One new poll showed that the satisfaction rating of President Ma Ying-jeou has hit a record low of 27 percent, according to a report yesterday in the Chinese-language United Daily News. The report also said that the opposition Democratic Progressive Party chairperson Tsai Ing-wen and former Premier Su Tseng-chang would threaten the president's re-election bid in 2012.Public support for the Ma administration had plunged to new depths, with only 16 percent and 10 percent of respondents satisfied with his clean government and performance in cross-strait ties between Taiwan and China. Almost one half, however, could not say they were satisfied with the president' s performance.
Two years ago, Ma regained the presidential office for the Kuomintang by an overwhelming victory of more than 7 million votes. But his approval rating slid to 29 percent during Typhoon Morakot last August from 66 percent during his inauguration ceremony. It recently hovered near a low of 30 percent.
The public dissatisfaction with Ma' s rule climbed to 53 percent, with 25 percent and 24 percent of respondents blaming him for lacking in resolution and inability to boost economic growth or suppress consumer prices.
Ma's flagging approval ratings will affect his re-election in 2012 because Su and Tsai are formidable potential opponents, the survey said.
KMT spokesman Su Jun-pin said the low approval ratings only reflected the current political atmosphere, but added that the party would not take them lightly. He believes the ratings would rise when the government policies began to bear fruit.
The survey was conducted by phone on Mar. 18 and valid responses came from 867 adults while 373 people declined to answer. The survey's margin of error had a plus or minus 3.3 percent.
Videos
Post your feedback
