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EIGHT years ago to the day, Taiwan was filled with anticipation of a brighter future.
Disillusioned with the prevalence of “black gold” politics under old Kuomintang (KMT) governments, many Taiwanese hoped the inauguration of President Chen Shui-bian, then 49, would lead to a more prosperous and democratic nation.
Unlike the aristocratic remnants of the KMT, Mr Chen was locally- born and bred, a native Taiwanese. And, there were several other reasons for their optimism.
For one, Mr Chen’s relatively young Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) — formed only in 1986 — promised a fresh political era different from that of the tired KMT, who had already ruled Taiwan for five decades.
Observers hailed the success story of a man born into a poor family and grew up to become a top lawyer, who also become Mayor of Taipei and later Taiwan’s first non-KMT President.
Mr Chen cleaned up Taipei’s sleazy prostitution licensing system — a feat that many Taiwanese saw as a preview of better things to come for the whole country.
Sadly, two terms later, the 57-year-old Mr Chen is stepping down today in the midst of a swing in public sentiment over several issues. His successor is President-elect Ma Ying-jeou from a resurrected KMT.
Mr Chen’s critics are harsh, choosing to ignore his achievements and dwell on his failings.
Notwithstanding Taiwan’s economic growth of 5.7 per cent last year, many observers and pro-KMT media have repeatedly pointed to the sluggish economy under Mr Chen’s administration over the past eight years.
In all fairness, these critics are right in noting that Taiwan — dubbed one of the four “Asian Dragons” in the 1990s, along with Singapore, Hong Kong and South Korea — has lagged behind the other three in terms of economic growth.
While they are also spot-on in concluding that Taiwan’s economy would have been boosted by better cross-strait ties, they have ignored the fact that the various global crises — such as rising food and oil prices and outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or Sars — were beyond the control of Mr Chen, or any world leader for that matter.
Having said that, the scandals implicating Mr Chen and his family have damaged his once clean-cut image and popularity.
Not only was Mr Chen’s son-in-law Chao Chien-ming convicted of insider trading, the President’s wife, Ms Wu Shu-chen, has also been indicted on embezzlement and forgery charges. Prosecutors working on her case had earlier indicated that Mr Chen might face similar charges once he steps down as President.
Former DPP leader Shih Ming-teh initiated a protest campaign called “Million Voices against Corruption”, calling for Mr Chen’s resignation in late 2006.
While Mr Chen has fought off such challenges and managed to remain in office until the end of his term, the coverage of such issues by the mainly pro-KMT media in Taiwan has inevitably affected his standing among many Taiwanese.
Controversies aside, the defeat of the DPP — under his chairmanship — in January’s legislative elections as well as the mysterious assassination attempts on Mr Chen and his deputy Annette Lu on the eve of the 2004 presidential election are also likely to be remembered.
Some may judge that Mr Chen leaves office under a cloud, yet it may be too early to write him off as a political influence.
Mr Chen is a man who has survived much turbulence in Taiwanese politics over the past two decades.From being imprisoned on libel charges in the 1980s to his failed bid to be re-elected as Taipei Mayor in 1998, he has always bounced back stronger.
With his own party facing a paucity of charismatic leaders at the moment, we cannot rule out a return to active politics for Mr Chen, possibly as a DPP presidential candidate in 2012.
As far-fetched as it may sound, his return to the presidential palace is not impossible, especially if his successor does not fulfil his campaign pledges.
More than anyone else, the outgoing President knows exactly how fickle and forgetful voters are.TODAY/cl
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