TAIWAN: Nationalist leader cleared of corruption
Updated
A court in Taiwan has cleared the main opposition's presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou of corruption charges. Mr Ma, the star candidate of the Kuomintang, was accused of misappropriating $US330,000 in funds when he was mayor of Taipei. After the not-guilty verdict came through, Mr Ma said the use of discretionary funds without detailed accounting has long been a common practice among senior public servants. The court's ruling is expected to boost his chances of succeeding President Chen Shui-bian in elections due next March.
Presenter: Sen Lam
Speakers: Taiwan specialist Professor Dennis Hickey, of Missouri State University in the United States
HICKEY: I think it's good news, I don't think it's necessarily the great news or the type of breakthrough that will push Ma Ying-jeou over the top and ensure his election, but it cannot hurt him any.
LAM: Indeed if nothing else, it's removed an obstacle from him obtaining office?
HICKEY: Yes I think it's removed this cloud, however slight it might be, of suspicion of corruption from the Ma Ying-jeou campaign. And at the same time, you still have the other party, the DPP tainted with corruption charges, what with the President's wife, son-in-law and others who have been arrested or indicted for corruption.
LAM: And returning to former Mayor Ma, he's not out of the woods yet is he? I understand that state prosecutors may still appeal against the verdict?
HICKEY: I think there's a chance they might do that but it's unclear at this time whether or not they're going to push this any further. I think he had a point in saying that this is a common practice in Taiwan - if you're going to indict everybody who has used discretionary funds in this way, the vice president apparently is going to have to be indicted, along with a whole lot of other people.
LAM: Well Ma Ying-jeou's career was built on a squeaky clean image. How politically damaging has the trial been for him?
HICKEY: I don't think it has been that damaging. I think the verdict proves what he said all along - that this was a lot of hot air. There might have been some people who were wavering, but there's a large group who are going to support him no matter what. There's a large group that's going to oppose him no matter what. But there may have been some swing votes there in the middle that were sort of wondering if there's something here or not, and I think this would remove those doubts.
LAM: Ma Ying-jeou of course is the Kuomintang's poster boy - he's urbane, he's sophisticated, he's largely popular, certainly among the people of Taipei. Do you see him as the best hope of the opposition KMT snatching back the presidency?
HICKEY: I do think he's the best hope but at the same time, nothing is guaranteed. I mean when I was in Taiwan a year ago the members of Kuomintang had pretty much picked out their office furniture and wallpaper. I mean, they were so sure they were going to win. Nothing is certain in politics and I think Ma is going to have to run pretty hard to win this election. When I was in Taiwan a few weeks ago, I heard complaints from Kuomintang supporters saying that his election strategy is flawed, that it's too passive, that they are not energetic enough and that they need to get going.
LAM: But Ma is backed up by this huge party machinery and a very experienced party machinery as such. Do you think that will stand him in good stead?
HICKEY: Well I think the party machinery isn't quite what it used to be. The old Kuomintang is pretty well gone when they could stuff the ballot boxes and do this kind of stuff that they did in the past. There's something to be said there but the DPP also has an attraction. I think polls show that it's particularly attractive to younger voters and also older voters, where the Kuomintang seems to capture a larger portion of the middle class and those who are out there working for a living.
LAM: And just briefly, Dennis Hickey what do you think Frank Hsieh has to offer, the DPP's candidate for presidency?
HICKEY: Well he's not as controversial as President Chen. He's viewed as being more moderate on a number of issues and maybe a little bit more conciliatory towards mainland China. But then again, his recent choice as a vice presidential candidate is sort of a nod to the deep green or pro-independence forces. So he has to have that camp; he has to get those votes too, those people can't stay home. He has to be sure that he gets the hardcore independence people or they're gonna lose the election for sure.
