On Saturday last week, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) commented on a protest by former freeway toll collectors after it came to an end, saying, “Some say ‘noisy kids always get candy,’ but what counts is not making noise, what counts is whether the demands are reasonable and whether the government is listening.” She was clearly emphasizing that making noise is a way of communication and her administration will listen to such noise if it is reasonable.
This means that the key lies in whether a demand is reasonable. Perhaps this is the fundamental guideline for how her administration handles national affairs.
Take the strike of China Airlines (CAL) flight attendants, for example. CAL chairman Ho Nuan-hsuan (何煖軒) conceded to all their demands without hesitation, because their complaints were reasonable.
As for the military personnel, civil servants and public school teachers who plan a demonstration on Ketagalan Boulevard on Armed Forces Day on Saturday as part of their fight to protect their pensions; the Taiwan Railways Administration train drivers who plan to take a day off during the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday; the taxi drivers who are protesting against the government’s tolerance of the ride-hailing app Uber; and the employers and employees who remain locked in a struggle over the government’s proposal to give workers “one fixed day off and one flexible rest day” per week: They will only get their candy if their complaints are reasonable.
As for whether a protest is reasonable, that is not something that can be decided by those who are protesting: Whether a protest is reasonable depends solely on whether Tsai and her administration decide that it is.
If they decided that it is not, the protesters will have to do like Far Eastern Group chairman Douglas Hsu (徐旭東), who had to pay up to settle the case with former freeway toll collectors due to social cost.
Tsai believes that her handling of the former freeway toll workers’ protest not only helped reduce the number of street protest, but also that ending the protest meant that it would allow more families to start their life anew. And that, she said, is the purpose of the government’s existence.
However, the fishermen who sailed to Itu Aba Island (Taiping Island, 太平島) to assert Taiwan’s sovereignty over the island failed to win Tsai’s favor and were only allowed to dock at a port on the island.
After returning to Taiwan, they are facing a fine, but Tsai has not addressed the issue with a single word. It seems that even for a fight of significance, the government might choose to turn a blind eye.
Not long ago, Tsai surprisingly walked out of the Presidential Office Building to meet with Aboriginal protesters. However, in response to their appeals, she merely invited a few of Aboriginal community representatives to the Aboriginal historical justice and transitional justice committee that she convened, but did not really talk about their demands.
Apparently, the value of the government’s existence is to give priority to dealing with people and issues that Tsai and her administration think are reasonable. As for issues that are not on their priority list or issues that are not very visible, they will be handled later when they are more notable.
Finally, the biggest problem lies in the negative consequences that follow after protests and uproars have been handled.
Tsai acts like a president with “feelings” and “reason,” but when it comes to the law, she has so far done little to highlight what is reasonable, although the law is the foundation of the nation that must be followed and respected by the whole public, because it is the last line of defense protecting all people.
Still, Tsai and her administration have spoken more about feelings and reason than about the law when dealing with various issues during their first 100 days in office.
Take former freeway toll collectors’ protest for example: Although resolving the issue means that a few protesters no longer have to take to the streets, what will happen to all the other people who are facing similar problems?
A good government should be handling the affairs of the whole public, based on major principles and overall directions.
If the government is happy with helping a few households or a small section of the public while failing to benefit the public at large, Tsai would surely understand what effect that could have.
The question is if she and her administration will take a broader view after their first 100 days in office.
Kung Ling-shin is chair of the Department of Journalism at Ming Chuan University.
Translated by Eddy Chang
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