Ma victorious

Ma garnered more than 7.6 million votes, or 58.45 percent, defeating DPP rival candidate Frank Hsieh, who won more than 5.4 million votes, or 41.55 percent.

"It feels good to win the election, but it also means bigger responsibility," said Ma as he celebrated his victory with jubilant party officials and supporters gathered at his campaign headquarters in Taipei.

Fireworks lit up the sky over the headquarters, as supporters put up victory signs.

Ma said voters had used their ballots to demonstrate their will against corruption, and their desire for stability.

"This election result is not a personal result, nor a victory for the KMT, it is a victory for all Taiwanese people," Ma said.

"Your voices are heard. People have the right to demand a better life. Only change can bring hope, only change can provide opportunities."

A dejected Hsieh conceded defeat, and apologized to supporters.

He said he will honor his election promise of retiring from politics.

Ma, along with his running mate Vincent Siew, will be inaugurated on May 20, succeeding President Chen Shui-bian, who's eight-year rule has been dogged by controversy, corruption allegations, and tensions across the Taiwan Strait.

Chen and Vice President Annette Lu congratulated Ma and Siew, saying the government will do all it can to maintain political stability and assist the winners in taking over from them smoothly.

Ma's vote share is the highest among all candidates, including former President Lee Teng-hui, in the history of Taiwan's popular presidential elections.

Lee set a record by winning 54 percent of votes in 1996, the first-ever popular presidential vote in Taiwan.

Ma's 17-percentage comfortable lead over Hsieh was roughly the same as the gap between the parties' vote shares in the January legislative elections.

Observers said the legislative elections had served as a clear indicator of voters' disappointment with the DPP's poor performance over the past eight year years, and of their preference for the presidential poll.

But the pre-election estimations by both parties showed that Ma would only win by as much as 10 percentage points, according to media reports.

Voting went through peacefully yesterday, with only a few reports of voters ripping up ballot papers.

Following their victory, Siew told supporters that the change of ruling party for the second time -- after the first time when the DPP ended the KMT's five-decade rule in 2000 -- marks a victory for all of Taiwan's people.

He said he will do his best to assist Ma to improve Taiwan's economy.

KMT Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung said he hoped the confrontations created between the opposing camps during the election could now end.

Wu, greeting James Soong, chairman of the People First Party who arrived at the KMT campaign headquarters to congratulate Ma, said his party would seek to open merger talks with the ally as soon as possible.

Soong said he hopes the KMT will not let the nation down.

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