Ten years ago, I was just like Taiwan People’s Party Chairman Ko Wen-je’s (柯文哲) “little grasses” (小草, Ko’s younger supporters). I wanted openness and transparency in the government and was disillusioned by the longstanding rivalry between the blue and green camps. I was not alone in hoping for the emergence of a third force in Taiwan that was honest, diligent and deeply committed to the country.
In the 2014 Taipei mayoral election, Ko’s opponent was Sean Lien (連勝文), who is from a family of politicians sympathetic to China and is the son of former vice president Lien Chan (連戰). Driven by a shared vision, the “little grasses” came together, investing money and effort into Ko’s campaign without asking anything in return. On the night of Ko’s victory, we all drank and celebrated a better tomorrow.
Ko’s first term as mayor was marred by five major corruption scandals, with the relationship between politics and business becoming predatory and exploitative. The once anti-corporate Ko now frequently slipped through back doors of hotels to meet wealthy tycoons with vast assets in China and media empires in Taiwan. The hardworking colleagues who fought alongside him grew tired of his duplicity and eventually broke ties.
Had the 2018 mayoral election not extended voting until 10pm, Ko might very well have lost re-election. Yet Ko never stopped to reflect on the broken promises of openness and transparency during his first term and instead blamed everyone else, from then-president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) to her Democratic People’s Party (DPP) to the media.
In his eight years as mayor, Ko consistently had the lowest approval rating among Taiwan’s 22 mayors, but he continued to shift the blame to the media. He attributed his failings to attacks from the DPP and the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) or a lack of funds, all while insisting that if people keep faith in him, he would lead the most efficient government and deliver a promising future. Unfortunately, it was all a dream.
Despite saying he had an IQ of 157, he would also claim ignorance and blame others in the face of criminal accusations. The man who prides himself on meticulous standard operating procedures has disorganized financial records. His campaign team had the least funds, but spent the most extravagantly. Ko opposes corporate interests, but green-lit projects for Shin Kong Life Insurance Co (新光人壽), Core Pacific Group (威京集團) and Taiwan Intelligent Fiber Optic Network Consortium (台灣智慧光網). Moreover, Ko and his wife, Peggy Chen (陳佩琪), who advocate for housing justice, are looking to purchase a new NT$120 million (US$3.75 million) home for their unemployed, unmarried son. The problem is that their declared assets include only NT$20 million in cash. In Taipei, a luxury home of more than NT$60 million can only be financed up to 40 percent, meaning Ko would need at least NT$72 million in cash to make the purchase. No wonder his campaign accounts are a complete mess.
Taiwan is a free and democratic nation with a separation of powers held accountable by the public. There are no lifetime rulers. Officials are elected every four years and can be impeached if they fail in their duties. Corrupt officials who abuse their power should face imprisonment.
To all the “little grasses,” do not be discouraged. While unprincipled politicians might deceive us once, their wrongdoings always leave traces. We must remain true to our values. Pay attention to the words and actions of officials and recognize when they are untrustworthy. If you feel let down, cherish your right to vote and elect more capable candidates next time. Let us work together towards a better Taiwan.
Richard Huang is the Indo-Pacific region manager of a US company.
Translated by Nicole Wong
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