Against a backdrop of corruption rumors attacking virtually everyone there is to attack in President Chen Shui-bian's (
If KMT Legislator Chiu Yi (
The behavior of Chiu and Lee seems to be reminiscent of a fishing expedition -- they are poking around for evidence of foul play. They make the allegations in the hope that just talking about it will bring real evidence to the surface. If this is the case, it should come as no surprise. This behavior has a long history among the nation's politicians, who have a refined nose for scuttlebutt and little else.
The risks are minimal for those who make outlandish accusations. Political accountability is sadly an empty concept here. The voters are forgetful and are so divided by political ideology, particularly on the independence-unification question, that they will believe anything about representatives from the other side. Further, if no real evidence comes up -- as it invariably doesn't -- the rumor-mongers can always cry "cover up" and use the resulting media "investigation" to improve their electoral support and election chances. It's a reliable strategy.
Punishments for those rumor-mongers who turn out to have been wrong are of little concern. The victims have to file a lawsuit, and for people such as President Chen and his family, they are rarely in a position to go down this route. In the hallowed court of public opinion, the president doesn't want to give the appearance of being intolerant of criticism from opponents. If the victims do file lawsuits, it will often take years before a final verdict is brought down. This is especially the case if the accuser is a lawmaker -- he or she can claim legal immunity for things uttered on the legislative floor.
The fact that the prosecutor's office has formally filed charges against former Presidential Office deputy secretary-general Chen Che-nan (
Under the circumstances, it is very important for political parties to implement internal controls on the behavior of their members. This is true for not just the KMT, but all parties. Ma has indicated that if prosecutors find that the substance of KMT legislators' accusations is untrue, those lawmakers would be punished. What kind of punishment does he have in mind? He should be more specific. Ma must also remember to keep his word and hand out the punishment when the time comes.
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