Taiwan legislator's dual citizenship scandal

The discussion in the following website,  http://www.taiwanus.net/news/press/200812290813551775.htm, 

revealed that the Taiwan legislator Li Ching-an had not given up her US citizenship according to the state department's record, and was qualified for the US government tax rebate of $900, meaning that she did pay the income tax to the US in 2007. Therefore she has been fully aware that she has effective dual Taiwan-US citizenship all these years! She was also said to be seen passing through the custom entrance for the " US citizen" in LA in 2003 or 2004, according to a caller in a Taiwan talk show.  Her denials that she has lost the US citizenship "automatically" as soon as she was sworn in 14 years ago as the Taiwan government official were blatant lies, and a clear insult of our intelligence.

 

Those KMT government officials who were supposed to investigate and clarify her dual citizenship status long time ago hurriedly denied knowing anything about her dual citizenship.  

 

Li Ching-an, the daughter of the former KMT (Nationalist Party) premier Li Huan, has been lying to all news reporters and Taiwanese people. She received the incomes from Taiwan  government as a public servant, a Taipei city councilman and then a legislator, for 14 years, while secretly maintaining her dual Taiwan-US citizenship which has been illegal according to the Taiwan law. During her tenure as the city councilman, she even harshly criticized 2 Taipei municipal officials who had dual citizenship, to force one to resign and the other to renounce the US citizenship in Thailand. All were done while hiding her own dual citizenship! What an audacity, what a mean, despicable, contemptible behavior!

 

The next question is, of course, what about the permanent US residency status of the current “president”, KMT's Ma Ing-joke? He also claimed that his permanent residency status “automatically expired” or “disappeared”, or evaporated when he did not use it. There is no doubt in people's mind that there is another dishonest man, who is also a self-admitted former campus spy against Taiwanese, sitting in the highest position of Taiwan government. He is currently leading this democratic island nation to become a part of the authoritarian China, despite the opposition by more than 80% of Taiwan residents in repeated polls.  How does the exposure of Ma's deceptions and inconsistencies affect his position, his political decisions, and the stability of this government is to be seen. 

 

The shamelessness of those KMT hypocrites and criminals evolved in large part from their years of superiority feeling and habits of cheating Taiwanese. They have been so confident that whatever they did they could get away with it. “The court is KMT's”, as they proudly claimed. Why should they worry? So far which KMT embezzlers got caught? Who are in jail now?  Well, nearly all of them are enjoying the millions and billions of NT, that they stole from Taiwan , in China . The remainders are hiding in the US , Canada , or somewhere. 

 

After more than 10 years of recent rule by Taiwanese DPP (Democratic Progressive Party), during which democracy, human rights, and law-and-order were promoted, many young voters have become used to the new political climate, the “rule by law”.

 

However, those KMTs still hanged on to their old mind frame, refused to change. They are confident that their structure for the corrupt authoritarian rule, with unfairness and under-the-table dealings, built and perfected since 1940's has not fallen apart. The legal system is still under KMT control, and “Three quarters of legislators are KMT members, what can you do about it?” From the recent events in Taiwan , (e.g. hiding the KMT’s national flags when Chinese officials visited Taiwan , and police beating of the peaceful demonstrators against their visits, etc.) they are correct.

 

After the dual citizenship revelations, Li CA will have to be convicted to 7-8 years in prison and return 114 million NT that she took from the government as her salary and other expenses.

 

What do you guess that she will do next? I will bet that the legal process will be dragged in court for years, and during which, she will flee out of Taiwan with the help of remaining KMT underground secret apparatus.

The fact that many KMTs in the government are still protecting her with various delay tactics of due process shows the basic difference between KMT and DPP. When DPP’s president Chen SB admitted lying to the public, the vast majority of DPP supporters and DPP members were outraged and supported prosecution of Chen.

 

Some Taiwanese who voted for KMT the past year have been keenly alerted to the fact that, what Ma promised during the pre-election campaign has completely been unrealized, and Taiwan, which is an independent state, is taking a very dangerous path of no return to become a region of China.

 

This Li CA scandal might further hurt the power of KMT’s holds on the voters for the next legislatorial and local elections. To what degree will the damage to the KMT be, and whether Taiwan will be saved from becoming a subordinate of China, is dependent on the wisdom of the Taiwan voters. The future of Taiwan will be decided by the elections in various levels over the next couple of years.

 

Will the ideal for law-and-order, human rights, the fairness, and the real democracy prevail over the vote-buying and bribery with the KMT's huge illegal party assets? This is the question that will decide the fate of 23 million people in Taiwan.  

 

 

Reminiscence-1

Watching the TV news of snow storm in the Northeast, I feel relieved that we had left Chicago eight or nine years ago. At my age, I would certainly like to avoid shoveling snow or driving in icy weather. When we were young and vigorous, we could live in any place. I still remember how I answered Dr. Lloyd Old when I saw him in early 1970’ s while looking for a job. He asked me where did I want to live and work. I said if the work fit, I could go to Alaska . He nodded understandingly. It was such a long time ago that I do not remember when and how I got to visit him. It could be upon the suggestion of Dr. Cooperband who taught me the lymphocyte culture technique.

Reminiscing the days in Chicago , I thought of a funny exchange at my hospital in 1980’ s that still makes me laugh. There was a very smart, quick-witted and humorous chief resident, Dan Fisher, at our Columbus Hospital in Chicago . The Northwestern University Medical Center (NUMC) was trying to include this catholic hospital as one of its teaching hospitals. The house staff, the chief of medicine, and I, from NUMC, were assigned there to draw salaries. But eventually the negotiations failed. I was not interested in those administrative matters and never had any idea of how, why, and the potential consequences to us later.

The medical director and the chief of medical department of Columbus Hospital was Dr. Erl Dordal, a professor of clinical medicine in gastroenterology. He is highly intelligent, sharp as a needle, and can be very humorous. Sometimes his comments can be so funny that I could not stop giggling. He can grab complicated situation in an instant and seems to be able to think many steps ahead of you and then back to you within a fraction of a second. He was very nice and protective of his men.

At that time, almost weekly, the chief resident would arrange a drug company to host noon conferences with outside speakers to talk on some subjects. The drug rep would provide simple lunch and small gift items to attract residents to attend. The conference would go on while we munch on those lunches with drinks. The topics discussed were on various clinical issues and usually very useful. They were not necessarily related to the company’s products, but the company would distribute drug brochures.

One day, after the conference, three of us met in the hall way. Dr. Dordal did not attend the conference, and asked Dan:

“Noon conference?” the director asked softly with an inquisitive look. He did not want to be involved in those company-related matters, I supposed, but still wanted to be kept informed.

Dan answered, “Yes, by so-and-so company”.

He asked, “What was it?”.

Instantaneously, Dan replied:

“Pizza and penlight”.

I burst out laughing and Dr. Dordal broke up grinning. Every time I recalled this episode, I could not help laughing and also admired Dan’s fast and humorous response.

I wonder where Dan is working now. And Dr. Dordal, who must be over 80 years old, from a web search, seems to be associated with the University of Chicago . I wish I could call them and say hi.