To Transform a Nation, Replace Its Structure

To Transform a Nation, Replace Its Structure
United Daily News editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)
A Translation
January 17, 2011

Summary: The general election is over. Next on the agenda is a cabinet reshuffle. During President Ma's second four year term, he will not be burdened by the need to run for re-election. He can fulfill his ideals without the need for second-guessing. He can promote his agenda for the next four years. For example, he can promote the Golden Decade he described earlier, during press conferences. Over the past four years his actions could be described as "righting wrongs." Over the next four years, we hope he will be able to fulfill his promise to help Taiwan "experience a rebirth."

Full Text Below:

The general election is over. Next on the agenda is a cabinet reshuffle.

During President Ma's second four year term, he will not be burdened by the need to run for re-election. He can fulfill his ideals without the need for second-guessing. He can promote his agenda for the next four years. For example, he can promote the Golden Decade he described earlier, during press conferences. Over the past four years his actions could be described as "righting wrongs." Over the next four years, we hope he will be able to fulfill his promise to help Taiwan "experience a rebirth."

Actually, upon closer examination, Taiwan does not have four years to experience a rebirth and transformation. It only has two. It is now 2012, only two years away from the 2014 five cities mayoral elections. When that time comes, realpolitik will force compromises that interfere with policy. Therefore the Ma administration has only two years, starting now, in which to get things done. These two years will determine Ma Ying-jeou's place in history. He must adopt drastic measures. He must be vigorous and resolute. Otherwise the opportunity will be lost forever.

If you ask President Ma what his most significant achievements over the past four years were, his is likely to say: One. Opening up cross-Strait trade and promoting cross-Strait peace. Two. Eliminating corruption. But these two achievements were mainly the result of proper attitude rather than extradordinary ability. The president insisted on making peace. Tensions between the two sides relaxed. As long as the president avoids recruiting people who love money and are out for the money. his own example will ensure that his administration remains clean.

During the campaign, President Ma was most severely criticized for failing to recruit the right people and for lacking resolve. Truly enabling Taiwan to experience a rebirth will require a very different way of doing things. Merely having the right attitude and having determination will not be enough. Over the next two years, the Republic of China needs a premier and a cabinet with the ability and the vision to implement Ma's vision. When people say revitailzation requires talent, this is what they mean.

Now however, important cabinet ministries lack the creativity, innovativeness, and courage to help Taiwan experience a rebirth. Many Executive Yuan cabinet members are drawn from the Taipei City Government. All they know is how to follow orders handed down by the central government. They are incapable of creating a new framework for the central government. Everywhere one looks, one sees fiscal policy, educational policy, monetary policy, accounting and statistics, and environmental protection being dealt with by local bureaucrats with little understanding of the larger issues. This is the main reason Taiwan failed to experience a rebirth over the past four years. The cabinet also includes people recommended party and government elders. It includes people hand-picked by the president himself. But with few exceptions, they have been unremarkable. This phenomenon of course, is a reflection upon President Ma's own choice of subordinates and his own vision.

KMT rulers have perpetuated the myth that the KMT is "rich in human talent." But considered coolly, those the KMT can promote to the cabinet level were all nurtured by the party 20 to 30 years ago. At the time Taiwan had an authoritarian system. South Korea was not a threat. Mainland China was waking from its slumber. Externally, Taiwan had no powerful neighbors. Internally, Taiwan had an authoritarian government. Naturally the talent it nurtured 20 years ago was more authoritarian and less progressive in character. Anyone who betrayed an inclination for reform, such as Justice Minister Ma Ying-jeou, was discouraged. Ma's fate was to be pushed aside by Lee Teng-hui. Any political party 100 years old is certain to include sycophants and yes-men. Therefore President Ma must acknowledge that the assumption that the KMT is rich in talent is in fact a myth. It is nothing more than incest.

If President Ma really wants to recruit those members of the political opposition most worthy of consideration, he should do what Tsai Ing-wen talked about the week before the election, engage in "cross-party recruitment." When Chen Shui-bian was elected Taipei Mayor, and again when he was elected president, he recruited many people not from the DPP. These people of ability included Sheng-Cheng Hu, Ho Chen, Lin Chuan-hsien, and Chen Chien-jen. Despite minority rule, despite presidential corruption, these recruits performed their duties quite well. Outside observers gave it fairly high praise. If President Ma wants to make a significant change over the next two years, the first thing he must do is break the KMT's past pattern of recruitment. He must recruit people of ability regardless of party affiliation.

Over the past four years, President Ma's hands have been tied with regards recruiting. This of course has undermined his ability to lead. When his cabinet members lack vision, when they lack administrative ability, he is the one who must take the heat. He is the one forced to make erroneous decisions outside his expertise. When the cabinet is unable to propose bold reforms, how can he rise above mere number crunching and text editing? As a result, many people concluded that President Ma failed to implement any fundamental reforms during his first term, apart from cross-Strait affairs and clean government.

A president is supposed to rise above partisanship. As Gong Zizhen observed, he or she must be able to recruit talent without regard for red tape. President Ma may lament that talent is hard to find. But if we break down the barriers, Taiwan is an island rich with talent. The only question is how such people can be persuaded to serve. The answer to that will depend on Ma's determination and courage. Taiwan's "rebirth" will require structural changes in personnel. As Gong Zizhen suggested, society and the nation must undergo a shake out. Too bad that on the occasion of President Ma's re-election, Gong Zizhen did not say "I advise the President to order a shake out, and to recruit talent without regard for red tape."

國家想脫胎換骨 人才要抽樑換棟
【聯合報╱社論】
2012.01.17 02:56 am

大選完成，下一個節目是內閣改組。

馬總統第二任的這四年，將是他沒有包袱、可以全力實現理想、推展政務的四年。一如他在先前黃金十年的記者會中所述，過去四年他所做的事情可以用「撥亂反正」四個字形容，而今後四年，他則希望能夠幫助台灣「脫胎換骨」。

但仔細思考，台灣得以進行脫胎換骨的改造時間，恐怕並沒有四年，而只有關鍵兩年。當下已是二○一二，距二○一四年下一屆五都選舉僅兩年餘，屆時勢必又有很多現實妥協羈絆政策推展，所以真正能夠做事的時間，或許就只有從現在起算的兩年。這兩年將是馬英九尋得其歷史定位關鍵的兩年；必須大刀闊斧、雷厲風行，否則轉眼即是時不我予。

若問馬總統過去四年的最顯著的政績為何，答案無非兩項：其一為兩岸的開放與和平，其二為政治的祛除貪腐。但這兩項政績的關鍵，主要都是態度問題，而非能力問題。總統堅持開放和平，則兩岸必趨和緩；總統只要不用愛財愛錢之人、自己以身作則，則政治必然清明。

大選期間，馬總統最受批評之處，在用人不當、斷事不決；因為，真正要使台灣脫胎換骨，就需要截然不同的格局，這絕非僅憑態度與決心所能成事。未來兩年，台灣必須要尋得有能力、有視野的閣揆與閣員，去布局、去開創、去改變、去落實。所謂中興以人才為本，就是這個意思。

然而，現在的重要部會閣員，坦言之，十之八九沒有這種開創、突破、勇敢精進、幫台灣脫胎換骨的能耐。行政院閣員中，不少來自台北市府團隊；他們的能力僅止於在中央給定的框架下折衝因應，卻無力到中央替國家開創一個理想的框架。舉凡財政、教育、金管、主計、環保，處處皆見地方行政官員之狹隘格局，這是四年來「胎不能脫、骨不能換」的根本原因。內閣中也有黨國大老推薦之輩，有總統自己欽點的人馬。但除了極少數例外，並無突出的表現。這樣的現象，當然反映馬總統用人的格局與視野。

國民黨的執政者常有一種迷思，認為國民黨黨內「人才濟濟」。但平心而論，國民黨今日能夠被拔擢成為閣員之人，都是二、三十年前開始培養的。當時台灣內部處於威權體系，而外在的韓國尚不構成威脅，中國大陸也只是大夢初醒。在外無強鄰、內有威權的大環境下，自然使得廿年前培育的人才在性格上「多融入威權、少積極進取」。在當年的環境下，稍有改革銳氣如法務部長馬英九者，其下場就是被李登輝所排擠，遑論其他。等而下之，百年政黨中當然也有若干逢迎諂媚之輩。所以，馬總統必須體認，國民黨「人才濟濟」其實是一種錯誤的迷思，甚至主要只是一本近親繁殖的譜系。

如果馬總統要真正擷取在野黨政見中最值得參考者，大概就是選前一周蔡英文所提的「跨黨派用人」。當年陳水扁選上台北市長、擔任總統，他所用的許多人都不是民進黨內之士。其中有些幹才如胡勝正、賀陳旦、林全、黃榮村、陳建仁等人，即使在朝小野大、總統貪腐的大環境下，也都做出不錯的成績，外界也給予相當好的口碑。馬總統若要在未來兩年做出重大改變，第一就是要突破國民黨過往用人的慣性，不分黨派延攬積極進取之輩。

過去四年，馬總統在用人方面自縛手腳，也當然影響其領導統御。當閣員視野狹限、統御無能時，主帥就不得不頻上火線、被迫做出並非其專精的錯誤決策。當閣員不能提出興革大方向時，主帥又焉能跳脫數字管理、文字刪修的格局？也正因為如此，許多人在馬總統第一任期間，除了兩岸開放與內政清廉，似乎說不出「脫胎換骨」的政績。

總統原本就該是跨黨派的，心中也原本就該如龔自珍所期，「我願天公重抖擻，不拘一格降人才」。馬總統或許會感慨人才難尋，其實若能打破一切藩籬，台灣真是「人才濟濟」的寶島；如何請出那些人才為這塊土地熱誠服務，端視領導者的誠意與魄力。所謂為台灣「脫胎換骨」，先要在人才架構上「抽樑換棟」。龔自珍的人才建言，也正是為社會國家「重新抖擻」而發。值此馬總統第二任當選之際，可借龔自珍的話說：「我勸總統重抖擻，不拘一格用人才」。