Taipei, Feb. 13 (CNA) Although the majority of people think independent presidential candidate James Soong has not told all about his secret slush fund, he is still neck and neck with the front runner in the race and is well ahead of other presidential hopefuls, according to a survey released on Sunday.
The survey, conducted by the private firm the Policy-making Public Relations Company, found that 67.2 percent of those surveyed said they think Soong didn't clearly explain away the scandal surrounding his huge slush fund stashed in secret bank accounts, but the former Taiwan provincial governor still commanded the support of 25.7 percent of respondents.
Meanwhile, Chen Shui-bian, the candidate of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), was favored by 26.1 percent of those surveyed. However, the gap between the two is well within the 3 percent margin of error and is therefore statistically insignificant.
The ruling Kuomintang's candidate Lien Chan came in third place with 20.3 percent of respondents' support, while the New Party's Li Ao and the other independent Hsu Hsin-liang brought up the rear with 1.5 percent and 1.4 percent, respectively.
Twenty-five percent of those surveyed were undecided.
Soong had previously been considered the front runner in the presidential race according to various polls, but his popularity was dampened by the revelation in December that he has stashed a huge slush fund in secret bank accounts opened in the names of his relatives.
Soong has gone the extra mile to clear up the scandal by calling for two press conferences to explain the source of the cash and where the money has gone. He even invited an independent legislator to head a team of accountants and lawyers to examine his financial situation.
But the poll found his efforts have only won approval from 12.7 percent of respondents, who said Soong has gotten the whole thing "very much" or "considerably" straightened out.
Wu Chao-hsieh, deputy director of the Institute of International Relations, said at a press conference called to announce the results of the poll that Soong's secret accounts, if not cleared up in time, will dog his presidential bid and overshadow his campaign platform which deals with the more important issues of national security and ties with Beijing.
The survey also showed that 47.3 percent of those interviewed think Lien Chan will follow President Lee Teng-hui's policy of defining the island's ties with Beijing as a "state-to-state" relationship.
Although Lien has been careful to not reaffirm Lee's "state-to-state" policy, only 19.3 percent said they think Lien, if elected, will break from his political mentor's line which has irked Beijing and strained bilateral ties since Lee made the claim last July.
As for DPP candidate Chen Shui-bien's campaign promise that he will not declare Taiwan independence as long as Beijing does not invade Taiwan with force, 40 percent of respondents approved of it, considering it in Taiwan's interest, while 30.8 percent disapproved, and 28.1 percent said they didn't know.
Furthermore, 20.5 percent of those surveyed chose Lee Yuan-tseh, president of Academia Sinica, as their favorite candidate to be nominated premier after the presidential election.
Senior Adviser to the President Wu Poh-hsiung, who failed to win the opportunity to be Lien's running mate on the KMT ticket, is supported by 13.9 percent of respondents as the most suitable premier, while former Minister of Justice Liao Chen-hao, who is a firm supporter of Soong, came in third place with 8 percent.
The survey was conducted with the participation of 1,090 adults in Taiwan between Feb. 9 and 11, said the researchers. (By Maubo Chang)
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