The credibility and approval ratings of President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) have dropped to the lowest point since his first-term inauguration in 2008, with more than 45 percent of respondents in a public opinion poll released yesterday in favor of recalling Ma.
The president’s credibility rating is now at 23.6 percent and his approval rating is at 16.5 percent, both new lows, with 71.7 percent of the respondents saying they were unsatisfied with his performance, the poll conducted by Taiwan Indicator Research Survey (TIRS) showed.
Strong discontent among the public appeared to be why 45.7 percent of those who polled said they would vote to recall Ma, while 40.7 percent disapproving of a recall and 16.7 percent saying they had no opinion.
According to TIRS general manager Tai Li-an (戴立安), the numbers were similar to a poll conducted in June 2006 when former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) was accused of corruption in his second term.
At the time, Tai said 47 percent of those polled supported recalling Chen, while 40.9 percent were against it.
While a motion of no confidence against the Cabinet failed to pass the legislature on Saturday, respondents’ disgruntlement appeared to remain strong, with 46.4 percent saying that Premier Sean Chen (陳冲) and his Cabinet should be replaced, compared with 34.5 percent who opposed the reshuffle.
Out of the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) supporters, 26.5 percent were in favor of Chen being replaced, the survey showed.
Regarding Cabinet officials in charge of economic affairs, 43 percent of respondents said they would give the officials three months to revitalize the economy, while 34.7 percent said the officials should be replaced immediately and 9.6 percent said there was no need to remove the officials.
The TIRS poll collected 1,007 valid samples on Monday and Tuesday, and had a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old