Chen Shui-bian takes blame for poll rout

TAIWAN leader Chen Shui-bian took the blame for his ruling party's harsh election defeat on Saturday, allowing his nemesis to take over party affairs ahead a poll in two months.

Taiwanese voters came out in force to shun Chen, casting doubt over his policies promoting the island's de facto "independence."

The opposition Kuomintang Party won 81 seats in the new 113-seat "legislature," handing Chen's Democratic Progressive Party its worst loss at the polls in more than a decade. "A total setback for the pro-independence course led by Chen Shui-bian," the mass market-China Times said in a commentary yesterday. "The DPP lost for condoning Chen and allowing itself to be hijacked by him."

Chen immediately resigned as DPP chairman.

"I should shoulder all responsibilities," Chen said. "I am resigning now as DPP chairman. I feel really apologetic and shamed."

DPP candidate Frank Hsieh yesterday agreed to succeed Chen as chairman.

Hsieh is expected to take over formally within days.

Hsieh will square off against KMT's Ma Ying-jeou in the March 22 election.

Recent opinion polls give Ma a 20-point lead.

Saturday's results were a clear humiliation for Chen, who has been criticized for promoting separatist polices. Critics say that has allowed the island's once-vibrant economy to lose competitiveness, and has escalated tension in the Taiwan Strait.

Recent polling shows the importance of economic issues for Taiwanese voters.

A December survey carried out by Taipei-based CommonWealth Magazine put Taiwan's economic dissatisfaction level at 72 percent, with a majority of the 1,090 respondents - 52 percent - convinced that the island's economy is regressing.

Agencies/Shanghai Daily