Sat, Jun 04, 2005 page8

• DPP erodes public trust with policy flip-flops

  • By Lu Chun-yi盧俊義
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  Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) has stated she believes that requiring Taiwanese to submit their fingerprints as part of the process for obtaining new national identification cards is both bad policy and a violation of human rights. She has published articles criticizing the government and even called for a constitutional interpretation on the matter.

  Officials from the Executive Yuan down to the National Police Agency believe that fingerprinting is necessary. They believe it will have significant public security benefits and have repeatedly emphasized that there is no risk of the information being leaked. They therefore insist that the measure go ahead as planned beginning on July 1, after which those applying for a new ID card will be required to submit their fingerprints.

  So should we submit to having fingerprints taken? How can we as simple members of the public decide?

  The only thing we know is that Lu, a member of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and a vice president no less, has taken a line totally contrary to the government. Moreover, she has, by airing her views in the media, made public the divisions within the ruling party.

  What kind of ruling party is this? Does the DPP completely lack a mechanism for coordination? Do they not know that there are issues that should not be publicized prior to internal consultation, or policies that should not be implemented prior to adequate public discussion?

  Since the DPP became the ruling party in 2000, policy flip-flops have been constant. Lu's statements on fingerprinting are not the first time she has expressed views diametrically opposite to those of the Cabinet. And there have been numerous past instances of government agencies contradicting each other. There certainly must be a screw loose somewhere if these situations are constantly arising.

  Over the past few years, each time an election has come around, the DPP has complained that the opposition majority in the legislature has obstructed policy that would let it deal with the nation's current problems. The party then asks voters to give it a chance, by giving it a majority.

  But if we look closely, many problems related to people's livelihoods are not necessarily a matter of legislation, but a case of the lack of coordination between government agencies due internal disputes within the government.

  The DPP's legislative minority cannot be blamed for this. Taking the fingerprinting issue as an example, the problem is a lack of consensus within the DPP, which has caused public confusion.

  We cannot help but doubt the competence of such a government.

  Over the past years, people have become sick and tired of the chaotic scenes in the legislature. But the government's incompetence and disorientation is also one important factor. An effective and incorruptible government would certainly win the public's support.

  It has been five years since the DPP took power, but the government hasn't shown any improvement. It is no wonder the public does not support the government, and that they are also beginning to detest it.

  Concerning the replacement of the new national identification cards, we have only one request: Let us know whether we should submit our fingerprints or not. We want a yes or no answer from the policymakers.

  If the DPP cannot tackle such a simple issue and continues to make its internal conflicts public through the media, then it is clearly useless.

  Lu Chun-yi is a pastor in the Taipei East Gate Presbyterian Church.

  TRANSLATED BY LIN YA-TI
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