Lien wants KMT assets put in trust

Vice President and KMT presidential candidate Lien Chan (連戰) said yesterday that the party would put its business empire "in trust" if elected, as well as carrying out other political and judicial reforms, to ensure cleaner politics and a fairer society.

Analysts, however, said that Lien's proposals are simply old promises never delivered rather than new ideas -- but that at least they are a step in the right direction.

In a speech about his campaign platform, dubbed a "third wave of reform," Lien told thousands of supporters yesterday that party politics and business did not mix.

"Political parties must end their businesses and the KMT will take the initiative by having its property entrusted [to professional managers]," he said at the opening of his election campaign headquarters in Taipei.

Liu Tai-ying (劉泰英), the KMT's top official in charge of the party's business empire, was seen waving an election flag behind Lien when he made the announcement.

"That political parties should not run profit-oriented businesses and that political reforms, such as public referendums and single seat election districts should be adopted, were all part of a consensus reached at the National Development Conference," said Joseph Wu (吳釗燮), a political analyst at National Chengchi University.

The conference was a cross-party meeting called by President Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) to search for a consensus on constitutional reform and was held in December 1996.

"What Lien promised today was nothing new, as some have perceived. The problem is that the promises have never been realized," Wu said.

"It would be a good thing if the KMT put its party assets in trust, or even returned all its assets to the state and put itself on a equal footing with other parties in competing for voters," Wu said.

"But I still doubt whether the KMT is going to do it."

He suggested candidates should take measures to make it binding for the future president to implement their proposals.

"Now that most candidates seem to agree on major reforms, one way to ensure that those reforms are completed is for the candidates to sign a contract," Wu said, "so that whoever is elected will have to do what they have promised."

Chang Ching-hsih (張清溪), a National Taiwan University economist and the co-author of a book analyzing how the KMT's huge assets have distorted Taiwan's democratic process, was blunter.

"If he is willing to put party assets in trust, why won't he do it right now? What is he waiting for?" asked Chang. "The reason could be that he still needs the money."

"And in case he loses the election, he won't have to worry about party assets anymore, as whoever is elected will take care of the problem [by getting rid of the KMT's assets]," Chang added.

"Those assets were from the state and have to be returned to the state through a political settlement; as where the party's assets came from is a political issue to begin with," the economist said.

Lien's campaign manager Jason Hu (胡志強) and other party officials said that after the legislature passes the necessary laws regulating asset trusts, the KMT will be able to put its assets in trust.

"To put its assets in trust is a concept heading in the right direction; but it is only a beginning and it has to be followed by tremendous tasks," Chang said.

But other analysts believe Lien has taken a major step forward in making such an announcement.