Sun, Jun 24, 2001 page3

• Newsmaker1 -- The spirit of opposition

  A staunch independence advocate and DPP stalwart, Wang Shih-chien is passionate about keeping alive the 'Independence Evening Post', the nation's oldest evening newspaper. But as he painfully cencedes, it is a battle that appears to have already been lost

  • By Lin Mei-chun / STAFF REPORTER
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  Last October DPP Taipei City councilor Wang Shih-chien (王世堅) took over the troubled Independence Evening Post (自立晚報) intending to "restore the paper's spirit of opposition." But after nine months, he now faces a huge challenge in simply keeping the newspaper on the presses each day.

  A controversial figure, with a reputation for good deeds on the one hand, and rudeness, brashness and officiousness on the other, Wang is undoubtly not surprised if some are silently revelling in his current unfortunate predicament.

  A week ago, the president of the Post found himself in the spotlight when a crowd of reporters swarmed into the newspaper's office asking him whether rumors the paper would soon be closed down were true.

  

  Wang Shih-chien's strong sense of social justice led him to take over the ailing Independence Evening Post.

  PHOTO: CHIANG YING-YING, TAIPEI TIMES

  Wang dismissed the rumors, but conceded that the paper was experiencing severe financial difficulties.

  "It has been a painful experience for me from a financial perspective, because every day I wake up knowing that another several hundred thousand [NT dollars] is down the drain," said 41-year-old Wang, chairman of the Jihchengchin Construction Company (日成鑫建設), when asked whether he regretted taking over the publication.

  "Nevertheless, it has been a valuable life experience. I feel I am acting in a manner that brings credit to my family, my descendants and society, because I have my political beliefs and I am brave enough to act on them. Time might yet prove my attempt to have been futile, but I will still consider it worthwhile."

  When Wang -- a businessman who made his fortune in construction -- took over the cash-strapped newspaper, few were sanguine about his chances of success, believing the paper's financial problems would defeat him. Nine months later, such pessimism appears vindicated.

  Despite knowing that the Post might never be profitable, he went ahead because, he said, he would have hated to see the newspaper, once bold enough to challenge KMT control of the media, close.

  Another primary factor was his urge to "fulfill the dream of my youth" -- to manage a newspaper he admired because, "It always stood on the side of the righteous minority against an authoritarian KMT regime."

  At his second attempt to take over the Post, following a failed bid in 1994, Wang's dream was finally realized.

  A founder of The Voice of Taipei (台北之音), a liberal radio station established in 1994, Wang has an avid interest in the media, whose function he believes is more than to transmit news, but also to help shape society's values.

  "Wang is an idealistic young man, daring and persistent in pursuit of his goals," said Vice Minister of the Interior Lee Yi-yang (李逸洋), a long-time friend, referring to Wang's determination to take over the Post despite friends' advice not to do so.

  "He also has a strong sense of social justice as regards public affairs."

  That sense of social justice may be in his blood. Wang's grandfather was killed during the 228 Incident, a brutal crackdown by the KMT government on civil unrest in 1947, which left up to 30,000 dead. His father was incarcerated for four years during the White Terror era.

  One of the causes to which Wang has been most devoted has been that of the victims of political oppression. He founded the 228 Incident Peace Association(二二八和平促進會）in 1991, along with current DPP chairman Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) and President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) -- both of whom were legislators at the time.

  The association has successfully helped victims of the incident restore their reputations and obtain government compensation.

  It, and Wang himself, have also been controversial, however. He spearheaded efforts by families of victims of the 228 Incident to seek control over the 228 Memorial Museum, claiming that families of victims had a superior claim to the right to decide how the museum should be used.

  The resulting dispute was one of the factors that contributed to the departure of the museum's first director, Iap Phok-bun (葉博文) and his steering organization, the Taiwan Peace Foundation (台灣和平基金會), last year. A new team was installed by Taipei City's Bureau of Cultural Affairs.

  Wang's lineage also prompted his staunch support for Taiwan independence. "Only by establishing its own sovereignty," he has said, "can any nation be saved from abuse by foreign forces."

  "Wang holds intense feelings towards Taiwan, and always ensures that he will have his opinions heard," Lee said.

  Wang, who once led a demonstration opposing Chinese annexation of Taiwan, and wrote an article titled "Going west is the most misguided option" (西進是最錯誤的選擇), is absolutely unequivocal in his stance.

  For that reason, despite the passionate fervor of Taiwanese businessmen to invest in China, Wang has no investments there.

  In pursuit of his political ideals, Wang has been, ever since his construction business first prospered, a long-time financial backer of opposition movements while the KMT held power.

  Wang started to get actively involved in politics in 1995, campaigning for late DPP chairman Chiang Peng-chien (江鵬堅)in the legislative elections, and was subsequently appointed an advisor to the DPP. In 1997 he was elected to the Taipei City Council.

  Although his sternness during questioning sessions in the council has won him a reputation for irrational and overbearing behavior, DPP City Councilor Yen Sheng-kuan (顏聖冠) sees a different side to her quick-tempered, somewhat unkempt colleague.

  "There is a gentle side to him rarely seen by others," Yang said. "He is also a very talented musician. He plays the violin beautifully and is a fountain of knowledge on classical music."
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