Taipei Times: How will you divide responsibility with the two other whips Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) and Hsu Jung-shu (許榮淑), who has complained about being estranged by you and Ker?
Wang Tuoh (
Ker, the caucus convener, is known for his finesse in handling interpersonal relationships. As head of the caucus, he can do everything or nothing as he sees fit.
The caucus secretary-general, Hsu, on the other hand, will serve as a bridge between the Cabinet and the caucus, conveying the former's intentions to the latter so the two can join forces in achieving policy goals. This is a very important responsibility, as we all know that the caucus and Cabinet did not always agree in the last two years. In addition, Hsu will be given the task of promoting parliamentary diplomacy -- which I think is equally challenging.
I know that not all are happy about the arrangement, but I believe the discontent will soon subside. I expect a heavy workload ahead, and both Ker and Hsu have a lot of work to tend to. You will have to ask Hsu why she described her post as "unwanted."
TT: How do you respond to charges leveled by fellow colleague Lin Chung-mo (林重謨) that you recently joined the Justice Alliance with an eye to jockeying for power?
Wang: Lin was a junior member in the alliance himself. As a matter of fact, I briefly joined the Justice Alliance years ago at the invitation of its founder [President and then-lawmaker] Chen Shui-bian (
Later when the practice was forbidden, I chose to stay with the now-defunct Formosa faction, as former DPP chairman Hsu Hsin-liang (許信良) was a good friend of mine. Lin played no part during this episode. I admired his frankness but believe he can use more caution in his speeches.
TT: When did you join the Justice Alliance and why?
Wang: I was very much a loner after the Formosa faction disbanded following Hsu Hsin-liang's breakaway. Toward the end of last legislative session, I joined the Justice Alliance, encouraged by its members Tsai Huang-liang (蔡煌瑯) and Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁). They are like nephews to me.
In the meantime, the New Tide faction also sought to recruit me. Honestly speaking, I was quite attracted to the New Tide's devotion to policy study, its effective organization and rigid discipline. But I turned down the offer in the end because I know I am not good at following orders.
Still, I am indebted to the New Tide for giving 16 of its 20 votes for my election as legislative whip. That is all I got during the election, as the Justice Alliance had pledged support for fellow colleague Chen Chi-mai, the president's favored choice for caucus leader.
TT: How come Chen Chi-mai lost the election when the Justice Alliance, with 36 members, is the largest faction?
Wang: Chen Chi-mai lost the election partly because members angry with the president took it out on him and partly because fellow senior member Shen Fu-hsiung (沈富雄) was also eyeing the post.
Shen, who sought unsuccessfully to run for vice speaker, has slipped into a state of uncertainty about his political ambition. It was I that persuaded him to drop out of the race [for caucus leaders] to ease factional rivalry. By that time it was too late for Chen Chi-mai to muster support.
Over the years, the alliance has revolved around such superstar members as President Chen, Vice President Annette Lu (
This lack of democratic process has angered many over time, with some venting the discontent on Chen Chi-mai, who has otherwise maintained cozy ties with others. The revolt poses a crisis to the alliance's harmony with its impact unpredictable thus far.
TT: Will the revolt grow out of control?
Wang: I would not worry too much about that. It has been DPP culture that members compete with and criticize each another. But once a consensus is arrived at, all stay united. Also, the president has considerably adjusted his leadership. To my knowledge, he fully delegated the Cabinet shuffle to Premier Yu Shyi-kun. Only when Yu ran into snags did the president lend a helping hand.
I found the change wise and proper. Otherwise, the premier would have difficulty commanding respect from his subordinates. Though meek and wanting in eloquence, Yu is not hesitant to fight for his beliefs, as evidenced by his veto on the amendments to budget allocation rules.
‘ABUSE OF POWER’: Lee Chun-yi allegedly used a Control Yuan vehicle to transport his dog to a pet grooming salon and take his wife to restaurants, media reports said Control Yuan Secretary-General Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋) resigned on Sunday night, admitting that he had misused a government vehicle, as reported by the media. Control Yuan Vice President Lee Hung-chun (李鴻鈞) yesterday apologized to the public over the issue. The watchdog body would follow up on similar accusations made by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and would investigate the alleged misuse of government vehicles by three other Control Yuan members: Su Li-chiung (蘇麗瓊), Lin Yu-jung (林郁容) and Wang Jung-chang (王榮璋), Lee Hung-chun said. Lee Chun-yi in a statement apologized for using a Control Yuan vehicle to transport his dog to a
BEIJING’S ‘PAWN’: ‘We, as Chinese, should never forget our roots, history, culture,’ Want Want Holdings general manager Tsai Wang-ting said at a summit in China The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) yesterday condemned Want Want China Times Media Group (旺旺中時媒體集團) for making comments at the Cross-Strait Chinese Culture Summit that it said have damaged Taiwan’s sovereignty, adding that it would investigate if the group had colluded with China in the matter and contravened cross-strait regulations. The council issued a statement after Want Want Holdings (旺旺集團有限公司) general manager Tsai Wang-ting (蔡旺庭), the third son of the group’s founder, Tsai Eng-meng (蔡衍明), said at the summit last week that the group originated in “Chinese Taiwan,” and has developed and prospered in “the motherland.” “We, as Chinese, should never
‘A SURVIVAL QUESTION’: US officials have been urging the opposition KMT and TPP not to block defense spending, especially the special defense budget, an official said The US plans to ramp up weapons sales to Taiwan to a level exceeding US President Donald Trump’s first term as part of an effort to deter China as it intensifies military pressure on the nation, two US officials said on condition of anonymity. If US arms sales do accelerate, it could ease worries about the extent of Trump’s commitment to Taiwan. It would also add new friction to the tense US-China relationship. The officials said they expect US approvals for weapons sales to Taiwan over the next four years to surpass those in Trump’s first term, with one of them saying
INDO-PACIFIC REGION: Royal Navy ships exercise the right of freedom of navigation, including in the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea, the UK’s Tony Radakin told a summit Freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific region is as important as it is in the English Channel, British Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Tony Radakin said at a summit in Singapore on Saturday. The remark came as the British Royal Navy’s flagship aircraft carrier, the HMS Prince of Wales, is on an eight-month deployment to the Indo-Pacific region as head of an international carrier strike group. “Upholding the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, and with it, the principles of the freedom of navigation, in this part of the world matters to us just as it matters in the