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Ma gives support to Cheng over her radio talkshow job

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) broke his silence yesterday and announced his support for embattled KMT spokeswoman Cheng Li-wen (鄭麗文), who has been the subject of criticism recently for "crossing the line" between the media and politics.

Cheng had come under fire from Government Information Office Minister Pasuya Yao (姚文智), who said she was a "political and media amphibian" for continuing to host a radio show, flaunting newly introduced regulations designed to separate politics and the media.

KMT split

As KMT members were said to be split on whether Cheng should host the radio show as a top KMT official, Ma yesterday gave his backing to the party spokeswoman after the two met late on Thursday night.

"Cheng has agreed to solve the problem soon, and I respect her decision ? However, the focus of the issue is that the KMT has divested itself of its media ties, while the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) hasn't done so," he said yesterday before presiding over a municipal meeting as Taipei mayor.

Cheng has so far held firm in her stance, refusing to quit the talk show and saying she may consider suing Yao for slander.

With support from her chairman, Cheng yesterday defended her position, and declined to respond to rumors that she will quit as host of the show after the Lunar New Year holiday.

"I appear on radio call-in shows to defend the policies of my party. What is wrong with that? It is the responsibility of a party spokeswoman to defend the party platform. And as for the one-hour radio show, I use my lunch hour to host the show," she said yesterday.

Ma the mediator

Meanwhile, KMT Legislator Wu Yu-sheng (吳育昇), who lashed out at Cheng and urged her to choose between the two jobs, softened his tone yesterday after Ma had reportedly asked him not to cause any problems for the party.

"But I still want to remind her that she cannot continue to have her cake and eat it too," he said.

Ma's actions, however, met with fierce criticism from the DPP yesterday as party Secretary-General Lee Yi-yang (李逸洋) attacked him for condoning Cheng's behavior.

"Cheng's double role as a radio host and politician is tantamount to a political party manipulating the media," he said yesterday during a press conference.

"The KMT trumpeted the recent sale of its three media outlets, while allowing its spokeswoman to continue hosting a radio show. We see no sincerity in its reform efforts," he added.
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