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Ma’s cadre feign
honor to conceal their greed
By Fan Chiang Ti-ang 范姜提昂
After finally being concluded, it comes as no surprise that no charges were
brought up during the Special Investigation Division’s (SID) investigation into
the National Development Fund’s investments in Yu Chang Biologics Co, now known
as TaiMed Biologics Inc.
However, that there was an investigation in the first place makes one wonder why
we have been duped again.
Inconceivably, every time President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) proves himself inept and
shameless, all that is needed is for someone to say that “at least he’s not
corrupt,” and somehow that salvages some of our trust in him.
Creating a reputation of incorruptibility is actually the greatest achievement
and investment a politician can make.
All it takes to succeed is to be an adept pretender and be thick-skinned — much
like Wang Mang (王莽), who usurped the Han throne to found the Xin Dynasty two
millennia ago.
However, Ma is definitely in a league of his own when it comes to utilizing the
benefits of incorruptibility to the utmost advantage. Every time Ma is accused
of corruption, for example when he was accused of misusing the mayoral special
allowance fund during his two terms as Taipei mayor from 1998 to 2006, someone
will always come forward to rescue him.
Ma will undoubtedly be able to keep up his act, comfortably remaining impervious
to prosecution and maintaining his facade of incorruptibility. But how is that
possible?
As the controversy surrounding Ma’s US green card status destroyed his claims of
loyalty to the nation and since his claims about incorruptibility were corroded
by the alleged misuse of the special allowance fund, Ma and his cadres can no
longer claim incorruptibility as their true virtue.
Instead, they have turned it into a commercialized, militarized and fascist tool
and aligned themselves even more closely with their avaricious partners in crime
in the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT).
Ma is using his “incorruptibility” cloak to mask the greed and notorious evils
of the KMT, while people within the party vow to defend Ma’s incorruptibility
until their dying day. The resultant outcome is the creation of an interest
group of bellicose fascists working in tandem to feign incorruptibility.
During every election, fanatics supporting these “incorruptible” autocrats will
come out on the streets and use the KMT’s bountiful assets to spread the party’s
propaganda. They organize well equipped armies of “incorruptibility” crusaders,
who seek out challengers to contest who is truly incorruptible. And who could
they possibly be afraid of?
However, the most despicable thing is that Ma’s cadres control the media and
every corner of the judicial system. They use their despotic methods to frame
any opposing figures as corrupt and smear innocent people’s reputations. This is
both infuriating and frustrating.
Once patriotism morphs into fascism, maniacs like Adolf Hitler rise to power.
People must be vigilant. When the virtue of incorruptibility becomes a weapon of
fascism, we can no longer afford to be content.
People like David Ho (何大一), a renowned scientist in the field of HIV/AIDS
treatment and director and chief executive of the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research
Center, were humiliated by Ma’s gang during the Yu Chang case.
Meanwhile, Ma remained indifferent and stood idly by. This demonstrates just how
dispassionate and detached Ma is from Taiwan and its people. Feel betrayed?
Sorry, Ma does not care.
Fan Chiang Ti-ang is deputy secretary-general of the Northern Taiwan Society.
Translated by Kyle Jeffcoat
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