After the recent fanfare in the electronic media over Mayor Ma Ying-jeou's (
In many cases, the clear outline of the social environment in any period only emerges many years later. Similarly, a historical evaluation of politicians can only be had after many years as their good and bad sides gradually become clear. History is now beginning to re-evaluate Huang after Taipei's experience with Ma and Chen Shui-bian (
More and more Taipei residents are finding out that Huang actually might not have been such a good-for-nothing after all, even though during those days the public sympathized with the media's harsh treatment of him.
Looking back at those days, Huang's low 20 percent satisfaction rating at opinion polls might reflect public disaffection over irregularities at major projects like the construction of the mass rapid transit system and over his dreary personality. However, in a disgruntled atmosphere, people failed to appreciate Huang's courage in pulling down the Chunghua market and his work in straightening the Keelung River. In fact, Huang was even lambasted for these projects.
The unfair treatment of Huang becomes even more obvious when we compare the interaction between Taipei's various mayors and the media. Of course, the media put Chen under the microscope for any possible aberrations in his administration. But on the other hand, the situation also had a magnifying effect on anything he did to curry favor with Taipei residents.
Now in Ma's tenure, officials from his administrative team have been taking all the blame for things gone wrong, while Ma alone remains a pampered media sweetheart.
Take, for example, the endless breakdowns in the MRT system. They would have caused a major political storm during Huang's mayorship. In Ma's time, however, people's impression of the city government has pegged on "the mayor-is-good-but-his-officials-are-lousy" image. Looking at this "Ma Ying-jeou complex," perhaps Huang can only sigh in despair.
Ho Jung-hsing is chief of the city desk at the Liberty Times.
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