Having won the presidential election and achieved its first ever absolute majority in the Legislative Yuan, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) should seek to utilize its administrative and legislative resources to implement transitional justice and deepen the nation’s democratic system, Foundation for Asia-Pacific Development president Kang Ning-hsiang (康寧祥) said at a forum the foundation held in Taipei yesterday.
Academics also called on the DPP to prioritize the effort to deal with the issue of the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) assets and establish a protocol for the transfer of power between different parties.
Without a democratic system, the good life would disappear, Kang said at the forum, which was held to discuss issues relating to sustainable development of governmental systems following the transfer of power.
Photo: George Tsorng, Taipei Times
The nation’s lack of economic success in recent years was the result of the overtly China-friendly policies of the KMT government under President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), Kang said, adding that while some Taiwanese have made money, they are now paying the price for the economy being too reliant on China.
President-elect Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) must prioritize the KMT’s party asset issue, “which is a national concern as it involves Japanese-colonial era assets, and implement full-fledged transitional justice,” National Taipei University (NTU) Department of Public Administration and Policy professor Chen Yaw-shyang (陳耀祥) said.
Chen cited Germany as an example of successful transitional justice policies, saying that over the past 15 years, Germany has processed all the controversial events that took place in former East Germany, adding that the resolution of such issues is necessary to deepen democracy in Taiwan.
The Legislative Yuan needs to be more transparent and open with its procedures and release of information to prevent the abuse of power and governmental corruption, Chen said, adding that governmental committees should be open for citizens to attend and a special broadcast service to view ongoing meetings at the legislature should be implemented.
“As opposed to the Ma administration’s opaque negotiations, the [new] government must pass a cross-strait accords oversight act so governmental dealings with China are entirely transparent,” Chen said.
Identifying with China is like a recurring rash on a body that is weak and the DPP should make identification with Taiwan a priority, National Dong Hwa University College of Indigenous Studies professor Shih Cheng-feng (施正峰) said.
Taiwan Brain Trust member Lee Ming-chun (李明峻) said the DPP must institute a legal process for the turning over of power between political parties.
Lee pointed to the US’ Presidential Transition Act as an example, which allocates several million US dollars to be used by the outgoing president and the president-elect to facilitate the handover process, adding that in France, once the new president is proclaimed, the handover must occur within 10 days.
The French government sees the handover of nuclear launch codes as the signifier that presidential authority has been passed to the next administration, Lee said, adding that Taiwan should also formulate some legal basis for the transition of power.
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