An interesting piece of news originating in Malaysia appeared on Monday -- following Father's Day in Taiwan -- when a newspaper in that country published an interview with the father of Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (
The elder Ma, 84, said he hoped his son would run for president in 2008. He also said that the unwillingness of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan (
This report is interesting not because it mentions a run for the presidency by Ma Ying-jeou. After the Lien-Soong ticket lost the presidential election on March 20, Ma Ying-jeou and Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (
But the younger Ma has numerous obstacles to overcome if he wants to become the leader of the pan-blue camp.
First, how will he replace Lien as the KMT's chairman? Will Lien really keep his promise to step down after the December legislative elections?
Many political analysts believe that even if Lien resigns, the party will still be troubled by its inappropriately obtained assets, as well as by several billion NT dollars in campaign funds that are still unaccounted for. Under such circumstances, will the mayor, who is famous for his "political mysophobia [dread of dirt or filth]," make so bold as to take the chairmanship?
Moreover, although Ma Ying-jeou is taking weekly lessons in Hoklo (more commonly known as Taiwanese), in seeking the support of the KMT's majority local faction, he can hardly defeat Wang -- who is also a KMT vice chairman and the leader of the party's local faction.
On the other hand, if Ma Ying-jeou is going to stake a claim to the leadership of the pan-blue camp, then clearly Lien and Soong are heading for political oblivion. But Soong clearly has his sights set on the presidency in 2008; otherwise, he would never have been willing to settle for the vice presidency in a Lien-Soong ticket in this year's election after having fought Lien in 2000.
But because of his age, time is not on Soong's
side, and 2008 is probably his last chance at the presidency. Soong and the PFP -- which he leads single-handedly -- must do whatever they can to stop Ma Ying-jeou from attaining the KMT chairmanship if Soong is to have any hope of winning the presidency in 2008.
Ma Ying-jeou, on the other hand, is faced with having to step down as Taipei mayor in 2006 if he intends to stand for the presidency -- but this leaves him a two-year gap between his current office and the one he would then compete for.
What would he do to maintain his support from his political allies during this period, when he would have no formal stage on which to perform?
During this time he would have to avoid being marginalized from politics, and this would be his hardest test.
Many believe that the news from Malaysia is a way for the elder Ma to help clear the way for his son. It is not dissimilar to what he did in 1998 to help his son move from his position as minister of justice into the Taipei mayor's office.
It remains to be seen whether his ploy will help his son move from the mayor's office into the Presidential Office.
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