The Pompously Arrogant Ringleader of the Losers’ League

 The Pompously Arrogant Ringleader of the Losers’ League

China Times Editorial (Taipei, Taiwan)

October 4, 2019

 Translation of an Excerpt

When Premier Su Tseng-chang inspected the Typhoon Disaster Prevention Center, because he was unable to immediately talk on the phone with Hsu Chen-wei, Hualien County executive, of KMT affiliation, who was at the time talking on the phone with the Central Weather Bureau, he became furious, lambasting Hsu. When the media asked why Hsinchu City and County made opposite decisions regarding “typhoon holidays” thus eliciting popular grievances, Su Tseng-chang immediately defended Hsinchu City Mayor Lin Chih-chien, of DPP affiliation, saying that this was the functions and authority of local chiefs and we should respect the judgment of the city mayors and county executives. This attitude, cold and warm in a sharp contrast, immediately elicited criticisms that Premier Su “was fond of exhibiting his authority” and “even looked at political colors in matters relating to disaster prevention.”

Su Tseng-chang rose from elected county executive, and then was promoted to the central government; his losing his temper and tendency to scold subordinates are no longer news. Spoken euphemistically, he is proactive in execution with strict discipline; more often, the adjectives are highhanded and cruel official. As the highest official of the executive branch, Su Tseng-chang should treat with fairness all government agencies, organizations, local governments, and the general public; however, for Su, in order to cater to the needs of President Tsai Ing-wen's re-election bid, many contradictory policies and contentious words and deeds are too numerous to enumerate. It may be said that he has developed two major roles, i.e., "the DPP's premier" and "invisible campaign manager" to the very extreme, without any taboos or softening.

The Presidential Palace, Cabinet, and party headed by Su Tseng-chang, plus the parliamentary troops serving as convoys, have erected a high firewall for Tsai Ing-wen. Outside the wall, Su Tseng-chang may be the representative; he does not mind his image or other people’s impressions in beating the Blue and protecting the Green, ridiculing Han Kuo-yu and bickering with Ko Wen-je with firepower in all directions and upping the ante in performance; on the one hand, Su shields bullets for President Tsai, and on the other, endlessly pokes Han Kuo-yu. On all issues, whether big or small, at anytime and at anyplace, he can "fight to the end without regret"! While inside the wall is deliberately elegantly-poised Tsai Ing-wen, who seemingly only needs to pick up guns, bickering with the Mainland, shouting slogans, worshipping gods at temples, then everything will be OK.  With such a ringleader of the losers’ league like Su Tseng-chang, and a super-hatchet man and a political tool who would even dare to deceive the gods, just what power gave him such pompous arrogance? We are afraid the answer can only come from himself!

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