The local media seem to have a special talent for sycophancy — especially in bestowing near mythical status on political figures. This is how former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) was treated eight years ago and how President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) is treated now. The situation has gotten even more out of hand recently with descriptions of Wang Chien-shien, who was nominated for president of the Control Yuan.
If media reports are to be believed, Wang must be the reincarnation of Judge Bao (包青天), a Song dynasty official renowned for his moral uprightness, or of Hai Rui (海瑞), a Ming dynasty government official known for his honesty. They have also given the impression that if Wang becomes president of the Control Yuan, the office will be able to end official corruption once and for all. But is this true?
Not in the mind of former Control Yuan president Wang Tso-jung (王作榮). First, the status of the Control Yuan has been amended time and again so that its authority has been undermined. Second, being president of the Control Yuan is only “in addition to” being a member and does not confer any special status.
In other words, one of the 29 members is chosen to be the president of the Control Yuan to fulfill administrative duties. At the same time, the president cannot interfere in the investigations of other members. At the most, he or she signs papers and stamps documents — in fact, to change one word of a report would be in violation of the law. Hence, the president of the Control Yuan, as described by Wang Tso-jung, is no more than a Buddhist statue that can be moved to preside over the Control Yuan and who would be hard-pressed to produce any substantial results.
As for suggestions regarding the possible formulation of an “anti-corruption agency” under the Control Yuan, Wang Tso-jung believes it to be redundant. After all, probing corruption is only one of the responsibilities of the Control Yuan. Listening to his explanations, the public would realize that the Control Yuan does not have such grand duties and responsibilities, and that the presidency is merely a symbolic position.
Meanwhile, the media are busy lauding the moral rectitude of Wang Chien-shien, heaping praises on his advice that nominees for the Control Yuan refrain from making individual visits to the legislature to canvass support in an attempt to break this bad political habit. This angered Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators, who see the media’s glowing portrayal of him as casting them in a bad light.
Amid the commotion, the Presidential Office intervened to try to reconcile the two sides, arranging for all Examination Yuan and Control Yuan nominees to visit the legislature together — to which Wang Chien-shien complied. So where is his integrity? If, in future, there comes word from above regarding cases that require investigation or impeachment, would the Control Yuan abandon its principles? If so, how will the Control Yuan live up to the public’s expectations?
As Wang Tso-jung has suggested, if Wang Chien-shien wanted to truly fulfill public expectations, he should do his duties by the book and probe cases such as the Lafayette frigate scandal and the “state affairs” fund scandal. A thorough investigation of a few of these cases would make him more deserving of the many flatteries bestowed on him.
Looking at the list of nominees, it is not difficult to see that there is great doubt whether these candidates are truly morally unimpeachable. The media should refrain from gross exaggerations and obfuscation as doing so can only damage the public interest.
Lu I-ming is the former publisher and president of Taiwan Shin Shen Daily News.
TRANSLATED BY ANGELA HONG
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