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Editorial: Ma's venture into the countryside

Forsaking the comfort of his air-conditioned office, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday began a no-frills, 18-day stay in central Taiwan.

Ma's camp says the exercise is intended to help the former Taipei mayor gain a better understanding of life outside the big city. Campaign spokesman Lo Chih-chiang (羅智強) said Ma will stay in cheap hostels or local residents' houses and spend at least three days with local farmers, fishermen and laborers.

Whether or not Ma has been watching media reports of Paris Hilton and reruns of Nicole Richie's The Simple Life is beside the point -- it's laudable that the KMT's choice for president is trying to establish some common ground with average Taiwanese.

Having lived in this country since he was an infant, almost 60 years, it's a good thing that Ma now wants to experience what life is like in small-town Taiwan -- even if the timing is a little too convenient.

Casting cynicism aside, it can only be hoped that this doesn't degenerate into another episode of the Ma roadshow, as was the case with the pan-blue poster boy's recent bicycle tour of the nation.

In May, Ma begam a 10-day trip from Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻) to Fukui Cape (富貴角), Taipei County. Thanks to the sterling efforts of the media, Ma's stamina and determination during the 619km journey was well documented. However, while the trip was supposed to be about Ma getting closer to the public, some of the footage must have ended up on the cutting room floor, because TV coverage consisted largely of a yellow-clad Ma wiping sweat from his brow, cycling endlessly uphill and gulping down water. Occasionally this was combined with scenes of the presidential candidate being enthusiastically embraced by cheering supporters.

To avoid a repeat of this scenario, farmers, fishermen and laborers should seize their opportunity to confront Ma with real issues.

For example, reporters should be asking Ma why his party has failed to include an amendment to the Temporary Statute Regarding the Welfare Pension of Senior Farmers (老年農民福利津貼暫行條例) that would increase the monthly stipend for elderly farmers from NT$5,000 to NT$6,000 on its priority agenda for the extended legislative session which started on Tuesday.

Apparently, the KMT has other priorities.

They could also ask Ma why the KMT championed amendments to the Farmers' Association Law (農會法) and Fishermen's Association Law (漁會法) that canceled the three-term limits for association secretaries-general and lowered the requirements for their terms of office to be extended.

It is not unusual for presidential candidates to do everything possible to attract the attention of the media. But if we must see Ma every time we turn on the TV, it would be nice to see him answering difficult questions posed by straight-talking folk.

Then, perhaps, the ordinary voter might become his party's first priority.
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