While the DPP wasn’t foolish enough to let “Guan Ma” (Kuan Bi-ling) take the lead—as some media speculated—they did redeploy Yeh Jiunn-rong, the former Interior Minister who “contributed” to the campaign against the National Women’s League, to the Ministry of Education. To fill his old spot, they moved Hsu Kuo-yung (affectionately mocked as “Giant Taro Yung”) to the Interior Ministry. Netizens have aptly dubbed this desperate shuffle: “In the Kingdom of Shu, there are no great generals left, so Liao Hua must serve as the vanguard.”
When preparing to take office as Minister of Education, Yeh cryptically remarked that the “Kuan case is still alive,” leading the public to hope he might actually focus on administrative duty rather than just manipulating the academic system for the DPP. However, before his seat even got warm, news broke that Yeh had attempted to privately host a dinner for Kuan Chung-ming, a gesture Kuan reportedly refused.
Scholars have already pointed out that a Minister of Education seeking a private meeting with Kuan likely violates the Administrative Procedure Act. Judging by the Ministry’s continued refusal to swear Kuan in and various petty maneuvers, it is clear Yeh intends to follow the same path as his two predecessors—only, in his words, with “more warmth.” It seems he prefers “killing with a smile.”
Honestly, if one NTU President can take down three Ministers of Education—and possibly a fourth—Kuan is definitely worth it!
Kuan has only played one card so far, while the DPP has burned through three Ministers without reaching a conclusion. Is right and wrong really that hard to distinguish? The DPP is wielding its power of appointment like a crooked boss finding every excuse to withhold a worker’s salary.
I still don’t understand how many Ministers the DPP is willing to lose just to keep one man from the NTU presidency. How many rights of young students will be sacrificed? The lack of a president at National Taiwan University has become an international academic joke and has severely tarnished the party’s reputation. What is their endgame?
At a dinner on Sunday with a friend who used to work at the Ministry of Education, I asked for his thoughts on his former employer’s recent scandals. He replied dryly: “The old monk ran away because he didn’t want to do bad things; then came a thief, and now we have a liar.”
I was taken aback by his harsh phrasing, yet it felt uncomfortably close to reality.
The “thief” he referred to has already been censured by the Control Yuan, though whether he will face civil or criminal liability remains to be seen.
As for the “liar” label, perhaps it’s a bit strong, but “dishonest” fits. During his time as Interior Minister, Yeh was asked about a 27-day lecture stint at Zhejiang University in Mainland China back in December 2011. He claimed at the time that he received no fees and everything was according to regulations. However, after becoming Minister of Education, he changed his tune, asking: “How is it possible not to have living expenses or travel expenses?”
Netizens were quick to mock this pivot:
- “It’s ‘living expenses,’ not a ‘salary’—nothing to see here!”
- “Just like the government saying we aren’t ‘short on power,’ we just have ‘less power.’ Changing the wording to trick us?”
- “Do they think changing the name makes it okay?”
- “Well, then the money I get every month is also f***ing ‘living expenses’!”
Others started a meme: “I’m not unemployed, I just don’t have a job,” “I’m not single, I just don’t have a girlfriend,” and “I’m not withholding wages, I just haven’t sent them yet.”