Minister of Justice Chen Ding-nan
The justice minister is not the sole boss of the bureau, given that five of its nine functions fall under the jurisdiction of the National Security Bureau
Chen Ding-nan must have done something wrong. When Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) held the justice portfolio, he forcefully moved against corruption. Liao also led a successful crackdown on "black gold." Why is Chen having so much difficulty?
Before President Chen can fully take control of the intelligence services, his justice minister has already picked a fight with the MIJB, complaining that it is hard to control. The head of the bureau has said that the minister could do as he likes. With the minister and the MIJB chief trading accusations and focusing on their power struggle, how can they crack down on "black gold?"
The president promised to elevate the Investigation Bureau to a ministry-level organization when he came to power. How-ever, if the bureau's identity and duties are not fully clarified, it will never get rid of its authoritarian legacy -- and it will always be difficult to control, no matter how many bosses it has.
According to local media reports, since President Chen took office, he has met more often with the MIJB chief than his justice minister has. It is confusing to determine who is really in charge of the bureau. No wonder the MIJB chief is not listening to the justice minister.
If the president really wants to crack down on "black gold," he should give his warrior the best hunting dog and never allow it to attack its master. The president, like many Taiwanese, has been the victim of "white terror." When he was a legislator, he proposed several ideas for reforming the MIJB. Now Chen is in power, he should do more than the KMT did to incorporate the bureau into the legal system.
It is time to separate the MIJB from its national security duties. This would also simplify the chain of command and improve efficiency. Before the king sends out his warriors to the front, he should first ensure that the hunting dogs are well-trained.
Vincent Lin is the assistant editor-in-chief of the Taipei Times.
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