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By Mo Yan-chin /
Staff reporter Sat, Feb 02, 2013 - Page 3 The latest Cabinet reshuffle highlights
President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九)
attempts to strengthen cooperation between the administrative and legislative
branches to push forward more government reforms, while seeking to
consolidate his leadership of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) amid an
internal power struggle ahead of mayoral elections next year and the
presidential election in 2016, analysts said. There have been speculations about a
reshuffle of the Cabinet, led by outgoing Premier Sean Chen (陳冲),
over the Executive Yuan’s poor execution of government policies and lack of
communication with the KMT’s legislative caucus, as well as that Ma’s
record-low approval rate and opposition against his re-election bid as KMT
chairman have prompted him to start a Cabinet reshuffle, and to replace Chen
with Vice Premier Jiang Yi-hua (江宜樺). “Chen has apparently lost Ma’s trust
over his handling of major government policies, from fuel price increases to
pension reform plans, which sparked public discontent. Jiang, on the other
hand, has demonstrated great skill in leading the pension reform task force
and Ma is hoping that he will better execute government policies and
stabilize the political situation,” Ming Chuan University professor Chen Chao-chien
(陳朝建) said. Jiang, 53, emerged as a promising
politician under the Ma administration after he proved his capability in
executing government policies during his term as minister of the interior. Ma
hand-picked him to serve as vice premier and by becoming premier, he will
assure his political strength as a preferred successor to Ma and a threat to
other presidential hopefuls in the KMT, including Vice President Wu Den-yih (吳敦義), Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) and New Taipei City
Mayor Eric Chu (朱立倫). As the Cabinet reshuffle sparked new
discussions on the KMT power struggle and its election strategy ahead of the
local government-head elections next year and the presidential election in
2016, Chen Chao-chien said Ma is using Jiang’s appointment to contain the forces behind Chu, Hau and Wu, as well as former Taipei EasyCard
Corp chairman Sean Lien (連勝文), son of former KMT
chairman Lien Chan (連戰). “Aside from seeking historical
recognition in his last term as president, Ma also needs to prevent a power struggle
within the KMT, because he is trying to take full control of the party and
get re-elected as party chairman,” Chen Chao-chien
said. Shih Cheng-feng (施正鋒), a professor
at National Dong Hwa University, said the timing of
the Cabinet reshuffle showed Ma is desperate to raise his approval ratings
and consolidate his leadership in the KMT. Jiang taking over the premiership
also reflected the KMT’s lack of talent and Ma’s limited decision-making
circle. “The selection of Jiang
as premier is not surprising. This latest personnel reshuffle only confirms
Ma’s habit of choosing officials with an academic background from a limited
talent pool,” he said. Aside from the appointment of a new
premier, Chen Yen-hui (陳延輝),
a professor at National Taiwan Normal University’s
Graduate Institute of Political Science, said the reshuffle of the financial
bodies under the Executive Yuan were just as crucial, as the government must
prioritize its efforts to ensure the nation’s
economic recovery. “The biggest problem facing the
nation is still the economy and Jiang, unlike Sean Chen, is not an expert in
economics and finance. People who can help address the nation’s economic
issues is what the Ma administration should be
looking for,” Chen Yen-hui said. Chen Chao-chien
agreed and added that the Ma administration should place more importance on
the follow-up reshuffle in the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of
Economic Affairs, and find suitable personnel to continue efforts in reviving
the economy. *
《Taipei Times》2013/02/02。
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