With great power comes great responsibility. Even Spiderman, a fictional hero, knew this. But Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) does not. He does not seem to realize the great power he wields as the leader of the opposition party, nor the great responsibility this position implies. Even worse, he considers taking the law into his own hands as the right move. We do not need lawyers, judges, courts and laws -- what for? If you do not agree with someone, just kill him or her and take justice into your hands.
What a pity they do not apply this to the KMT's stolen assets: Dear Taiwan, if you believe that we, the KMT, have stolen something in our 50 years of single-party rule, please come and take it, because (and I am paraphrasing Lien) as long as we see anyone who makes fraud or unlawful actions, everyone can put this guy to death. It seems to me KMT officials are going to need a battalion of security guards to stay alive and keep their stolen assets.
Nevertheless, these kinds of ideas and actions sound familiar to me. Too familiar: they remind me of 1947, the 228 Incident and the White Terror that followed. The KMT's understanding of justice, law and fairness was very simple and very dangerous: Those who are not with us are against us, so we have the right to kill them. Former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) apologized for this brutal and cold-blooded aggression against the Taiwan-ese people, but that apology was apparently just his apology. The KMT seems not to really mind what it did back then, and it is continuing in the same track without realizing that society has changed.
More than 50 years later, and it seems that the KMT has not learned any lessons. Violence and aggression are still the answer for the KMT's foes. Law, for the KMT, means "our will," and truth stands for "our version of the story." If judges agree with the pan-blues, the judges are right -- if not, the judges are wrong. So the pan-blues are above the law: this is the message to all of us who live in Taiwan.
When Spain finished its civil war, and in Germany when World War II ended, there was a common feeling in the population summarized by the words "never again." The pan-blue camp seems not to have learned this lesson, and for them power is so addictive that they would kill -- or even worse, they invite others to kill, so they can grasp power and hold it forever. It is not too different from the political methods of their counterparts on the other side of the Taiwan Strait.
Let's hope that a wave of new politicians will soon emerge in the KMT ranks. This country needs a first-rate opposition party so that the much-needed "check and balances" necessary in any true democracy can really be established. Until then, simply brace yourself for the bumpy -- and sometimes hilarious -- road ahead.
Francisco Carin
Taishan
Recently, China launched another diplomatic offensive against Taiwan, improperly linking its “one China principle” with UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 to constrain Taiwan’s diplomatic space. After Taiwan’s presidential election on Jan. 13, China persuaded Nauru to sever diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Nauru cited Resolution 2758 in its declaration of the diplomatic break. Subsequently, during the WHO Executive Board meeting that month, Beijing rallied countries including Venezuela, Zimbabwe, Belarus, Egypt, Nicaragua, Sri Lanka, Laos, Russia, Syria and Pakistan to reiterate the “one China principle” in their statements, and assert that “Resolution 2758 has settled the status of Taiwan” to hinder Taiwan’s
The past few months have seen tremendous strides in India’s journey to develop a vibrant semiconductor and electronics ecosystem. The nation’s established prowess in information technology (IT) has earned it much-needed revenue and prestige across the globe. Now, through the convergence of engineering talent, supportive government policies, an expanding market and technologically adaptive entrepreneurship, India is striving to become part of global electronics and semiconductor supply chains. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Vision of “Make in India” and “Design in India” has been the guiding force behind the government’s incentive schemes that span skilling, design, fabrication, assembly, testing and packaging, and
Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s (李顯龍) decision to step down after 19 years and hand power to his deputy, Lawrence Wong (黃循財), on May 15 was expected — though, perhaps, not so soon. Most political analysts had been eyeing an end-of-year handover, to ensure more time for Wong to study and shadow the role, ahead of general elections that must be called by November next year. Wong — who is currently both deputy prime minister and minister of finance — would need a combination of fresh ideas, wisdom and experience as he writes the nation’s next chapter. The world that
As former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) wrapped up his visit to the People’s Republic of China, he received his share of attention. Certainly, the trip must be seen within the full context of Ma’s life, that is, his eight-year presidency, the Sunflower movement and his failed Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement, as well as his eight years as Taipei mayor with its posturing, accusations of money laundering, and ups and downs. Through all that, basic questions stand out: “What drives Ma? What is his end game?” Having observed and commented on Ma for decades, it is all ironically reminiscent of former US president Harry