KMT supporters unhappy with Taiwan president cast blank ballots

Staunch supporters of the ruling Kuomintang cast blank ballots in local elections yesterday to punish President Ma Ying-jeou for what they said was poor administration over the past two years.

Before the results were announced, Hung Tian-ken, general legal adviser to the KMT's candidate for Kaohsiung mayor Yang Chiu-hsing, said the Ma team's poor performance had dealt a serious electoral blow to the party and Ma should resign as both president and KMT chief.

"We just want to tell the public that President Ma should take full responsibility for the defeat of KMT candidates in the local elections," Hung said. "I call on Ma to resign from the presidency and as party head to make way for Vice-President Wu Den-yih.

"Many hard-core KMT supporters refused to vote for our municipal and county candidates just because of Ma."

Lee Sheng-li, who joined the party 45 years ago and helped out with Ma's 2012 presidential campaign, said he stayed home as he was too disheartened to vote.

"Many veterans boycotted the ballot box because we wanted to teach Ma a lesson. He doesn't listen to the public," Lee said.