Ma Yingjeou's Premature Debacle

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Ma Ying-jeous Premature Debacle AP (Associated
Press) ??? ????? UDN Evening News Nov. 18, 2006
Topic Sentence Movie-star looks, moderate
policies toward rival China and a squeaky-clean
reputation were supposed to propel Ma Ying-jeou
to victory in Taiwans presidential elections.
Supports But 16 months after winning the
leadership of the Nationalist Party, Ma has hit
unexpected turbulence in his bid for the islands
top job. Ma stumbled badly in May, when a
legislative move to recall President Chen
Shui-bian over corruption allegations failed.
The erosion of Mas standing worsened in
October, when he bowed to pressure from a
hardliner satellite party and reneged on a
promise to permit legislative consideration of a
multibillion-dollar arms procurement package from
the United States. The move infuriated
Washington, and raised new questions about Mas
ability to assert his control over the opposition.
Conclusion But the biggest blow to Ma came
earlier this week, when a clerk in the Taipei
Mayors office was reported to use bogus receipts
to account for an outlay of some NT8000,000 in
petty cash. Ma is now under formidable fire.