Can Hung Shiu-chu Rebuild the KMT?

Can Hung Shiu-chu Rebuild the KMT?

China Times Editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)

A Translation

April 8, 2016

Executive Summary:

The KMT is in dire straits. The party is riven by factionalism. Controversy rages over its future path. Public support is plummeting. Can Hung Shiu-chu overcome personal likes and dislikes, and reunify the party? Can she rally the Blue camp, shatter the party's monopolistic structure, enable full participation, and rebuild the party’s core values? Judging from Hung Shiu-chu's initial moves, there is reason for concern.

Full Text Below:

The KMT is in dire straits. The party is riven by factionalism. Controversy rages over its future path. Public support is plummeting. Can Hung Shiu-chu overcome personal likes and dislikes, and reunify the party? Can she rally the Blue camp, shatter the party's monopolistic structure, enable full participation, and rebuild the party’s core values? Judging from Hung Shiu-chu's initial moves, there is reason for concern.

Only 16% of KMT party members voted in the party chairmanship by-election, far less than the 51% turnout rate of the DPP chairmanship election in 2008 following its defeat. On the other hand, Hung Shiu-chu received zero support from the party machinery, yet still received 56.16% of the vote. Therefore, this can still be seen as a sign of party unity.

This "overwhelming winning majority with low turnout" voting phenomenon means the KMT has lost public support across the board. Just how many party members remain? That is undoubtedly the KMT's most serious problem.

The base of political power is eroding the world over. Support for politicians and political parties ebb and flow rapidly. Therefore, a crisis can also constitute an opportunity. Can Hung Shiu-chu boost supporters' morale during her first one hundred days? Can she unify the party and achieve interparty pan-Blue cooperation? If she can, then the KMT may settle down and become a force to check the ruling DPP and regain public support.

Hung Shiu-chu is already party chairperson. But political operations require real power, not just a title. To command people, both inside and outside the party, Hung cannot rely on her reputation as “Little Pepper,” a legislator with a sharp tongue. To begin with, she must bring her own team members under control. She must solicit opinions from others within her own party. She must embark on a mission to seek advice and counsel, consulting elders inside and outside her party, and soliciting their support.

The People First Party shares the KMT's political roots. The KMT must cooperate with the PFP in the Legislative Yuan. It may even need to coordinate political campaigns during election season. For these two reasons, Hung Shiu-chu must seize the initiative to reach out to James Soong and seek cooperation. Only then can she consolidate the strengths of all opposition parties in order to check the ruling DPP. The New Party has long been the KMT's most loyal ally. Before the election, New Party Chairman Yok Mu-ming even indicated an inclination for merging the New Party back into the KMT. Taking the initiative to give a friendly wave to the New Party members would also be a clarion call to the KMT members. The KMT is no longer the ruling party. Now only KMT, NP, and PFP cooperation can check the power of the DPP.

Next, Hung must close the gap between north and south. She must not permit the outsiders to make political hay from the differences between nativists and deep Blues. She must coordinate the activities of party legislators. She must propose different legislation for different regions. Legislative caucus unity will be essential for any number of purposes. These include rebuilding the party's image, cross-strait relations, economic and bread-and-butter bills. Hung must also deal with the Green camp's bill entitled "Statute Governing the Disposal of Improperly Acquired Party Assets" and other bills pertaining to "transformational justice."

KMT legislators must face difficulties together with the party central. They must no longer go their own way, only to be defeated individually. The KMT must target crucial issues and bills during the new session. When the ruling and opposition parties do battle, the KMT must convey a new image based on clear logic and solid grounds. In particular, the autonomy of the legislative caucus must be respected. Chairperson Hung was an outstanding former Deputy Speaker of the Legislature. She will successfully fulfill the role of the loyal opposition when doing battles in the Legislative Yuan, and exhibit superior standards in all facets of legislation action.

Hung Shiu-chu must swiftly integrate and plan a new KMT cross-Strait policy. She must address issues related to the shortcomings in the KMT-CCP forums, which was often criticized by the outside world in the past. The CCP and DPP have yet to establish channels of communication. This makes the KMT's role even more important. She must rearrange the mechanisms for interchanges between the KMT and CCP. KMT-CCP forums must continue. But the format must be changed. Voices from the grassroots on Taiwan must be able to reach the CCP's decision-making process through these forums.

Hung has chosen to redefine cross-Strait relations, by returning to the Republic of China Constitution. This is a correct starting point, being able to be extended furthermore. It will enable Taipei to dialogue with Beijing on the basis of the Ma-Xi summit, in Taiwan's best interests. This will be essential to rebuilding public trust in KMT cross-Strait policy.

Hung Shiu-chu should recruit large numbers of outgoing legislators and officials for party posts. Think tanks should absorb outgoing political appointees, including Premier Chang San-cheng. They should form a shadow cabinet that will provide prompt and professional assistance to KMT legislators in all facets of legislation action.

The KMT has lost the youth vote. Hung Shiu-chu must appoint a new youth executive for activities. Party policy must address, both in writings and in oral statements, matters of concern to the Internet generation. They must move young people. The KMT must catch up narrow the gap between itself and other political parties in blazing the trail in areas of youth entrepreneurship, arts and letters on the Internet, and topic of the New Generation. It must respond to grassroots opinion. The KMT party central must have the courage to reform the often controversial issue of percentage of membership vote in party. Nominations for both party and public offices should be based on the results of public opinion polls alone. This will ensure that potential candidates are closer to the grassroots. Only drawing talent from the grassroots can revive the KMT.

The KMT is a century-old political party. Over time, it has accumulated a negative image. It carries more historical baggage than other political parties. Hung Shiu-chu cannot achieve much in the short term. But she must focus on the election two years from now. She must respond in advance. She must reorder the party's policies and decision-making processes. The Legislative Yuan must become the party's main battlefield. At the same time, it must cultivate new talent. Many challenges confront this century-old political party. Hung Shiu-chu's task has just begun.

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