Fri, Mar 31, 2000 page3

• Is the choice of Tang Fei a compromise too far?

  ACUTE DISAPPOINTMENT Some of President-elect Chen Shui-bian's staunchest supporters are upset at the thought of a military man taking up the premiership

  • By Liu Shao-Hua / STAFF REPORTER
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  When President-elect Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) announced on Wednesday that he had chosen defense minister Tang Fei (唐飛) as his future premier, it conjured up an interesting historical deja-vu.

  In fact, it was the second time a defense minister has been appointed premier in the last ten years, following the selection of Hau Pei-tsun (郝柏村) by president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) in 1990. At that time, the decision was condemned by political activists who said it represented a potential slide back into strongman politics.

  This time, Tang's appointment is widely perceived as being a wise political move by Chen.

  But some of the former student activists who led the opposition against military leaders taking part in politics ten years ago still say the decision is a threat to democratic reforms even now.

  "[The position of] Tang-fei is certainly not new. That Chen can compromise with the KMT is also not new. What is new is that this kind of compromise could be called a `power promotion' and a `clear stream'" said Chen Shang-chih (陳尚志), who ten years ago was a student leader at National Chung Hsing University. Chen is now a PhD student in Sociology at Syracuse University in the US.

  The term "clear stream" refers to the ideal of integrity and professionalism.

  Chen's words echo worries of other former activists who are now leaders in social reform organizations.

  Ten years ago, Lee's appointment of then-defense minister Hau as premier caused students to demonstrate against the military's involvement in politics.

  The DPP, then a nascent opposition power, was also strongly against the appointment, and led severe resistance in the legislature.

  Ten years later, DPP President-elect Chen -- like Lee -- has picked a national defense minister to lead his Cabinet. The selection received not only consensus approval from the DPP, but accolades from the public.

  Former student leaders disagree, however, expressing their strong disappointment in Chen's decision. Some even said they felt like they would retract their vote for Chen if they could.

  "Like Lee at that time, Chen selected a military leader as the premier, to consolidate and strengthen his power," said Chiu Yu-bin (邱毓斌), the secretary-general of the Taiwan Confederation of Trade Unions, who in 1990 was a student at National Chung Hsing University.

  Chiu said it was understandable that Chen appointed Tang. At the same time, however, he appealed to the president-elect not to forget the failures in democratic and social reforms that ensued from political compromises during Lee's presidency.

  "This is the first alternation of political power in Taiwan. We are at a historic turning point, but we are allowing the military the lead in politics." Chiu added.

  Agreeing with Chiu, Shu Wang(王時思) -- the current executive-general of the Judicial Reform Foundation and also a former student leader -- criticized Chen for what she called a lack of vision.

  "Voters had the guts to choose Chen, but he has no guts to choose a democratic vision," Wang said, adding that Chen's selection of premier was a complete, expedient political compromise.

  Tang's mild personality and experience with reform are considered the main reasons for his appointment, also explaining the wide acceptance by the DPP and KMT.

  Supporters say the sort of "hegemonic military intervention" they believe Hau represented, will not recur. They also said the appointment of Tang was just a transitional strategy, and that Chen needed more time for reforms.

  "Chen should show his will to implement reforms from the outset, not postpone it until later," said Wang.

  "What we oppose is the institution of the military intervening in politics, not individual military leaders," Chen Shang-chih said.

  "Chen is walking a fine line," Chiu said, describing Chen's risk in trying to maintain a balance of political powers.

  "We have to keep a close eye on the selection of other Cabinet members, to see if he will compromise again," Chiu said.
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