Speaking bluntly, Lee Teng-hui (
Lee has now become invincible because he does not care about criticism or punishment. After the KMT sent him an ultimatum, he was polite enough not to flush it down the toilet. Although the KMT revoked his membership for violating party discipline, Lee himself actually believes that he is launching a holy war for Taiwan, democracy and anti-communism.
Not only does he have a righteous motive, but he also has moral courage. He claims that he is just following God's words, as if he is the embodiment of the Holy One. If the KMT were to call him a traitor and demand that his head be chopped off, it would effectively be declaring war against God and attempting to decapitate the Almighty.
Once a politician turns politics into theology, assuming that he believes he is a god, and proclaims "I am the way, the truth and the light," he resembles a spiritual medium. No one can awaken him and no one can stop him either. How fortunate the KMT was to be led by Lee; how unfortunate it is now being trampled on by him! The party just looks weak and undignified as it struggles to appear virtuous while all but drowning in Lee's bile.
But what does KMT Chairman Lien Chan (
All he dares to do is to write a farewell letter to his former boss, sending Lee out of the KMT's door regretfully but politely. Thus he can proclaim a spiritual victory, continue to head the KMT, campaign in the year-end elections and dream about maintaining a legislative majority and winning the next presidential election.
The KMT, however, may lose the year-end elections and thereby its dream of maintaining a majority in the legislature. Moreover, short of a miracle or two, Lien's hope of becoming president in two and a half years is pie in the sky. If he really wants to make a sound political move, he must quit his post after the December elections, whether the party wins or loses.
The British Conservative Party is a prime example of this point. It is the world's oldest party, but it became "Thatcher's Party" after being led by former prime minister Margaret Thatcher for 15 years. Even though it has been in the opposition for over four years, it has failed to emerge from Thatcher's shadow. The party has split into two factions because of her and the internal struggles are relentless.
Iain Duncan Smith was recently elected party chairman, thanks to Thatcher's support. His victory, however, was lambasted by the press, who said that although he was capable of being elected chairman he would be incapable of being elected prime minister. Some even predict that the Conservatives will in time become the third-largest party, falling behind not only the ruling Labour Party but also the opposition Liberal Democratic Party.
The press jeered Duncan Smith because he is unlikely to lead the party away from its Thatcherite past; he is unlikely to end the incessant infighting; and as an old party, the Conservatives face difficulties in reforming. Smith's victory simply accentuates the party's move to the right, putting it practically beyond the pale.
Duncan Smith is only 47 -- 18 years younger than Lien. He has been in politics for only eight years. Although he is viewed as an outsider at Westminster, he is a political new boy with some scope to develop his political personality -- unlike Lien, whose character was shaped long ago. That being so, if Duncan Smith offers little prospect of reform, how much more is that true of Lien?
The Conservatives still have a glimmer of hope of surviving, now that they have a young leader. The KMT's leaders are all elderly and tarnished by last year's presidential defeat.
If Lien hopes to revive the party, he should vow to quit his post after the December polls, even as he draws a clear line between the party and Lee. Otherwise, the KMT will remain its old self -- same leaders, same politics -- and deserving of being trampled upon.
Wang Chien-chuang is president of The Journalist magazine.
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