Former President Ma Ying-jeou Lands in Jail – If He Doesn’t Pay
On Tuesday, a Taiwanese court handed former president Ma Ying‑jeou a four‑month prison term for leaking classified info about national security. He’s already gearing up for a fight back – and, spoiler alert, a fine could let him skip the cell.
The Verdict
The High Court overturned a prior “not guilty” decision, finding Ma violated the Communication and Surveillance Act. The court said the offense “should have remained confidential,” but he pushed it out to a junior opposition lawmaker, Ker Chien‑ming.
What It Means for Ma
- Four months behind bars – the sentence is pretty short in practice.
- Alternatively, pay a fine of T$120,000 (about $4,019) and stay out of jail, thanks to Taiwan’s lighter‑sentence option.
- He’s already declared his intention to file an appeal, so the final outcome may still hang in the balance.
The Big Picture
Ma, a former heavyweight of the Kuomintang (KMT), was president from 2008 to 2016 and pushed for closer ties with mainland China. Since then China has ramped up its fire‑power over Taiwan, especially after Tsai Ing‑wen of the pro‑independence Democratic Progressive Party came into power.
So, while Ma’s fine or jail sentence might look trivial to a casual observer, it’s a reminder that the cross‑strait tensions are still simmering and that former leaders can’t simply don a “retired” cloak to escape legal consequences.
