President Ma Ying-jeou says the military should not be shy about airing their dirty laundry. Ma was speaking Friday at the military commissioning ceremony in Taipei.
Following a scandal involving an army helicopter base in early April, Ma urged officers to engage in soul-searching, push for reforms, and bravely expose any wrongdoing and irregularities.
"Our military leaders should not be shy about airing the dirty laundry. If there is a problem, face it. Don’t be afraid of letting it be known," said Ma.
"Take it seriously! [If you] face and tackle the problem head on, I guarantee you that you will have a lot fewer similar problems in the future. It’s a kind of training and it helps improve discipline," he said.
Ma also said the government’s efforts to push for an all-volunteer military system have seen progress as an evaluation of combat capabilities shows that volunteer soldiers are better prepared than conscripts.
Meanwhile, Defense Minister Kao Kuang-chi said despite warming relations between Taiwan and China, the military must stay vigilant in the face of China’s double-digit growth in military spending.