| |
YUNLIN COUNTY, Central Taiwan : Taiwan's opposition party presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou has been called many things, including Mr Good-looking.
While that may serve him well in his broad appeal to women voters, it is not just his good looks that matter.
Sister Radio has been promoting the cause of women in the heart of Taiwan's central rural region since 2002.
But the once-spicy and provocative station had to move into the mainstream just to stay afloat.
And the straight-talking station's founder does not have high hopes of women's issues being taken up strongly by either presidential candidate, as they too will be going for the mainstream.
Wang Li-ping, women's rights activist, said, "As a women's rights activist, it's not worth expecting anything from them. They may want to support a policy for women just because many people agree."
But the candidates have rolled out their platforms nonetheless.
For example, the Kuomintang's Mr Ma has appeared in a campaign advertisement looking 'pregnant', to say he understands women and hence will uphold gender equality.
Some say Mr Ma is well-placed to gain a significant segment of women voters.
Professor George Tsai, The Sun Yat-Sen's Institute for Globalization Studies, said, "What nature has given him makes him more appealing and also his gentle image. He has quite a bit of fans. It's hard for the green camp to compete with him on this."
Looks aside, analysts say women voters see in Mr Ma someone who has the moral fibre expected of a leader and whose policies can rejuvenate the economy and bring about stability in cross-strait ties.
And his appeal is not limited to just the fairer sex.
A Taiwanese male said, "His image makes me feel Taiwan has a bright future."
Meanwhile, a Taiwanese female commented, "It's just a feeling. I feel that his way of doing things and also his policies are attainable."
Another Taiwanese female said, "He has the air of a President and I find that he can do more for the country."
For the women's vote, the ruling party's candidate Frank Hsieh has also pledged to set up a gender equality commission, among others.
And while it may not be his looks which draw them, he does have his die-hard female supporters.
When some say looks are not everything, it is probably a half-truth.
In elections where candidates seem larger than life and image counts, voters in Taiwan are hoping to see beyond the campaign smokescreens so they can make an informed choice come Saturday.
And Ms Wang has pretty much made up her mind.
She said, "I think in this election, what's more important is whether the next leader has the ability to unite all of Taiwan. And in uniting, he must have the ability to resolve the current cross- strait ties."
And so may the best man win. - CNA/ms
|
