To Taiwan's Foreign Media: Check out the Aughst 30 Protest Against Ma Ying-jeou

Tuesday August 26, by Jerome F. Keating Ph.D.

It will soon be 100 days since Ma Ying-jeou has been president of Taiwan, 100 ineffectual days. So what do the people think about Ma? How do they evaluate his first 100 days? Come to the Presidential Palace this Saturday, August 30th and you'll see what people think of the man whose popularity rating has dropped below 37 per cent. Don't be misled, this protest is no show of support for the scandal-ridden Chen Shui-bian as pan-blue forces may try to paint it. This protest is all about Ma, his ineffectual programs, his placing the country at risk and his inability to govern.

Who will be there? Of course there won't be too many hard core pan-blue people even though many of them share the same thoughts about Ma's inadequacies. Here however is an inkling of those you will see.

Marchers will come from different directions; Specific Groups in these marches include:

The Taiwan Nation People

The Taiwan Teacher's Alliance

The Political Victims of Taiwan

The 2/28 Families Alliance

The Taiwan Build the Country Alliance

The Protectors of Taiwan's Flame

The Taiwan Association of University Professors (TAUP)

The North American Taiwanese Professors Association (NATPA)

That is not all. You will also see average citizens marching:

--Those who are tired of Ma's broken promises--like his promises to divest the KMT of the stolen state assets (made three years ago) and get the arms purchase plan moving (also three years ago)

--Those who believe in their nation and believe it should have dignity, even though Ma declines to be called President in front of China, and says Taiwan's sovereignty is not important.

--Those who know that Ma has no love or feeling for Taiwan as Taiwan, but only sees it as a prize he can take credit for in bringing it to China and fulfill both his deceased father's dream and the KMT dream of unification.

--Those who laugh at Ma's foolhardy and inefficient plans to stimulate the economy. Take for example the brainchild promise to bring in thousands of tourists from China every day when barely 300 a day have come. Even if the numbers had lived up to his foolhardy promises, insiders knew it was all hype and only a drop in the bucket.

--Those that are angry that Ma now suggests multiple entry visas for China's 1.3 billion people; no other nation dealing with Taiwan has that privilege.

--Those who know Ma's secretary has taken the fall for stashing half a million US dollars in Ma's bank account; the secretary is in jail while Ma pleads ignorance. Of course the secretary expects a presidential pardon "when the time is right."

--Those who know their children's lives and careers were destroyed by Ma being a KMT campus spy in his years in the USA.

--Those who are embarrassed and angry that Ma has foresworn any petition for Taiwan to enter the United Nations this year citing the vague hope that he will be happy with the crumbs of China allowing Taiwan to sit in the corner like a good little boy and just "observe" what happens at the World Health Association (WHA). This is supposed to be a great achievement?

--Those that are embarrassed that Ma has chosen a personal friend who hardly speaks Japanese to be Taiwan's "ambassador" to Japan, Taiwan's closest ally.

--Those who have always seen that Ma is an image seeking charlatan, who never accomplished anything significant in his eight years as Mayor of Taipei.

Yes the list goes on and on; and no Ma doesn't talk about the economy any more, nor does he talk about his past broken promises. Come out and see what the people really think of Ma.