Ma Ying-jeou's Spin-doctors and the Taipei City Hall Corpse
Saturday May 19, by Jerome F. Keating Ph.D.
Not too many would be aware of it, but we are fast approaching the anniversary date of the finding of a corpse on a Taipei City Hall balcony. It is not every day of course that an unclaimed corpse turns up at Taipei City Hall, but what made this corpse so unusual was that it had lain there on the 3rd floor balcony for over six months. The Hong Kong born and indicted former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairman, Ma Ying-jeou, was mayor then.
In my mind, if there is anyone in Taiwan who has the best spin-doctors that money (corrupt or not) can buy, it is Ma Ying-jeou. That is why it has always amazed me that they would not touch this one with a ten or even twenty-foot pole. They did not try to even use their traditional dodge when Ma is found guilty of something to say, "Of course Ma Ying-jeou knew nothing about that."
In the past, Ma has never missed a chance to have a photo opportunity with the numerous charlatans that attacked Ma's opposition enemy Chen Shui-bian; but here there were no appropriate apologies for the body lying there for six months, nor were there photos of Ma pointing to the site and saying "See, the body was found there." Ma's spin-doctors didn't know what to do and avoided this one like the plague.
I suppose even Ma's spin-doctors' standard excuse, "Of course Ma Ying-jeou knew nothing about that" used for example when false receipts were turned in for funds deposited into his personal bank account, just could not be bent in any way to apply here.
If you are the indicted former mayor, just how can you say that you knew nothing about a corpse that has been lying around your city hall for six months. It would suggest some dereliction of duty for a man bent on creating image.
This is Bonfire of the Vanities stuff and I am still waiting for some enterprising novelist or playwright to take hold of this unexplained and avoided topic. (those wishing more background details can visit my posting of June 4, 2006.) Ma's spin-doctors complete silence here points to a more dramatic tale.