Given just 90 days for preparatory work, the secretary-general to the president, Yu Shyi-kun, managed to get leaders of political parties, business circles and scholars together for the Economic Development Advisory Conference, convened on July 21, the accomplishment of yet another difficult task handed down by President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁).
Amid political wrangling and a lack of mutual trust between ruling and opposition parties, Yu has become Chen's most important "peacemaker."
PHOTO: CHIANG YING-YING, TAIPEI TIMES
As a presidential aide said, the conference and the summit between Chen and leaders of the three opposition parties last October were originally rejected by the opposition and were the subject of negativity from media and political circles.
But because of Yu's coordination, these difficult missions eventually came to fruition.
"These political tasks are really tough and thankless. Not only because `success is the only acceptable result' but also because the implementer must shuttle between the opposition alliance, keeping a low-profile, and put up with criticism while conveying faithfully President Chen's ideas," said former DPP convener in the National Assembly Chen Chin-teh (
"At the moment it is very difficult to find an appropriate person from the presidential office or within the DPP who is capable of carrying out these tasks," Chen said.
Chen, who serves as director of the Civil Affairs Bureau of the Ilan County government, was once a secretary-assistant to Yu when Yu was Ilan County Commissioner.
In Chen Chin-teh's eyes, although the media often complains that Yu "lacks creativity," "speaks boringly," and has no political charisma, these criticisms are to Yu's advantage when he communicates with his political opponents.
Yu is unlike other members of the DPP elite, who tend to be aggressive and provocative. He is more acceptable to his counterparts, and his quiet and steady personality is his main asset as it disarms his opponents and enables him to convince them of his proposals.
According to an aide of Yu's, his down-to-earth character is a result of his impoverished and difficult childhood. He never talks emptily like other politicians, and always maintains a low-key stance He has both perseverance and endurance, "just like a Taiwan buffalo," Chen said, "so the way he has achieved what he has often takes his fellow party members and political opponents by surprise."
"People always ask, `Why Yu Shyi-kun? He does not stand out in the crowd at all.' But it turns out he is one who can complete difficult political assignments," said Yu's assistant, Liu Chien-hsin (劉建忻).
"Yu comes from a typical, poor Taiwan farming family, and he had a hard time when he was young. When he was in the second year of junior high school, he had to drop out of school to help his father in the fields for five years because they had no money. He did not get his bachelor's degree [at Tunghai University in 1985] until he was in his 30s and elected a provincial assembly deputy," said Liu.
"At that time, his classmates in the department of political science did not even know that there was a provincial assembly deputy in their class. Someone even said to Yu `Your name is the same as that of a provincial deputy," Liu said.
Yu, 53, was born in Ilan County, which has been dubbed a "democratic sacred ground" because the county commissioner's post has been occupied by non-KMT politicians for 23 consecutive years.
As a politician, Yu has an all-round curriculum vitae. He was Taiwan's provincial assembly deputy (1981 to 1989), served two terms as Ilan county commissioner (1989 to 1997) and was the DPP's secretary-general from 1999 to last year.
"He is one of the few within the DPP who has accumulated experience as a lawmaker, executive official, and party manager," Chen said.
"Even before the transfer of political power, the KMT's Lien Chan (
When Chen was still Taipei City mayor, he planned to elevate Yu to succeed him after serving two terms as mayor. He did appoint Yu as president of the Taipei Rapid Transit Company. But things didn't go as planned. Chen lost his 1998 re-election bid, and Yu took a post as DPP secretary-general. When Chen started his campaign for the 2000 presidential election, Yu became chairman and speaker of the DPP's campaign staff.
After Chen's victory in the presidential election, Yu first served as vice premier. But in the aftermath of Pachang Creek incident (八掌溪事件) -- in which four workers drowned in the river and were washed away in full view of media cameras because of slow governmental rescue efforts -- he stepped down to shoulder the political fallout.
"The public and media severely criticized President Chen's administration and even urged then-premier Tang Fei (
After a four-month break Yu returned to political circles and was appointed secretary-general to the president. "If president Chen could successfully win the presidential reelection, Yu would definitely be Chen's top choice in the DPP for premier," said Chen Chin-teh.
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