Sat, Mar 06, 2004 page3

• DPP maintaining a narrow lead, poll shows

  POLL POSITION A survey conducted this week showed that the DPP is gaining support, especially among Hakka communities in the Taoyuan-Hsinchu-Miaoli area

  • By Lin Chieh-yu / STAFF REPORTER
  • • 
    • 
    • 

  The Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) presidential candidates are maintaining a narrow lead over the opposition ticket, according to the results of a poll the party announced yesterday.

  According to the DPP's legislative caucus, 36 percent of respondents said that they would vote for President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮), while 35.7 percent said they would vote for the pan-blue camp's candidates, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) and People First Party (PFP) Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜). A total of 23.2 percent of respondents would not reveal their choice.

  "After the success of the `million people hand-in-hand' rally on Feb. 28, the DPP's support rate has been continually growing," said DPP legislative caucus leader Tsai Huang-liang (蔡煌瑯).

  "Moreover, judging by previous experience, about 70 percent of those who refuse to reveal their choice were DPP core supporters," Tsai said.

  He said he was optimistic about the Chen-Lu ticket's bid, as it has consistently outdone the Lien-Soong team in opinion polls.

  Although the pan-green candidates have been lagging far behind in northern Taiwan, Tsai said the DPP was gaining more support from Hakka communities in the Taoyuan-Hsinchu-Miaoli area.

  According to the telephone survey, conducted by a local cable TV channel, SANLIH Entertainment Television, in conjunction with a polling company, the Lien-Soong ticket's support rate in this community was 43.5 percent, while that of the DPP was 24.6 percent, with 31.9 percent of voters undecided.

  The poll also found that the Chen-Lu ticket enjoyed a comfortable lead in constituencies in the center and south of the country.

  Tsai said that the growth of the DPP in this areas was a result of the human-chain rally.

  The rally, jointly organized by the DPP and the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU), mobilized nearly 2 million people to form a 500km-long human chain and shout slogans in favor of Taiwan and opposing China's missile threat.

  The DPP survey was conducted on Monday and Tuesday, and a total of 1,058 valid samples were collected, with a margin of error of 3.07 percent.

  Tsai said the poll showed that the KMT's negative campaigning, such as advertisements aimed at tarnishing the reputation of the Chen family and continued allegations by former Tuntex Group chairman Chen Yu-hao (陳由豪), have had no effect on voters.

  "A total of 46.4 percent of respondents said that Chen Yu-hao's allegations were a trick and that his purpose was to dominate the presidential election, while only 13.7 percent believe he is simply exposing the truth and 39.5 percent had no comment," Tsai said.

  But according to a poll conducted by the pan-blue camp, the Lien-Soong ticket has outpaced the DPP candidates.

  Chang Hsien-yao (張顯耀), director of the PFP's Center for Policy Research, said his party conducted a telephone survey on Tuesday and Wednesday of adults residing in various parts of Taiwan in proportion to the population of each major city or county.

  A total of 1,241 valid samples were collected, with a margin of error of 2.8 percent.

  According to the PFP poll, 38.7 percent of respondents said they would vote for the Lien-Soong ticket, compared to 31 percent for Chen and Lu. Just 6.6 percent said they support neither of the tickets.
• Most Popular

  • 1

    Bologna advance to face AC Milan in Coppa final

  • 2

    Bukele proposes prisoner swap with Maduro

  • 3

    Wild’s top line too much for Vegas Golden Knights

  • 4

    HK, Macau residency rules tightened

  • 5

    Eric Chu, 2 others to be questioned for leading illegal assembly last week