Politicizing the Military, Civil Servants, and Public School Teachers Would Only Create More Turmoil for Taiwan

  Politicizing the Military, Civil Servants, and Public School Teachers Would Only Create More Turmoil for Taiwan

United Daily News Editorial (Taipei, Taiwan)

March 2, 2018

 Translation of an Excerpt

On the eve of that the parliament would review the pension reform program for the military, anti-reform groups launched a “raid” on the Legislative Yuan, ending with an unfortunate incident in which retired Col. Miao Te-sheng was seriously injured in a fall. Currently the floor in the military pension reform plan by the Cabinet is still more generous than that of civil servants and public school teachers, but it still evoked radical protests. This is principally because the DPP has endlessly denigrated the image of the military, trampling on the professionalism of the military in recent years, hence igniting a great backlash. The Tsai government, in the name of "justice," has slashed the rights and benefits of the military, civil servants, and public school teachers; besides causing social conflicts, in reality it is self-destroying the backbone of governmental operations.

In Taiwan, the DPP has been filled with animosity toward the military, civil servants, and public school teachers; it views them as foes and repeatedly hits them with a heavy hand. In fact, the training received by the military, civil servants, and public school teachers has been to remain loyal to the institutions, loyal to the country, and not loyal to political parties. Perhaps many military, civil servants, and public school teachers are tilted toward the Blue; that was because the history in which the KMT was in power for a long period of time in the past; their national identity and the administrative ethics they observe had a certain orientation. This in reality was an indispensible characteristic for maintaining stability in the country and society. Nevertheless, the DPP has not shown a bit of inclusiveness; it pushed forward, in a harsh manner, pension reforms for the military, civil servants, and public school teachers; this is precisely "penalizing" on the pretext of "justice."

What we worry is not in fact the protests, one after another, by the military, civil servants, and public school teachers; what is even more worrisome is that the DPP’s arrogant attitude toward the military, civil servants, and public school teachers would not only greatly reduce the effectiveness of the government, it would also cause an avalanche of professionalism and ethics of administration personnel. The protests of the military, civil servants, and public school teachers are but sporadic incidents. However, the plummeting of work morale on the part of the military and civil servants has even relegated them to doing their jobs by looking at the colors and pandering to the powers that be, eventually losing the original neutrality. That would be the greatest plight of the state. Especially for the military, their mandated duty is to protect the country and home, but the DPP fundamentally does not respect the existence of the Republic of China, and enjoys denigrating ​​the military; once something happens in national security whom should people expect for protection?

The daily incidents of protests, the hurling of paint, and burning flags all make the public in society feel unease. Myriad slogans of "justice," however, have brought forth more frequent incidents of social hatred and reprisals. The Tsai government should ponder itself!

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