“This week has been ridiculous. President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) government has made this week Chiang Ching-kuo’s week. While Ma may see himself as a successor to Chiang, Chiang Ching-kuo was against communist China, whereas Ma is pro-China, and while Chiang insisted on the existence of the Republic of China [ROC], Ma wants to destroy the ROC,” DPP Spokesman Cheng Wen-tsang (鄭文燦) told a press conference yesterday.
Cheng said Taiwan’s democratization was led by its people, not an authoritarian leader like Chiang Ching-kuo.
“From the White Terror to democratic reform, from the authoritarian age to openness, many Taiwanese shed blood, sweat and spent their young years fighting for democracy and freedom. Many people lost their lives or were jailed in political trials, but Ma ignored these facts and attributed the nation’s achievements to Chiang, which is the biggest historical irony,” Cheng said.
Cheng said the KMT government’s worship and deification of Chiang was “unbelievable.”
At a separate setting, the DPP caucus yesterday slammed ministers for missing legislative meetings to accompany Ma in attending the memorial service at Chiang’s mausoleum in Touliao (頭寮).
DPP caucus whip Lee Chun-yee (李俊毅) said that Minister of Agriculture Chen Wu-hsiung (陳武雄) went to Touliao with Ma and was absent from a committee meeting.
DPP Legislator Chiu Yi-ying (邱議瑩) said Environmental Protection Administration Minister Steven Shen (沈世宏) and Council of Indigenous Peoples Minister Chang Jen-hsiang (章仁香) also went to Touliao.
Chiu said Minister of National Defense Chen Chao-min (陳肇敏), Minister of Justice Wang Ching-feng (王清峰) and acting director of the National Security Bureau Tsai Der-sheng (蔡得勝) missed a meeting to discuss allegations that a number of generals had tried to obtain promotions by bribing their superiors.
She said that Chairman of the Council for Economic Planning and Development Chen Tain-jy (陳添枝), Mainland Affairs Council Chairwoman Lai Shin-yuan (賴幸媛) and Chen Wu-hsiung were also absent from a meeting to discuss a proposal for signing an economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) with China.
In response to Cheng’s criticism, KMT Spokesman Lee Chien-jung (李建榮) said the majority of the public remembered Chiang’s incorruptible government and his daring and resolve to push the “10 major construction projects,” adding that the DPP’s views clearly ran counter to mainstream public opinion.
Lee Chien-jung quoted Ma as saying that “there has never been a perfect man throughout history, but as Chiang set Taiwan on the path to free democracy and prosperity, we must express our highest appreciation and gratitude [to him].”
He also said that recent opininon polls showed that in the eyes of the public, Chiang was the leader who, among all of Taiwan’s political figures, had made the greatest contribution to the country.
He said that Chiang’s achievements outweighed his errors and he was saddened that the DPP did not attend the ceremony.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY CNA
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