personal interest
vs public interest
The percentage of corrupt voters in Taiwan far exceeds those in other developed countries. Not many people in Taiwan care about public policy or the country's future. Personal interests and privileges have been what everyone cares about and pursues.
Banks affiliated with the provincial government over-extended loans, making it possible for Soong to shower money in exchange for support. Such generous favors and perks satisfied the appetite of greedy and corrupt Taiwanese. Many people were lured to the Soong camp for the sake of repaying Soong for his benevolence.
As far as Chen's camp is concerned, his fans were impressed by his image as a reformer who would terminate Taiwan's corruption.
Most voters in Taiwan dwell on one of two extremes -- at one end are those who ally with corruption and at the other are those who oppose it. Soong catered to voters pursuing their personal interests and protecting their privileges -- the group that allied with corruption. Chen, in contrast, vowed to terminate corruption in an effort to attract anti-corruption voters.
Lien -- who was not as generous as Soong -- couldn't compete with Soong in luring corrupt voters. Nor was Lien able to adopt a strong anti-corruption platform. As an incumbent, he was bogged down by the KMT's history of corruption.
The KMT old guard has long-opposed the party's localization path. They think the KMT can never outpace the DPP on the issue of localization. But for newer KMT members, it is still worth a try. But the KMT will not attract votes from the anti-localization crowd as long as Soong is around.
Therefore it is quite obvious what the KMT must do right now. As the opposition party, it must cast away the baggage of corruption. The DPP, as the ruling party, will increasingly shoulder the weight of corruption. The KMT should rationally take the path of reform. Many people see the KMT as the embodiment of corruption. Before the KMT takes on the role of a reformer, it has to rebuild its image as a party dedicated to country.
In the controversy over Tang's sick-leave, the KMT should have tried to make the public feel that they act only out of concern for the country.
Chen Mao-hsiung is a professor at National Sun Yat-sen University.
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