Thanks for nothing, Mr Ma
President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) is the most pretentious of all presidents in the world. It is clear that he has no interest in Taiwan’s sovereignty, as he has shown throughout the preparations for the World Games. He showed no interest until he decided to attend the Games two days before the opening ceremony.
Sovereignty is what we could find in the opening ceremony of the Games through its amazing performances that all related to Taiwan’s culture.
Due to the government’s shameless cut to the budget for the World Games, students and local dancers were hired to perform at the opening ceremony with all their heart. The various Taiwanese teams in the World Games also received little or no support from the government, but have performed amazingly, even winning gold medals.
Yet when he decided to appear at the World Games just days before the opening ceremony, Ma had the cheek to say that the Games show that ties with China have improved.
This is an inappropriate remark. Former Kaohsiung mayor Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) applied for the World Games and succeeded in bringing them to his city. China tried to sabotage Taiwan’s effort.
Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu (陳菊) took over after Hsieh and made this the best show Taiwan has ever performed on the world stage — and the best show Taiwan has performed to show its position as a unique and independent country.
Meanwhile, Ma has embarrassed himself by recording an online speech in advance and lying about his knowledge about computers before his graduation in 1972.
Ma has also restored former dictator Chiang Kai-shek’s (蔣介石) name to the memorial hall in Taipei, even as the public celebrates Taiwan’s sovereignty through the World Games. Ma ought to be ashamed of himself for choosing this timing to restore the name of the memorial.
More examples of Ma’s uninterest in Taiwan’s sovereignty can be found in the news every day. His actions would be considered scandalous abroad, but not so in Taiwan.
As long as Ma is president, it will be a shame for this country and a shame for the world to see such a puppet of China pretending to govern.
ALEX RAYMOND
Niaosong,
Kaohsiung County
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