The Cabinet yesterday dismissed criticism by Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), who said that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration is deifying itself and developing a "new holy trinity" and engaging in populism.
"While there was indeed glorification of national leaders and beautification of government policies during the Chinese Nationalist Party's [KMT] authoritarian rule, it's impossible to do so in the democratic era, when the head of state is directly elected by the people," said Cabinet Spokesman Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). "Ma should've made his criticism based on facts, rather than just his personal confusion over time and space."
Lin criticized Ma for trying to make himself into an "idol" by appealing to his constituents -- especially women -- and by engaging in such activities as jogging, swimming and role playing in community activities.
"We believe that when there are fans, there are idols. While we don't criticize Mayor Ma's crowd-pleasing gambit as a self-idolization approach, we hope he'd reciprocate and develop more sensible thinking about the government's policies," Lin said.
Ma made his criticisms in an op-ed piece run in a Chinese-language newspaper on the 85th anniversary of the May Fourth Movement, launched in China in 1919, as a protest against feudal Chinese culture.
In his article Ma said the election showed many of the negative sides of democracy, such as social unease and rifts and confrontation between ethnic groups, which he attributed to the DPP's agitation and vilification of its opponents during the campaign trail.
He blamed the DPP for developing a "new holy trinity" that combined the promotion of referendums, writing a new constitution and Taiwan's independence as the party's "endless extension of power."
Meanwhile, Ma locked horns yesterday with Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) over the moniker the nation will use to join the WTO's legal counseling center.
"While the government has a strong disliking for the name of Chinese Taipei, I'm very curious to know whether it'll be the name we use to join other international organizations and activities," Lin quoted Ma as saying during yesterday's weekly closed-door Cabinet meeting.
While the name the nation used to join the WTO is "the separate customs territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu," the name it used to join the center is Chinese Taipei.
Claiming that the accord has "low legal power," Tsai said the government has five preferences for the name used to gain access to international organizations and activities, with the Republic of China topping the list and Chinese Taipei on the bottom.
"Besides, the case was closed in 2000. I have no idea why you [Ma] broach the subject now," Tsai said.
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