Revelations from the “Blocking Kuan Case”: Abuse of Power Would Inevitably Invite Counterattack

 Revelations from the “Blocking Kuan Case”: Abuse of Power Would Inevitably Invite Counterattack

United Daily News Editorial (Taipei, Taiwan)

December 26, 2018

 Translation of an Excerpt

Education Minister Yeh Jiunn-rong declared that he had agreed to appoint Kuan Chung-ming as president of National Taiwan University; outside circles believe that the Tsai government has eventually decided to solve this long-pending case, not knowing that the reverberations are even more tumultuous. To this, Green camp figures all showed shocking surprise, believing that they had been "ambushed," and calls for Yeh Jiunn-rong to step down have come from four corners. Cho Jung-tai, who has resigned as Cabinet secretary-general, even criticized that Yeh Jiunn-rong only notified Premier Lai in a text message, disregarding administrative ethics, and that he “should be held accountable.” It looks like Yeh Jiunn-rong’s "courageous" decision has revealed the "person behind the scenes" in the blocking Kuan case; the outside world may ascertain that this case has been manipulated behind the scenes by the Presidential Office, the Cabinet, and the DPP, the Education Ministry being only a scapegoat.

As to the flaks from within the Green camp, there are two different interpretations: First, the two sides are staging a “double-talk”; the Cabinet and the Green legislators use this to shove the responsibility to Yeh Jiunn-rong for "making decisions exceeding his authority." In actuality, the Presidential Office, the Cabinet, and the DPP could all extricate themselves through this ploy. Second, the move was indeed Yeh Jiunn-rong's autonomous decision, hoping to end the brouhaha before the Cabinet reorganization next month; regardless of whether he himself stays on or not, he could at a minimum retain some reputation. However, no matter what, Yeh Jiunn-rong could possibly have been influenced by Cheng Wen-tsan, Taoyuan City Mayor, who on that day urged the DPP to “clear the battlefields,” and seized the opportunity to make a resolute decision.

The problem is that swinging phenomenon that the Education Minister’s decision was not in tune with the Presidential Office or the Cabinet, precisely once again demonstrated the confusion and disorder of the Tsai government’s decision-making system. If there are any revelations in the blocking Kuan case, they are: the sharp teeth of power will counterattack, the Tsai government abused its power to block Kuan, and eventually has blocked itself, blemishing and burning the image and legitimacy of the Presidential Office, the Cabinet, and the DPP all at once.

[Editor’s note: “Double-talk” (Xiangsheng: 相聲 literally: "face and voice"), also known as crosstalk, is a traditional Chinese comedic performing art, and one of China's most popular cultural elements. It is typically in the form of a duo dialogue between two performers producing humor with the play on words.] 

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