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Green card ruckus 'won't derail Ma's election bid'
Fri, Feb 01, 2008 The Straits Times
TAIPEI - A CONTROVERSY over US residency for front runner Ma Ying-jeou has become a top election issue in Taiwan's presidential race, but analysts say it is unlikely to derail his campaign. His opponents have charged that he tried to cover up his efforts to secure permanent US residency for himself and his family, and questioned his loyalty to the island. On Monday, Mr Ma, the Kuomintang (KMT) candidate, said he and his wife had needed US residency status to study in the US in the 1970s. 'Although I had applied for a US green card, it became void a long time ago,' the former Taipei mayor and justice minister told a press conference.

But on Monday he appeared to backtrack on his earlier comments.

'A green card is simply a US travel and residence document. It has nothing to do with the alleged loyalty problem.'

He also revealed on Monday that his elder daughter holds a US passport because she was born in the US while he was studying there between 1974 and 1981.

He said he would leave it to his daughter, who is now in the US, to decide whether to give up her American citizenship.

On Wednesday, his opponents accused him of not telling the complete truth.

'Why did he obtain (the residency status) when the country was at a critical time?' asked Mr Sky Chao, a spokesman for Mr Hsieh.

Mr Chao was referring to Taiwan's delicate diplomatic situation in the late 1970s, just before the US switched its official recognition from the island to mainland China.

Mr Ma yesterday tried to shift the focus back to policy issues by unveiling his plans for financial and tax reforms, including tax rebates which could benefit some 900,000 middle- and low-income families.

Analysts said the US residency issue was unlikely to spiral into a crisis that would threaten Mr Ma's election bid.

'The solid support for Ma is unlikely to shatter due to his image as an honest politician that is buried deep in the minds of many people,' said Prof Chang Ya-chung, political science professor at National Taiwan University. 'People will lose interest in the issue before long.'

An opinion poll taken after the controversy broke showed support slipped for Mr Ma, who has held a comfortable lead over Mr Hsieh.

Fifty-three per cent of those surveyed by cable television network TVBS news network said they would vote for Mr Ma if the election was held now,

In a poll taken after the Jan 12 parliamentary vote, the level of support for Mr Ma was 3 per cent higher.

ASSOCIATED PRESS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE