TAIPEI: The opposition Kuomintang Party (KMT) yesterday nominated former Taipei mayor Ma Ying-jeou as its candidate for the 2008 "presidential" election in Taiwan.

Ma Ying-jeou

Ma, 56, is seen as a front-runner in the polls despite facing trial on corruption charges.

As was widely expected, the KMT announced that Ma would run for the island's top post next March against a ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate who is yet to be chosen.

Though the KMT has not yet chosen his running mate, Ma reiterated yesterday that he wanted "parliament speaker" Wang Jin-pyng for the job.

But Wang is busy conducting surveys among the "grassroots" to see if he enjoys support to independently bid for the "presidency", his secretary said.

Addressing a press conference, KMT Chairman Wu Po-hsiung described the decision to nominate Ma as "an important point in history For the KMT, the election battle has just begun".

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A popular leader, Ma was charged in February with moving Taipei city funds into his personal bank account. But he has denied any wrongdoing.

Ma told reporters yesterday that he wanted to raise Taiwan's economic profile across the world and catch up with South Korea. He also proposed to develop tourism and allow mainland tourists to visit the island.

Incumbent "president" Chen Shui-bian of the DPP has to step down next year after completing his second four-year term. His party will choose its candidate from among four major players on May 12.