More than once here we've noted that the foundations of Taiwan's democracy are very thin. The transition from authoritarian rule to multi-party competition occurred very quickly. The legal foundation for such democracy remains incomplete. As a result, even a matter in which right and wrong are crystal clear -- for example PFP Legislator Diane Lee's (
Responsible politicians should be focusing their thoughts on serving as an example for the country. Their words and deeds should not merely be geared toward furthering their own political careers. Conscientious decisions -- whether they be right or wrong -- made by politicians with such vision, wisdom and capacity for self-reflection will set examples for posterity. Then, even when mistakes are made, they can have a positive impact. Never should one try to blame others -- as Lee did when she said her latest goof was the result of legislators not having investigative powers -- when one is clearly in the wrong.
Lee could actually redeem herself and set a good example for the legislature by voluntarily asking for a punishment from the Legislative Yuan's Discipline Committee. Although the chances of her doing so are slim, such a move would improve the legislature's image which has been badly tarnished by the gossip-mongering.
Lee's latest headline-grabbing stunt was not just due to her tendency to attack first and think later -- she apparently is just as confused about the role of a legislator as many of her colleagues. Members of the Legislative Yuan apparently have so little to do that they feel compelled to fiddle around with things that are not their job. If Lee really had wanted to speak for her constituents, she should have turned the case over to law enforcement authorities after her first press conference. Then she should have kept her mouth shut once the investigation had started. Instead she held one press conference after another and tried to usurp the role of a prosecutor. She even took the two parties in the dispute to the "scene of the crime" to confront one other.
It is time that serious consideration was given to the call by DPP Legislator Luo Wen-jia (
Taiwan should learn from the experience of European countries and the US and set up a parliamentary ombudsman system. European countries have long established ombudsman systems. Members of parliament can hand over complaints from the public to the ombudsman, who conducts an investigation and then turns the cases, if warranted, over to the judiciary, rather than the lawmakers carrying out an investigation themselves. In the US, the congressional ethics committees firmly regulate the behavior of members of Congress. Serious violators can be banished from Congress by their colleagues. Only by learning from others' expertise can Taiwan reduce the unnecessary controversies and pains on its path to a full democracy.
Taiwan’s fall would be “a disaster for American interests,” US President Donald Trump’s nominee for undersecretary of defense for policy Elbridge Colby said at his Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday last week, as he warned of the “dramatic deterioration of military balance” in the western Pacific. The Republic of China (Taiwan) is indeed facing a unique and acute threat from the Chinese Communist Party’s rising military adventurism, which is why Taiwan has been bolstering its defenses. As US Senator Tom Cotton rightly pointed out in the same hearing, “[although] Taiwan’s defense spending is still inadequate ... [it] has been trending upwards
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There is nothing the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) could do to stop the tsunami-like mass recall campaign. KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) reportedly said the party does not exclude the option of conditionally proposing a no-confidence vote against the premier, which the party later denied. Did an “actuary” like Chu finally come around to thinking it should get tough with the ruling party? The KMT says the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is leading a minority government with only a 40 percent share of the vote. It has said that the DPP is out of touch with the electorate, has proposed a bloated
In an eloquently written piece published on Sunday, French-Taiwanese education and policy consultant Ninon Godefroy presents an interesting take on the Taiwanese character, as viewed from the eyes of an — at least partial — outsider. She muses that the non-assuming and quiet efficiency of a particularly Taiwanese approach to life and work is behind the global success stories of two very different Taiwanese institutions: Din Tai Fung and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC). Godefroy said that it is this “humble” approach that endears the nation to visitors, over and above any big ticket attractions that other countries may have
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