Ma backs off promise to rid Taipei of prostitution

Ma, for his part, has been vague as to what would be considered "satisfactory results."

"I don't know how good the numbers should be in order to be considered satisfactory, since we don't know exactly how many illegal sex workers there are in the city," Ma said.

The city plans on Tuesday to provide a public briefing on its efforts to root out prostitution and police corruption.

According to a recent survey conducted by KMT City Councilwoman Chen Hsueh-fen (陳雪芬), more than 60 percent of Taipei residents feel the city's intensive crackdown will not drive out the sex industry.