Tremendous crises looming for Ma

The first crisis as anticipated by many will come when the forthcoming government report on corruptions and abuses come out within a few days. Of this document, the most significant and noteworthy part should the findings about illegal activities within the military, including the alleged purchase of ranks and positions by the top brass. Since so many seemingly credible allegations about serious military wrongdoings on a large scale have been circulating for quite a while, the public generally expects investigation results to this effect and severe punishments to be meted out to offenders. If this happens, it will undoubtedly shake the very foundation of the military forces in terms of morale and capability to protect the security of this nation. There will absolutely be no reason for Ma, the commander-in-chief, to be happy about such an outcome.

Coming on top of this dilemma is the grave issue stemming from the latest revelation about the possible role of Lai Ying-chao, the president of the Judicial Yuan, in coaching former President Chen Shui-bian as to how to deal with the government probe of his corruption case.

Initial convincing evidence indicated that a secret rendezvous between Lai, then a grand justice, and Chen did take place in the presidential office at a time when the former president was anxiously seeking professional advice on the classification of his expenditure of the “state affairs fund” as “top national secrets,” and Lai was rewarded by being nominated to head the Judicial Yuan, the nation's highest judicial body.

This episode, coupled with the fact that Prosecutor-general Chen Tsung-ming has been accused of maintaining complicated and improper relations with a wide variety of politicians and businessmen, some of them being crime suspects, and has lied about his activities with them, has jolted the nation, particularly the legal circle, like a violent earthquake. When a modern democracy has no credible judicial system, it loses almost everything because the judiciary is the ultimate safeguard of justice.

Ma must take vigorous action to help solve the aforesaid problems. He must realize that his familiar precept that “everything is done according to law” is not effective enough to handle the current national disaster. It is none other than the law enforcement itself is in serious trouble. Hence, the whole judicial system needs a major overhaul, a task that can be achieved only by Ma with an overwhelming mandate from the people.

If the leader of a nation can rule effectively simply with a complete volume of laws, the job will be too easy, and almost everyone can do it. Ma must actively engage himself in striving to steer the nation safely through the current storm by displaying strong, skillful and far-sighted leadership.

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