Undemocratic KMT

By Charles Hong of Columbus, Ohio

If the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) has a conscience, it should feel ashamed of benefiting a great deal from the recent legislative elections.

Many people did not vote for Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidates because of the poor performance of the DPP government and several corruption cases. However, the KMT is partly responsible for the DPP administration's poor performance because KMT legislators repeatedly boycotted proposed government projects and disapproved or cut budgets, including the national and defense budgets. The KMT would rather see the DPP government fail than allow it to operate smoothly.

The past eight years also saw persistent conflict between the central government and the KMT-controlled Taipei City Government, which appears bent on implementing a "one nation, two systems" in Taiwan. Determined to oppose the government, the KMT continues to worship dictatorship, wears its "China" hat and is committed to "ultimate unification."

Corruption by government officials and their family members should be condemned. But the fact is the KMT is not any cleaner than the DPP. In last Saturday's referendums, 91.5 percent of the valid votes cast were in favor of asking the KMT to return its stolen assets and 58.2 percent were in favor of punishing corrupt officials. Unfortunately, both issues were defeated partly because of the KMT's campaign to boycott the referendums, including the one it proposed. Strangely, the KMT was afraid of a high turnout of voters.

In spite of the fatal setback the DPP suffered, DPP members have displayed sportsmanship. In contrast, after the last two presidential elections in 2000 and 2004, the KMT and other pan-blue party members protested loudly and violently in the streets day and night for several months. Taiwan needs democracy with sportsmanship.

"If the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) has a conscience, it should feel ashamed of benefiting a great deal from the recent legislative elections."

If they did, they would have long apologized for the atrocities they have committed, both past and present...

"In spite of the fatal setback the DPP suffered, DPP members have displayed sportsmanship. In contrast, after the last two presidential elections in 2000 and 2004, the KMT and other pan-blue party members protested loudly and violently in the streets day and night for several months. Taiwan needs democracy with sportsmanship."

Sportmanships is nice, but doesn't mean of thing if being a gracious loser means losing your country, or what was of it...