WARM RECEPTION: KMT presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou greeting supporters during a last-minute street rally yesterday in Taipei county. Taiwan heads to the polls today to pick a new president to replace Mr Chen Shui-bian of the DPP. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

Opposition Kuomintang (KMT) candidate and front runner Ma Ying-jeou took his battle for votes to central Taichung city and the southern port city of Kaohsiung.

In Kaohsiung, the 57-year-old pledged to boost the competitiveness of its port by negotiating direct transport links with China.

'During the KMT rule, the Kaohsiung port was ranked No.3 in the world.

'After the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) took over in 2000, its ranking fell to No. 6,' Mr Ma reminded the locals. He mainly used the Minnan dialect, which is spoken widely in the south.

The rally turnout was impressive given that this is the political base of his rival Frank Hsieh, who during his tenure as mayor from 1998 to 2005 had chalked up an impressive track record.

As for Mr Hsieh, he concentrated on galvanising support in northern Taiwan, KMT's stronghold.

Both camps also held rallies in central Taiwan where there is little to give between the two candidates.

At his Taipei city rally, the DPP candidate again attacked Mr Ma over holding a United States 'green card', and warned that Taiwan could suffer the same fate as Tibet did in recent days if his China-friendly rival wins.

Mr Ma had explained that he had taken up US permanent residency when he was a student in the country, and that it had since lapsed. But Mr Hsieh insisted that it was still valid.

Indeed, the issue created some election eve drama in the form of speculation that the DPP had arranged for someone to dish out damaging information about Mr Ma's 'green card' status.

The person was supposed to be Ms Therese Shaheen, former chairman of the American Institute in Taiwan - the de facto US embassy here. But it turned out to be a false alarm.

When Mr Ma cancelled some of his activities, it prompted more rumours, including possible assassination bids. His aides explained he did so to prepare his speech in Kaohsiung.

This presidential election season has seen some mudslinging on both sides and mainly negative campaigning on the part of the DPP.

Some of the issues raised by the DPP - the 'green card' issue, the spectre of Taiwan turning into another Tibet, abuse of power with a dominant party - meaning the KMT - in government could swing some votes.

But analysts believe they would not be enough to tip the scales in Mr Hsieh's favour.

Professor Yen Chen-shen of National Chengchi University said it would not be easy to close the 8 per cent to 10 per cent gap between the two camps.

Professor Larry Diamond of the Hoover Institution, who is in Taiwan to observe the election, thought that Mr Ma would win reasonably comfortably simply because 'Chen Shui-bian's presidency has been such a disaster that it has somewhat deflated his natural DPP constituency'.

Taiwanese voters have made it clear that they are ready for change after eight years of political gridlock and largely insipid economic growth under the DPP.

At the final Taichung rally, Mr Ma asked: 'Have your lives improved over the past eight years?' He drew a loud 'No!' from the crowd.

'That is why we need change. Only change can bring opportunities,' he said.

suinoi@sph.com.sg

hwee@sph.com.sg

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