Central Gov’t Officials Localized, While Governance Thinking Partisanized

 Central Gov’t Officials Localized, While Governance Thinking Partisanized

United Daily News Editorial (Taipei, Taiwan)

May 20, 2018

 Translation of an Excerpt

President Tsai has been in office for two years; so far she has not been able to set up a high-quality, wholesome-structured administrative team, while frequently placing controversial figures in key posts for the purpose of doling out political spoils or pacifying factions, arousing social dissatisfaction. So far as the country is concerned, the more serious consequence is the localization of central government officials and the partisanization of governance, leading to many chaotic decision-making processes, whitewashing shortcomings and mistakes, which have been harmful in every aspect and none beneficial to Taiwan’s development.

Tsai’s first Premier, Lin Chuan, used to have a good tacit understanding with President Tsai for a long term; although the Lin Cabinet could not be called "top-notch," at least it tried very hard to demonstrate a deployment transcending Blue and Green. Nevertheless, it was forced to step down as he could not resist the political pressure of the DPP. After Lai Ching-te took over as Premier, he quickly resolved the controversy over the amendments to the "Labor Standards Act" in relation to “one mandatory holiday, one flexible day-off.” However, the vista of the Cabinet has since contracted both inward and downwardly. Both the government's policy decisions and personnel assignments have also been moving toward the narrow path of “partisanship” and “interests rule supreme.”

The performance of the Tsai administration’s governance on its second anniversary is disappointing. In terms of subjective factors, Tsai Ing-wen's national security deployment has not been able to step out of the limits of the stratosphere, seeking better talent with wider thinking. In terms of objective conditions, Lai Ching-te’s Cabinet is satisfied with its myopic and utilitarian thinking, viewing the world and Taiwan from the angle of the local administrator, even going to the extent of fabricating data to paint a Potemkin prosperity. President Tsai may still have some residual idealism, but under the political and electoral pressures showing that time is no longer on her side, she cannot but make compromises with the Taiwan independence faction of the Green camp in order to show amity. Demonstrated in terms of governance, naturally it is that “partisan interests rule supreme, while justice and fairness are sidelined."

The Tsai government’s procrastination is rooted in its poor governance quality and too strong lust for power. Nevertheless, if national leadership cannot offer the people a vision for a better life, even excluding "justice" and “fairness” from the political process, may we ask, who wants to support this kind of government?

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