The May 20th This Time Around, How to Camouflage the Loopholes in the Social Safety Net?

The May 20^th This Time Around, How to Camouflage the Loopholes in the Social Safety Net?

China Times Editorial (Taipei, Taiwan)

May 4, 2020

 Translation of an Excerpt

A schizophrenic man fatally stabbed Lee Cheng-han, a railway police officer, and was acquitted in the court of first instance, eliciting an uproar in society. Half a month ago, an equally schizophrenic suspect in the “Little Light Bulb” murder case was sentenced to life imprisonment on final appeal. Little Light Bulb mother Wang Wan-yu, now a legislator, indicated regret, grief and fury. Now that the suspect in the police officer’s homicide case was acquitted, Lee Cheng-han’s mother could only weep with both legs feeling numb. Schizophrenic offenders of homicide may be exonerated of punishment in accordance with the law, but can a government that lacks institutions and guardianship mechanisms for schizophrenics be completely exonerated of its duties? Tsai Ing-wen is soon to be inaugurated for a second term; in her May 20 inaugural address, how is she going to camouflage the reality of the loopholes in Taiwan's social safety net?

When the acquittal in the fatal stabbing of the police officer was announced, public fury was tumultuous, and the related government chiefs voiced their opinions one after another. Nevertheless, isn’t all this officialese the original responsibility that the government should shoulder? These pro forma statements, coming from the President and the Premier, on down to Cabinet ministers, were nothing but utterances that followed the fury of the vox populi, and did not shy away from making comments on individual court cases as if by throwing a few stones at the judiciary, they could have been immunized to involvement. The problem is when high echelons have sternly reproached the procedures and results of the court of first instance, it is tantamount to guiding the direction and rulings in the court of second instance. Worse still, their due responsibilities to the government have nevertheless been lightly sneaked away, with no response to public worries and doubts.

Tsai Ing-wen says that she believes that the relevant government agencies will properly handle the suspect in the fatal stabbing of the railway police officer. However, how is she going to face the reality that loopholes still exist in the social safety net during her four years of governance? Acquittal is very easy, but what is more troublesome is nevertheless the public who seek survival under the government, the judiciary and the porous social safety net.

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