TAIPEI: Taiwan's political storm surrounding Typhoon Morakot gained force yesterday as the defence chief and "cabinet" secretary offered to resign over the government's slow emergency response.

During a press briefing on the reconstruction plan yesterday, "Premier" Liu Chao-shiuan said the government will focus on the rescue and relief work for the time being.

He said that he will decide on whether to reshuffle the "Cabinet" in September and that it will be a better time to consider the resignation of defense chief Chen Chao-min and "Cabinet" Secretary-General Hsueh Hsiang-chuan, Liu said.

Hsueh faced personal criticism after angrily justifying himself for dining with his family at a five-star hotel on August 8, the day Morakot struck, saying it was Father's Day in Taiwan and "not out of line".

The "defense ministry" has been under fire for deploying too few troops during the initial rescue operation, with only 2,100 sent on August 9 before the number was dramatically increased to 43,300 five days later.

A new poll suggested 46 percent of people had no confidence in the government's ability to handle reconstruction efforts as Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou's approval rating dropped to a near record low of 29 percent.

The number of confirmed dead meanwhile rose to 136, but Ma has warned the death toll could climb to more than 500, with 380 people feared buried by mudslides in the southern village of Hsiaolin alone.

"Vice Foreign Minister" Andrew Hsia already offered his resignation Monday to take responsibility for his agency's decision to reject material assistance and rescue teams from foreign countries in the first days after Morakot hit.

Most popular resentment has been aimed at Ma, with friends and foes alike saying that his weak leadership, including the initial rejection of foreign aid, let Taiwan down.

Agencies

(HK Edition 08/20/2009 page2)