Former President Ma Ying-jeou rebuts accusation that modesty and courtesy led to his downf...

Former president Ma Ying-jeou today paid a visit to the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall to mark the 92nd anniversary of the death of KMT founder and founding father of the Republic of China. A few days earlier, KMT chairwoman Hung Hsiu-chu stirred up controversy by alleging Ma was nothing more than just a mister nice guy who lost his empire. Today, Ma gave a reply.Former President Ma Ying-jeou today paid his respects to a bronze statue of the ROC’s founding father Sun Yat-sen at Taipei’s Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall. After seeing a crowd of enthusiastic supporters there, Ma seemed to be in high spirits. Accompanying the former president were former Presidential Office Secretary General Tseng Yung-chuan and four former secretaries-general of the National Security Council under the former Ma administration. Former Vice President Wu Den-yih and KMT vice chairman Hau Lung-pin, who are both running in the KMT’s election for chairman, were both at Ma’s side, but their mutual interactions were cool and distant. When asked about KMT Chairwoman Hung Hsiu-chu’s remarks that Ma was “so modest, gentle and courteous that he gave his empire away,” Ma gave the following response. Ma Ying-jeouFormer PresidentI am modest, gentle and courteous, but I am also not afraid of responsibilities. DPP lawmakers in response ironically noted that the KMT had never “given away its empire.” Instead, the people cast it aside and the people ousted the party from government. They also criticized the internal power struggles in the KMT, saying KMT politicians were too egotistical.