Shooting itself in the foot seems to be the habit of this government. After backing down from the nuclear plant row, the government has apparently decided to focus on executive reforms and a crackdown on crime (yes, yet another one). Unfortunately, it seems to have stepped into another minefield, one that might lead to an early Cabinet reshuffle.
Minister of Transportation and Communications Yeh Chu-lan
Chen listed five major snafus in his lambasting of the Cabinet's inefficiency during the recent National Administrative Reforms Conference. Three of the five examples had to do with the transportation ministry. Chen's criticism was followed by a statement from Lin Chia-cheng
The Executive Yuan had hoped that a small reshuffle would create a new atmosphere in the run-up to the December elections. Now, Yeh's resignation may jeopardize Chen's and Chang's plans -- and as we have seen too often over the last 10 months, things can easily spin out of control.
Under the KMT's rule, government officials were often ridiculed for brazenly hanging on to their posts even after totally botching major crises and coming under severe criticism from the public and legislature. Very few ever left voluntarily. Now, however, DPP officials appear to be going to the other extreme. Many in the administration came up through the DPP's ranks during the martial law era and are well-versed in debate, but not so dexterous in handling administrative details. This has resulted in a high frequency of blunders. Chen's government has already seen two major Cabinet reshuffles. The DPP's political appointees talk about resigning at every turn of the road, creating the impression that they do not attach any importance to their jobs and are unwilling to take responsibility. Yeh's behavior, in particular , appears crass because the transportation ministry has been criticized for poor administrative efficiency, not for bad policies.
Chang has not named any names for a possible reshuffle, but that hasn't stopped the media from eagerly speculating that officials from the Ministry of Education and the Atomic Energy Council may top the list. However, the heads of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Environmental Protection Administration and the Ministry of Finance have all been criticized by the opposition, but the Executive Yuan wants to keep them.
Public opinion surveys show that most people believe the premier should be the first one to go. Chang's reputation has hit rock bottom because he ignored political realities in halting construction of the nuclear power plant -- although he acted in accordance with President Chen's will. Exactly who should step down to take political responsibility?
Another lingering effect of years spent in opposition is the tendency of DPP politicians to speak first, think later. While it is only proper for Chen to criticize the Cabinet for inefficiency, the political consequences of such a move should have been carefully calculated. Perhaps, when hinting that the Executive Yuan might punish some errant members, it did not cross the minds of senior Cabinet ministers that some of their colleagues might jump ship first. Now the Cabinet is scrambling to keep its members in line. Who will be blamed the next time the gun goes off and hits the government in the foot?
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