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Lawrence  Chung

Typhoon Morakot has blown itself out, but Taiwan's political storm has just begun.
The island's vice-foreign minister, Andrew Hsia Li-yan,  who had refused overseas aid, became the first casualty after tendering his resignation.
A string of senior leaders now find their futures hanging in the balance, including Premier Liu Chao-shiuan, cabinet secretary-general Hsueh Hsiang-chuan,  Defence Minister Chen Chao-min, and the director-general of the Water Resources Agency, Chen Shen-hsien.  
A cabinet reshuffle appears increasingly likely before county-level elections at the end of the year.
Morakot  is a natural disaster whose magnitude went well beyond the original comprehension of the government of Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou. It has left at least 500 dead and has caused well over NT$100 billion (HK$235 billion) in agricultural, public construction and business losses.
Mr Ma admitted in a news conference yesterday that the typhoon damage would affect economic growth in the third quarter, with results out tomorrow.
While angry people jammed the Presidential Office website with harsh words for what they believed was the slow response of Mr Ma's government and its inability in tackling the crisis, the majority of respondents of various local opinion polls simply asked for Mr Ma to step down.
Adding to the growing public disappointment towards the government were inappropriate remarks and performances by key officials.
Mr Hsueh became the target of public criticism yesterday after saying on television  that there was nothing wrong with him having dinner with his father  on August 8 - the day Morakot slammed into Taiwan.
Rather than taking responsibility for the government's response, he said: 'Give me a break, it was Fathers' Day.' He said the next morning he drove himself to the train station at the height of the typhoon to catch a train to the south of the island.
Kuomintang legislator Lo Shu-lei said:  'How could he be so insensitive? Wouldn't he be choked by what he said?'
Mr Hsueh's boss, Premier Liu, was equally embarrassed. He had been caught having his hair cut and dyed on August 11. Dr Liu had already come under fire for claiming that the government rescue efforts were much faster than the government led by former president Lee Teng-hui.  
The Defence Minister and Water Resources Agency chief also came under pressure to step down for respectively being too slow in ordering troops to join in the rescue work and for failing to improve water and soil conservation.
In a cable to the ministry's overseas offices, Mr  Hsia instructed that there was no need to accept overseas aid, except for monetary donations - a move blamed for the delay in the rescue work. Mr Ma said he believed Mr Hsia's resignation would be accepted by Dr Liu. But opposition and ruling parties wanted more.
'The cabinet must be reshuffled immediately,' said Tsai Ing-wen,  chairwoman of the  Democratic Progressive Party. 'It has already showed itself impotent in fighting this disaster, and it would be a disaster waiting to happen when it comes to the time for reconstruction and resettlement of victims.'
Her statement was even echoed by ruling KMT lawmakers. 'Instead of apologising repeatedly, it is about time the president considered putting the right people in the right positions,' said Yang Chiung-ying.  
Mr Ma admitted that improper remarks and performances by senior officials had created a negative impression among the public.
'The administration will launch an intensive investigation into the responsibilities of officials involved and I already have a consensus with Premier Liu to announce in early September the negligent officials who would be punished,' he said.
Political analysts said the Morakot disaster posed the biggest challenge to date for Mr Ma, who took office in May last year, with many questioning his ability to run the island.  
'Ma is a good guy, a political star, but he is not a good leader because he lacks the ability to lead the government,' said political scientist Chang Ling-chen  of National Taiwan University. 'His performance definitely will have a negative impact on the KMT over the year-end county-level elections.'
Mr Ma, however, defended his leadership ability.
'I have exercised strong leadership throughout this process by ordering the armed forces to increase their participation in the disaster rescue operation,' he said.
Asked whether he would consider stepping down, Mr Ma replied: 'At this critical moment, I must shoulder the responsibility for relocation and resettlement of the victims and I cannot escape my duties.'
Until the typhoon, Mr Ma  had not been tested by crisis. In recurring scenes broadcast on Taiwanese media, survivors desperate for news of missing relatives confronted Mr Ma as he visited devastated areas. 
Even bigger challenges may lie ahead -  Mr Ma will have to plan and fund reconstruction. And he has the delicate task of resettling indigenous tribes in affected areas.



Political storm clouds gather around Ma