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進入《TAIPEI TIMES 焦點》 Ma says no regrets over seven years in office
President Ma Ying-jeou delivers a speech at the Presidential Office Building yesterday to mark the seventh anniversary of his taking office. Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
By Shih Hsiu-chuan / Staff reporter
In a speech marking his seven years in office, President Ma Ying-jeou （馬英九） yesterday said he has no regrets over the decisions he has made to push for reforms during his presidency and is willing to accept blame and take full responsibility.
“I have confidence that the decisions I made are all time-tested [policies],” Ma said to about 170 guests invited to attend the anniversary ceremony at the Presidential Office Building, including presidential advisers, government officials and ordinary citizens, whom the office described as “policy beneficiaries.”
Ma’s 40-minute speech put human faces on various policies implemented by his administration since he took office in May 2008.
“Through the concerted efforts of the government and the people, we have established the direction for the Republic of China’s [ROC] development,” he said.
The president said his policy objectives of promoting a “prosperous Taiwan, peaceful cross-strait relations and an international environment friendly to Taiwan” have been realized.
“No matter who leads the country, this direction should be followed,” he said.
Ma said that before he took office in 2008, there were only 54 countries and territories that offered ROC passport holders visa-free entry, landing visas and other similar benefits that make travel easier.
The number has since increased to 142 countries and territories, which cover 98 percent of the areas frequented by Taiwanese nationals, he added.
“People will enjoy dignity” if their country is respected, Ma said, adding that this is the true meaning of safeguarding a nation’s sovereignty.
Regarding public perception that he is a lame-duck president entering the final year of his second four-year term, Ma said: “We will not let down our guard and we will not be afraid of difficulties [in the year ahead].”
Ma said he understood that some people, including his supporters, were disgruntled with some of his policies and that he has heard what they have to say.
“I felt very apologetic. In fact, I agonized over every decision I had to make. However, as the nation’s leader, I am responsible for the people, for our future generations and the sustainable development of Taiwan,” Ma said.
“I had to make the right decisions. It has always been difficult to make policy decisions, but I have no regrets,” he added.
Commenting on Ma’s seven years in office, Democratic Progressive Party （DPP） Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen （蔡英文） said: “We believe that the biggest problem in Taiwan over the past seven years lies in the gap between the government and the public.”
“The Ma administration makes decisions among a closed circle of people, and therefore it has not responded to the needs of the public — sometimes even standing opposite the public,” she said.
Ma’s seven years in office are a lesson for the DPP, reminding the party to look at issues from the public’s point of view, she said.
“This era belongs to the people. It is an era of public participation — we have to take on the challenges we are currently facing to move the nation forward,” she said. “We need another power transition to create a government that is truly transparent in its decisionmaking process, so that the public can become the real masters of the nation and Taiwan can have an opportunity to be reborn.”（Additional reporting by Loa Iok-sin and CNA）
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
