Ho-hum, Another Promise from Taiwan's Ma Ying-jeou; This One at New Year's

Wednesday January 02, by Jerome F. Keating Ph.D.

There are times when one does not know whether to laugh or cry at Taiwan politics. The New Year address of Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou is just another example of such. To laugh? Well actions speak louder than words. Ma promised this time that he will for starters reconcile with the opposition parties in solving the nation's problems and fix the economy. Does he think that even though he has been stonewalling the opposition parties for the last five years of his presidency, people will believe him? Or that the man who gave his infamous 6-3-3 promise five years ago, will now finally sit down and deliver or at least fix the sliding economy?

To cry, one wonders why or how the Taiwanese people are still unable to connect the dots and realize that if they re-elect Ma and continue to give his party a majority position in the Legislative Yuan where they can reject all the reform proposals of the opposition parties, that suddenly all will correct itself and the nation will prosper?

It is time to make a New Year;s resolution and start counting the unfulfilled promises of Ma since the voting public seems to have a very, very short memory. This (despite its many facets) will be number one. Keep tuned, this number will quickly grow.