As much as I wish to consider Ma's (often described as) landslide victory as one in which reason and integrity prevails over passion and political gimmick, the 5 million plus votes garnered by Frank Hsieh is an approximately accurate reflection of DPP's unwawering political base.
It didn't matter to these DPP supporters that Chen Sui-Bian's 8 years of misgovernance is tainted by scandal, corruption and nepotism. What concern them foremost remains the Green Card issue (patriotism issue) questioning Ma's loyalty to Taiwan. To the Pan-green supportes, Ma carries this original sin because he was born outside Taiwan to parents who are regarded as outsiders who came to Taiwan with KMT having lost the civil war to CCP in mainland China.
The ensuing history saw KMT's autocratic and oppressive rule from 1945 to mid 1980s. The breakthrough was the democratization process begun by the late Chiang Ching Kuo which ought to have started a new chapter for Taiwan. As the history unfolded, all the subsequent administration whether Lee Teng Hui or DPP perpetuated the history of communal polarization instead of unity, the history of political patronage aka corruption and scandal instead of clean and efficient government focusing on peoples welfare and livelihood.
It is with this backdrop that Ma's victory is very impressive especially by capturing some of DPP's stronghold in Southern Taiwan. For a start, Ma has said what is expected out of him, widely regarded as a junzhi (loosely translated as gentleman) politician. In his victories speech, Ma expressed his gratitude to the peoples for giving him the mandate (more of western democratic value) and also his pledge to service with humility (more of confucianist value). More is expected out of him.
Right ahead, besides delivering a clean and good governance for peoples livelihood and managing the intricate issue of cross strait relationship underlining the issue of peoples freedom and liberty, he has an uphill task in the next four years to undo the negative paradigm of communal politics created by DPP and Lee Teng Hui in the course of the last 20 years where values are ignored, reason are undermined, facts are skewed and peace is compromised, all done for the purpose to grab power and power only. This will be the historical mission he is called upon to rebuild after years of oppression and polarization, corruption and scandal.
On individual level, Ma's victory is potentially more meaningful to individuals and every household. Besides his apparent very handsome look, there is other reason why women support him. On post election TV interview, one mother whilst cuddling her little girl was asked why did she voted for Ma and the answer she gave, I found so profound - was that Ma would be a better role model to her child. Everything starts at individual level, and on this score, Ma, with his values and clean image, received the endorsement that his set of values is what this mother is hoping that her daugther will embody. Let's wish Ma well and live up to the hope he inspires.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Comments on Tibet Riots
On Taiwan, my concern for Ma's loss has increased. Hsieh's electioneering is far superior and the gap is now much narrower. I will follow closely.
Whether the Green has a hand in Tibet, I am not sure but financial support to overseas Tibetan groups is quite definite. I doubt Dalai has called for the violent riot. This is so unlike His Holiness.
The most he called was probably protest. However, I do believe his radical youth wing must be behind it. The spread of the riot from Tibet to Gansu to Sichuan speaks volume of Dalai's influence and His Holiness's grassroot network and activism within China and also most worrying the high degree of dissent among the Tibetan against CCP despite the econimic growth delivered there.
Tibet issue is a race issue. There are actually little evidence for cultural genocide or assimilation attempts by CCP. However it is true that the Han Chinese has moved into Tibet with greater number. Therefore the changes in the racial balance and sometimes both real and perceived inequality coupled with the insensitivity by the new comers are waiting to fuel any rage especially mobilized in the name of His Holiness.
Just hope CCP to exercise restraint not just pre-Olympic but at all times. Use of force will not be legitimite in the eye of the world. It has to be subtle means.
Whether the Green has a hand in Tibet, I am not sure but financial support to overseas Tibetan groups is quite definite. I doubt Dalai has called for the violent riot. This is so unlike His Holiness.
The most he called was probably protest. However, I do believe his radical youth wing must be behind it. The spread of the riot from Tibet to Gansu to Sichuan speaks volume of Dalai's influence and His Holiness's grassroot network and activism within China and also most worrying the high degree of dissent among the Tibetan against CCP despite the econimic growth delivered there.
Tibet issue is a race issue. There are actually little evidence for cultural genocide or assimilation attempts by CCP. However it is true that the Han Chinese has moved into Tibet with greater number. Therefore the changes in the racial balance and sometimes both real and perceived inequality coupled with the insensitivity by the new comers are waiting to fuel any rage especially mobilized in the name of His Holiness.
Just hope CCP to exercise restraint not just pre-Olympic but at all times. Use of force will not be legitimite in the eye of the world. It has to be subtle means.
A More Perfect Union and A More Perfect Man
I read Obama's "A More Perfect Union" speech on line yesterday. I am inspired and I am changed as a result.
Obama may have said it in the context of America but what he said resonant with this world
where peoples are still very much judged by their color and their inheritance. His call for more perfect union by healing the racial divide to create a more just, more equal, more free, more caring and more prosperous America. It is this very same hope for a more just, more equal, more free, more caring and more prosperous society that everyone in everywhere at everytime want to share. He said it better than everyone else could.
This speech resonant with us at two levels, our experience as the chinese minority in Brunei or Malaysia, as well as our experience as chinese at large in a world dominated by the West. Our anger of not being treated fairly by our governments; their resentment of our presence in the country they consider rightfully theirs. Our anger of the West always taking the moral highground by changing the rules from free trade to protectionism, slavery to human right, colonial aggrandisement to environmental protection, whenever, wherever and whatever that suits their; their resentment of our attempts for decency and respectability is a process encroaching and eroding their God endowed position.
Oh! It seems our anger and their resentment are so intertwined solving one seems to be agravating the other. Must it be a zero-sum game?
Obama speaks of embracing the burdens of our past without becoming victims of our past. I have always been burdened as a Chinese in the country of my birth. I have also been burdened with the collective Chinese historical sentiment of Western and Japanese imperialism. Hearing his speech, that itself relieves me.
Obama reminds us of "we do unto others as we would have them do unto us". Simple message frequently if not completely forgotten even among men and women however well educated, however pious and religious.
We do have a choice. And it is this choice I choose to exercise. I want to embrace without being burdened; I want to see goodness as opposed to color as an attribute of a man. I am no Obama, suffice I begin with my effort to become a more perfect man.
Obama may have said it in the context of America but what he said resonant with this world
where peoples are still very much judged by their color and their inheritance. His call for more perfect union by healing the racial divide to create a more just, more equal, more free, more caring and more prosperous America. It is this very same hope for a more just, more equal, more free, more caring and more prosperous society that everyone in everywhere at everytime want to share. He said it better than everyone else could.
This speech resonant with us at two levels, our experience as the chinese minority in Brunei or Malaysia, as well as our experience as chinese at large in a world dominated by the West. Our anger of not being treated fairly by our governments; their resentment of our presence in the country they consider rightfully theirs. Our anger of the West always taking the moral highground by changing the rules from free trade to protectionism, slavery to human right, colonial aggrandisement to environmental protection, whenever, wherever and whatever that suits their; their resentment of our attempts for decency and respectability is a process encroaching and eroding their God endowed position.
Oh! It seems our anger and their resentment are so intertwined solving one seems to be agravating the other. Must it be a zero-sum game?
Obama speaks of embracing the burdens of our past without becoming victims of our past. I have always been burdened as a Chinese in the country of my birth. I have also been burdened with the collective Chinese historical sentiment of Western and Japanese imperialism. Hearing his speech, that itself relieves me.
Obama reminds us of "we do unto others as we would have them do unto us". Simple message frequently if not completely forgotten even among men and women however well educated, however pious and religious.
We do have a choice. And it is this choice I choose to exercise. I want to embrace without being burdened; I want to see goodness as opposed to color as an attribute of a man. I am no Obama, suffice I begin with my effort to become a more perfect man.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Will Anwar return to UMNO
This is an edited reply dated March 11 to my very good friend, KH, who asked several question from NY, USA.
1. whether Anwar will return to UMNO
It will be political suicide if Anwar returns to UMNO unless he can bring about sweeping changes to UMNO for instance turning the U"M"NO from Malay to Malaysian. He owes his resurgence in large part to a multi-racial support and hence returning to UMNO will be unforgivable. He should connive with boeo based party to leave the BN's yoke. That's smarter without having to wait for the next election, maybe with an offer of DPM to borneo's MP. Even better generate defection among the UMNO. 112 -82, he needs 30 MPs to cross over. Not easy but politics is an art of possible. Remember how Pairin's PBS dumped BN in 1990.
2. whether DAP and PKR should merge
I also come to the idea of a merger between PKR and DAP, that's will be fantastic I thought initially, however, the fear for the PKR's Malay will be a take over by the Chinese dominated DAP. It will be better for PKR to win over greater number of Malays especially in Johor and Pahang before this idea is entertained. It is interesting to see why the Johor's Malay are such a staunch UMNO backers since independence.
It maybe nice to do away the idea of race in Malaysia. It won't. Jst look at USA despite the civil war 150 years ago and the civil right movement 40 years ago.
3. whether Perak will have a non-Muslim MB
I fantasize the idea of the Sultan of Perak, Azlan Shah, the most enlightened of all the sultans, to be daring and progressive in appointing a DAP member to be the MB by waiving the state constitutional requirement that the MB has to be muslim. DAP won 18 seats. Politically, it is wise for DAP to support preferably PKR muslim to be the MB, after all it is the malay who constitute the majority.
4. whether Pak Lah should continue as PM
Frankly, let Pak Lah continues, that's is the best for two party systems to evolve.
5. whether Gerakan and MIC should linger on
Gerakan and MIC, I hope, will become oblivion over times. Gerakan, a chinese dominated multi-racial party has very limited appeal really if compared to PKR and DAP. If opposition make an Indian at least an exco each in the state they controlled, or better still a deputy CM, that is going to give a strong signal to the indian community that their future is better served by PKR-DAP alliance. (post note: taking place now with Dr Ramasamy appointed as DCM in Penang)
6. how the local government can be reintroduced?
nothing is more important than delivering a good governance in the next 5 years for the 2 party system; Guan Eng seems to have a good start by waiving all the summons issued by local council from the last reign. Talking about local government, if election can be introduced (federal law has to be amended), only then long term sustainable real grassroot democracy can then get entrenched in Malaysia. If the federal law cannot be amended bcoz of BN's opposition, the BR's state governments should find a mean, perhaps like american open primaries, that bind the ruling party by convention rather than by law, to appoint the elected mayor/counselor whichever party they represent. BN would have no choice but to stake up the game.
1. whether Anwar will return to UMNO
It will be political suicide if Anwar returns to UMNO unless he can bring about sweeping changes to UMNO for instance turning the U"M"NO from Malay to Malaysian. He owes his resurgence in large part to a multi-racial support and hence returning to UMNO will be unforgivable. He should connive with boeo based party to leave the BN's yoke. That's smarter without having to wait for the next election, maybe with an offer of DPM to borneo's MP. Even better generate defection among the UMNO. 112 -82, he needs 30 MPs to cross over. Not easy but politics is an art of possible. Remember how Pairin's PBS dumped BN in 1990.
2. whether DAP and PKR should merge
I also come to the idea of a merger between PKR and DAP, that's will be fantastic I thought initially, however, the fear for the PKR's Malay will be a take over by the Chinese dominated DAP. It will be better for PKR to win over greater number of Malays especially in Johor and Pahang before this idea is entertained. It is interesting to see why the Johor's Malay are such a staunch UMNO backers since independence.
It maybe nice to do away the idea of race in Malaysia. It won't. Jst look at USA despite the civil war 150 years ago and the civil right movement 40 years ago.
3. whether Perak will have a non-Muslim MB
I fantasize the idea of the Sultan of Perak, Azlan Shah, the most enlightened of all the sultans, to be daring and progressive in appointing a DAP member to be the MB by waiving the state constitutional requirement that the MB has to be muslim. DAP won 18 seats. Politically, it is wise for DAP to support preferably PKR muslim to be the MB, after all it is the malay who constitute the majority.
4. whether Pak Lah should continue as PM
Frankly, let Pak Lah continues, that's is the best for two party systems to evolve.
5. whether Gerakan and MIC should linger on
Gerakan and MIC, I hope, will become oblivion over times. Gerakan, a chinese dominated multi-racial party has very limited appeal really if compared to PKR and DAP. If opposition make an Indian at least an exco each in the state they controlled, or better still a deputy CM, that is going to give a strong signal to the indian community that their future is better served by PKR-DAP alliance. (post note: taking place now with Dr Ramasamy appointed as DCM in Penang)
6. how the local government can be reintroduced?
nothing is more important than delivering a good governance in the next 5 years for the 2 party system; Guan Eng seems to have a good start by waiving all the summons issued by local council from the last reign. Talking about local government, if election can be introduced (federal law has to be amended), only then long term sustainable real grassroot democracy can then get entrenched in Malaysia. If the federal law cannot be amended bcoz of BN's opposition, the BR's state governments should find a mean, perhaps like american open primaries, that bind the ruling party by convention rather than by law, to appoint the elected mayor/counselor whichever party they represent. BN would have no choice but to stake up the game.
Snippets on International Politics
Anwar and his allies shoud look at how to form a sort of northern peninsular quasi federal mechanism covering the 5 states to provide a more coordinated governance promoting openness, efficiency and also participatory democrarcy. That would provide a a glimpse to the rest of malaysia to see what kind of governance Barisan Rakyat (People's Front) can provide if they are mandated to form the federal government.
On American Democratic primary, it has been said that Hillary runs the last 20th century campaign and Obama the first 21st century campaign.
Without a doubt internet is really a powerful tools in almost every aspect of our life. Even the so-called Malaysia's political Tsunami in large part is attrivuted to bloggers and on-line activists. DAP's Jeff Ooi, is probably the first blogger elected to parliament.
Speaking about political volunteers, this is an ultra mature sign of partipatory democracy. I too admire the American democratic culture. Politics has a lot of similary across the globe. Former MCA health minister resgined after a video secretly filning his extra-marital affairs went public. Today we have Spitzer resigned for hiring a hooker. Even in China, a lot of political bigwigs were brought down over sex scandals. Publis life really means the only form of legitimate sex is really matrimonial sex.
On LKY, I would suggest Guan Eng to take some pages out of LKY's volumous biographies to devise ala-Singaporean style governance in Penang. I have hell lot of respect for him but his way of disabling his opponents by all legal means, if copied, will definitely be disgusted and held in contempt. Those kinds of techniques were perhaps acceptable during his era but has no place now.
With the 6 weeks break until the next primary, we can shift our attention to Taiwan presidential election, about 10 days from now. Ma has an upperhand based on the opinion polls. However, I also believe that there is a similar phenomena to that - was it Bradly theory - that many of the ben sheng ren (my hokkien clans) who remains uncommitted or says would support Ma in opinion polls, would actually show up to vote for Hsieh. Let's hope that there is no repeat shooting incident this time. If it does, the bullet is likely to strike Ma rather than Hsieh. This remind me of the similar fact evidence we studied in the law school.
On American Democratic primary, it has been said that Hillary runs the last 20th century campaign and Obama the first 21st century campaign.
Without a doubt internet is really a powerful tools in almost every aspect of our life. Even the so-called Malaysia's political Tsunami in large part is attrivuted to bloggers and on-line activists. DAP's Jeff Ooi, is probably the first blogger elected to parliament.
Speaking about political volunteers, this is an ultra mature sign of partipatory democracy. I too admire the American democratic culture. Politics has a lot of similary across the globe. Former MCA health minister resgined after a video secretly filning his extra-marital affairs went public. Today we have Spitzer resigned for hiring a hooker. Even in China, a lot of political bigwigs were brought down over sex scandals. Publis life really means the only form of legitimate sex is really matrimonial sex.
On LKY, I would suggest Guan Eng to take some pages out of LKY's volumous biographies to devise ala-Singaporean style governance in Penang. I have hell lot of respect for him but his way of disabling his opponents by all legal means, if copied, will definitely be disgusted and held in contempt. Those kinds of techniques were perhaps acceptable during his era but has no place now.
With the 6 weeks break until the next primary, we can shift our attention to Taiwan presidential election, about 10 days from now. Ma has an upperhand based on the opinion polls. However, I also believe that there is a similar phenomena to that - was it Bradly theory - that many of the ben sheng ren (my hokkien clans) who remains uncommitted or says would support Ma in opinion polls, would actually show up to vote for Hsieh. Let's hope that there is no repeat shooting incident this time. If it does, the bullet is likely to strike Ma rather than Hsieh. This remind me of the similar fact evidence we studied in the law school.
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