Editorial: Time to put up or shut up

Against a backdrop of corruption rumors attacking virtually everyone there is to attack in President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) immediate circle of family and associates -- with the exception of Chen's two toddler-age grandsons -- Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) called on lawmakers from his party to back up their allegations with evidence. While the call is a step in the right direction, it is hardly enough. One expects a lot more from Chairman Ma, who is a graduate of Harvard Law School and therefore should be perfectly aware of the distinctions between libel and exposing corruption.

If KMT Legislator Chiu Yi (邱毅) and Lee Chuan-chiao (李全教) have any evidence -- that is, evidence that would be deemed credible at least from the perspective of common sense, if not from a legal standpoint -- to support their allegations against first lady Wu Shu-jen (吳淑珍) and Presidential Office Deputy Secretary-General Ma Yung-cheng (馬永成), they should hand it over to the prosecutor's office, so that the wrongdoers can be punished and justice can be served. If they don't, then they should keep their mouths shut and stop trying the public's patience with unsubstantiated fantasies.

The behavior of Chiu and Lee seems to be reminiscent of a fishing expedition -- they are poking around for evidence of foul play. They make the allegations in the hope that just talking about it will bring real evidence to the surface. If this is the case, it should come as no surprise. This behavior has a long history among the nation's politicians, who have a refined nose for scuttlebutt and little else.

The risks are minimal for those who make outlandish accusations. Political accountability is sadly an empty concept here. The voters are forgetful and are so divided by political ideology, particularly on the independence-unification question, that they will believe anything about representatives from the other side. Further, if no real evidence comes up -- as it invariably doesn't -- the rumor-mongers can always cry "cover up" and use the resulting media "investigation" to improve their electoral support and election chances. It's a reliable strategy.

Punishments for those rumor-mongers who turn out to have been wrong are of little concern. The victims have to file a lawsuit, and for people such as President Chen and his family, they are rarely in a position to go down this route. In the hallowed court of public opinion, the president doesn't want to give the appearance of being intolerant of criticism from opponents. If the victims do file lawsuits, it will often take years before a final verdict is brought down. This is especially the case if the accuser is a lawmaker -- he or she can claim legal immunity for things uttered on the legislative floor.

The fact that the prosecutor's office has formally filed charges against former Presidential Office deputy secretary-general Chen Che-nan (陳哲男) in a corruption case has boosted the morale of the likes of Chiu and Lee. However, they have yet to present real evidence to back up their allegations. Even if they never come up with the goods, the injury inflicted by their words cannot be undone.

Under the circumstances, it is very important for political parties to implement internal controls on the behavior of their members. This is true for not just the KMT, but all parties. Ma has indicated that if prosecutors find that the substance of KMT legislators' accusations is untrue, those lawmakers would be punished. What kind of punishment does he have in mind? He should be more specific. Ma must also remember to keep his word and hand out the punishment when the time comes.