-huah (江宜樺), who is not a KMT member, said in an interview that Ma should steel himself to settle the party assets issue. As party members have entrusted him through the election with party matters, this is the best time for Ma to deal with the assets.
Jiang’s suggestion was forceful and impressive. He is an exception in today’s political scene: a member of a new generation of pro-localization elites. He received his doctorate in political science from Yale University and is a professor of political science at National Taiwan University. He has no past connections to Ma, nor is he a KMT member.
During his term as minister of the Research, Development and Evaluation Commission, his performance was praised by Ma and former premier Liu Chao-shiuan (劉兆玄).
In particular, Jiang won Ma’s regard when he made clear that he would stand by Liu come what may. In the Cabinet reshuffle, Jiang became interior minister.
What is most interesting is that before Jiang joined the Cabinet, he set up three principles for himself: not to join a political party, not to stump for electoral candidates and not to be persuaded to stay after deciding to leave a position. When he took over as interior minister, he reiterated these principles, with Ma saying he would respect them.
Since Taiwan was ruled by a one-party state for decades, there was no distinction between the state treasury and KMT treasury. Jiang said the KMT’s assets are not a legal problem but a political one and that they should be cut to the minimum required for the party’s basic operations. The rest should be donated to the country or to non-profit organizations, he said.
Jiang has the courage to say what he thinks and his views on the KMT’s assets hold water.
We do not know if Ma will heed this jarring advice, but Jiang has set a good example for other elected officials.
Lu I-ming is the former publisher and president of Taiwan Shin Sheng Daily News.
TRANSLATED BY TED YANG
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