Premier Tang Fei (唐飛) looked like a helpless victim when he failed to identify a headshot of the Deputy Chairman of the Public Construction Commission. He then failed to correctly answer a legislator's questions concerning the names and ages of his Cabinet members, including National Youth Commission Chairperson Lin Fang-mei (
Although the quiz, designed to embarrass the premier, came under criticism from the media, there is little doubt people think it is "embarrassing" for Tang to have failed to recognize his members of his own Cabinet. Tang would never have made it to the position of premier under KMT rule -- at least had he not familiarized himself with everyone concerned.
People who joined the KMT's power center all planned to stay there for a few decades, building up their connections and feathering their nests. They have engaged in factional activities in pursuit of personal gains. "Knowing people" is an essential part of any successful political career.
People who don't have strong connections to others are like a "group of gods guarding the doorway (門神幫)." (In Chinese society, people hang portraits of gods on their doors to ward off evil spirits).
These people usually seem to have access to promotions when the door to power is opened and promotions become available. Like portraits that hang on the doors, they can't get in when the door is open and can only stay outside when it is closed.
All the high-ranking officials under KMT rule had ample experience. Lien Chan (連戰), for example, has assumed a variety of positions. He had a lot of opportunities to familiarize himself with many politicians and even developed friendships with some when serving in different government positions before his premiership.
In addition to official channels, KMT members also develop their interpersonal relations by socializing at golf clubs and alumni associations. Taiwan's first-term senior legislators once described themselves as "a group integrated by personal relations" (聯誼團體).
This is perhaps the best description of the KMT's nature.
Compared to KMT members, the new government officials seem like aliens on another planet; they hardly know one another and probably will have little chance to do so.
Many members of the new government are prestigious scholars in different fields. Take National Youth Commission Chairperson Lin, for example.
As a professor at National Chengchi University, how could she possibly have had the opportunity to know Tang, let alone become familiar with him?
Chen Hsi-huang (陳希煌), Chairman of the Council of Agriculture, also came from academic circles, where he had long enjoyed high esteem for his research.
When it comes to personal contacts in the political world, he's no match for his predecessor.
More than half a century of KMT rule has shaped people's stereotypical impressions and made them see the premier's failure to identify Cabinet members as embarrassment.
Perhaps former president Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石) was the perfect interpersonal relations expert. He kept files containing personal data on government officials in his office. Before appointing people to new government positions, he almost always personally interviewed them.
Among the questions he used to ask, the most important were about family backgrounds. He had all the time he needed to get to know people and to ensure key positions were occupied by the "right people" for his ends.
The objective of a modern, democratic government, however, is to serve the people. Whether or not the premier wants to get to know officials at every level has no direct correlation with his efficiency. Rather, it has more to do with his leadership style.
Chen Ro-jinn is a freelance writer.
Translated by Kathy Chu
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