HSINTIEN (Taiwan) - WANG Nian-chu drove a long way to cast his ballot in Taiwan's parliamentary elections but, like many voters, says he is fed up with empty rhetoric and instead wants to see concrete action.

'I am not impressed by any of the candidates' platforms,' the 28-year-old Wang said after voting at an elementary school in Hsintien, his hometown in the Taipei suburbs, 200 kilometres away from his new home in Changhua.

'I believe young people would be convinced if the candidates could come up with more practical measures like how to boost job opportunities.'

But many, like Wang, say the constant mudslinging and smear tactics employed by the island's two main parties, the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the main opposition Kuomintang (KMT), have left them frustrated.

Like Wang, 38-year-old Chen Chung-yuan, who works at an industrial boiler company and is a father of two young children, says the parties should be focused on the economy, not old-school rhetoric.

'The government should do something to give a shot to the sluggish economy, and the most immediate and effective step is opening the tourist market to Chinese tourists,' he said.

The KMT says closer ties with China can only help Taiwan, and favours wider opportunities for tourist travel and investment. President Chen Shui-bian's DPP says the further opening up to China will hurt the island's economy.

Taiwan's unemployment rate for the first 11 months of 2007 averaged 3.92 per cent, up slightly from a year ago, according to government statistics.

For the first time voters will cast two ballots on Saturday - one for a specific candidate in their district and a second for the party of their choice.

Voters have also been asked to vote on two referendums - one proposed by the DPP on allegedly 'ill-gotten' assets acquired by the KMT during its 51 years in power, and an anti-corruption motion from the KMT.

But Wu Shih-tsai, 55, said the complicated ballot process had only confused voters, adding to their frustration with the island's main parties.

'It's such a waste of government resources,' said Mr Wu, himself a government employee.

'Simply put, the referendum is part of the DPP's campaign gimmicks.'

Mr Wu said he was happy to be able to cast a ballot for his preferred party - neither the DPP nor the KMT.

'What Taiwan really need is dramatic reform, and I believe small but good parties can play a good role as leverage in the parliament,' Mr Wu said.

Thirty-four seats will be allotted on a party list system, and parties must win a minimum of five percent of the vote to get seats.

In Taipei, frustration among voters was also evident.

'The two parties can't fight like this for the good of the people,' said a business consultant who gave his last name as Yu. -- AFP

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