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TAIPEI - THE approval rating of Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian, who leaves office next week, slipped after three ministers resigned over the alleged embezzlement of government funds, a poll showed on Thursday.
Only 13 per cent of Taiwanese now back Mr Chen, down from 18 per cent in July 2007, according to the poll conducted by the TVBS news channel.
Among the 1,072 people questioned from May 6-13, 69 per cent disapproved of Mr Chen's performance. The remainder of those questioned did not respond.
About 71 per cent said Taiwan had moved backwards during Mr Chen's eight-year rule, while only 18 per cent said the island had made progress. The rest did not comment.
Mr Chen, who has angered rival China during his two terms in office with his pro-independence stance, stands down on May 20. He will be succeeded by Mr Ma Ying-jeou of the Kuomintang (KMT) party, who favours closer ties with Beijing.
Mr Chen's Democratic Progressive Party suffered crushing blows in January parliamentary elections and in the March presidential poll won by Mr Ma.
His government was then rocked early this month by news of the alleged embezzlement of US$30 million (S$41 million) in official funds, which were intended to help Taipei forge ties with Papua New Guinea.
Three ministers including Foreign Minister James Huang have stepped down in the wake of the scandal and are under investigation, but have denied embezzling the funds themselves.
One month after taking office, in June 2000, Mr Chen's popularity rating stood at 77 per cent. It plummeted to an all-time low of 10 per cent in 2006 amid mass protests over corruption scandals implicating himself and his family.
Mr Chen's wife Wu Shu-chen is on trial on corruption and forgery charges but Chen himself has escaped prosecution under presidential immunity.
Their son-in-law Chao Chien-ming was sentenced to seven years in prison on insider trading charges. He has launched an appeal. -- AFP
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