President Ma elected KMT chairman
ROC Central News Agency
2009/07/26 22:11:19
Taipei, July 25 (CNA) Running unopposed, President Ma Ying-jeou was elected chairman of the ruling Kuomintang (KMT) Sunday with 285,354 votes, or 92.51 percent of the valid ballots cast.
Of the 533,739 party members eligible to vote, 308,462 cast ballots, a turnout of 57.79 percent, KMT Secretary-General Wu Den-yih announced at party headquarters Sunday night.
Saluting his supporters in a press conference at his campaign headquarters, Ma said solemnly that he expects there will now be close cooperation between the party and the administration, which will improve efficiency.
"As the ruling party, the KMT should take full responsibility for the administration," Ma stressed.
He also emphasized the urgency of party reform and the importance of properly allocating party resources.
It was the second time that Ma had run for the KMT chairmanship.
On July 17, 2005, he won 71 percent of the votes in a race against Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng.
KMT members also cast ballots for party delegates to the 18th national party congress, which is scheduled to open on Sept. 12.
At the September party congress, President Ma will take over the party chairmanship from Wu Po-hsiung, who has filled the role since April 11, 2007.
Wu became acting party chairman when Ma resigned from the position Feb. 13, 2007, and he was then elected in a supplementary election.
Some political observers have speculated that the greatest challenge facing Ma in his dual role as president and party chairman will be to sort out controversies related to KMT primaries of the Hualien County chief election and a legislative by-election in Yunlin County.
(By Deborah Kuo) ENDITEM/ls
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