Taipei, Feb 25, SPA -- Taiwan opposition presidential candidate MaYing-jeou has maintained a comfortable lead over his sole opponent inthe run-up to the March presidential election, opinion surveys showedMonday, reported dpa. Ma, of the Nationalist Party, or Kuomintang (KMT), is leadingruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidateFrank Hsieh by 28 percentage points, according to the opinion pollconducted by United Daily News. Of the 1,190 eligible voters surveyed, 49 per cent backed Ma,while 21 per cent supported Hsieh, with 28 per cent remainingundecided, the result of the United Daily poll showed. In another survey by the Taipei-based China Times daily, Ma isleading Hsieh by 26 points with 43 per cent of 1,344 eligible votersbacking him versus 23 per cent for Hsieh. Some 29 per cent of therespondents have yet to decide who to support, the survey showed. A third survey by cable news network TVBS showed a 20-point gapbetween Ma and Hsieh, with the Ma garnering support by 49 per cent of986 respondents against 29 per cent for the ruling party candidate. Some 22 per cent have yet to decide who to support. All three surveys were conducted right after the first televiseddebate between Ma and Hsieh on Sunday. The two candidates debated avariety of issues, ranging from Taiwan's sovereignty, economy,culture, to the birth rate and gay rights. They will have anotherdebate on March 9 before the presidential election is to be held onMarch 22. Hsieh's independence-leaning DPP suffered its worst electionsetback since it was formed in 1986 during last month's parliamentelections, taking just 27 of the 113 parliament seats. Ma's KMT wasthe biggest winner in that race, gaining 81 seats to become themajority. --SPA www.spa.gov.sa/530360