As the New Year approached, most people were busy making plans to celebrate. Tainan County had a unique idea. To draw attention to the serious problems posed by the silting up of the Zengwun and Nanhua reservoirs, Tainan County Commissioner Su Huan-chi (蘇煥智) organized a “Zengwun Reservoir New Year’s Eve Countdown Party.”
Su even had invitations made out of driftwood collected from the reservoir and sent one to President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), asking him if he would like to attend.
Su is very concerned about water management and believes the authorities need to take it more seriously. He realizes that water management problems are too big to be solved on the local level, and require resources that only the central government can provide.
Naturally, the president already had his New Year’s Eve mapped out for him: He was due to make an appearance at the countdown in Taipei’s Civic Plaza, and so he couldn’t make Su’s party.
However, he did find time to visit the reservoir on the afternoon of Jan. 3. This is commendable considering that, as chairman of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), he had commitments elsewhere ahead of last Saturday’s legislative by-elections in Taoyuan, Taitung and Taichung counties.
The drought and resulting low water levels in the reservoirs have wider implications than just a water shortage. Without water, we can expect poor harvests and a subsequent food shortage. An issue as serious as this warrants national engagement, and ideally the public should join in the effort and use water sparingly.
Our water resources are every bit as important as our national security and are an issue that transcends the political divide between pan-blue and pan-green.
National leaders should take a water shortage seriously and make every effort to ensure an adequate water supply. This is, in fact, their duty.
Ma is faced with a bit of a paradox. As chairman of his party, he has to nominate candidates for elections and support them during their campaigns. However, he is also the president of the country, so he has to decide what his priorities are when it comes to party affairs and political matters.
Basically, it comes down to the ability to make rational decisions that the public has a right to expect of the president. One thing is for sure: If Ma wants the public to vote for the candidates he supports, there is no better way to woo voters than formulating and implementing good policies.
Hong Chi-chang is former chairman of the Straits Exchange Foundation and a former Democratic Progressive Party legislator.
TRANSLATED BY PAUL COOPER
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