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Taiwanese ask what Ma
has done for his country
By James Wang 王景弘
Former vice president Vincent Siew (蕭萬長), once hailed by President Ma Ying-jeou
(馬英九) as the “designer of Taiwan’s economy” has made a comeback, and this time
he has fashioned himself as a patriot.
While going to great lengths to persuade the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and
opposition parties to put an end to their arguing and stop being angry at each
other, Siew borrowed a quote from former US president John Kennedy in an attempt
to get Taiwanese to be more loyal to their country.
While these actions and comments seem big and sound impressive, they are
incongruous with what is really going on in Taiwan.
When leaders show they are incompetent and are acting in an absurd way, the
opposition parties and voters have both the right and responsibility to object
and be angry.
If they instead pretend everything is rosy and that they get on like a house on
fire, something is really wrong.
Those in power have a responsibility to improve things for the public while also
establishing justice.
Talking about transforming anger into kindness not only turns everything upside
down, but it is also extremely hypocritical for Siew to turn around and blame
both sides of the political spectrum the way he did.
Having been born in a region of Taiwan that has a strong Taiwanese independence
contingent, Siew should really ask himself why KMT legislators do not have the
courage to get angry and instead sit around and let Ma ruin Taiwan. The way
these legislators have acted is no different to the way past officials sat
around in fear and obeyed the commands of former dictator Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石).
Kennedy took over as US president at the height of the Cold War. At that time,
the lines between freedom and communism were clearly drawn and this is why he
called on Americans to serve their country and contribute to it when he said:
“Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your
country.”
The meaning of Kennedy’s words was clear: Regardless of color, one was
considered an American as long as one held citizenship and all citizens should
serve their country. Kennedy never tried to make any preposterous claims about
the US’ sovereignty stretching over all of Europe or “Communist China.”
The way Ma views Taiwan and its national sovereignty goes against the public’s
will and the way things really are.
Taiwanese are willing to serve their country, but their country is not the
country that is imagined in Ma’s idea of “eventual unification” with China.
How could people not “get angry” when Ma does not view Taiwan as his country and
wants us to serve China instead?
Siew has managed something of a superhuman feat by still being able to smile
after holding the position of premier during the time when former president Lee
Teng-hui (李登輝) advocated his “special state-to-state” policy and then serving as
vice president while Ma’s regime accepted Beijing’s conditions and designated
Taiwan as part of China.
Siew’s use of Kennedy’s quote was a cheap attempt at pulling the wool over
people’s eyes and trying to turn Taiwanese into obedient sheep.
However, Taiwanese are justifiably angry and as voters in a democratic country,
they are the one’s who possess the final say on the matter.
They should therefore ask themselves what Ma has done for Taiwan.
James Wang is a media commentator.
Translated by Drew Cameron
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