Most Taiwanese satisfied with pension reform outcome: poll

Taipei, July 2 (CNA) Over 64 percent of respondents to a recent poll support the new pension systems for civil servants, teachers and military personnel that came into force Sunday, and most are satisfied with the outcome of the pension reforms, according to the survey results released Monday.

In the survey, published by the Taiwan NextGen Foundation, 64.2 percent of those polled expressed support for the new pension programs, while 25.3 percent voiced disapproval.

Meanwhile, 55 percent expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the reforms, while 38.9 percent expressed dissatisfaction.

It also shows that 57.5 percent think the reforms will be positive for Taiwan's general development, while 34.7 percent held the opposite view.

Asked to comment on an apology made by President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) June 21 for the impact of the new pension system on military veterans, 48.1 percent said the apology was sincere, while 44.7 percent said otherwise.

The poll also reveals that 67.9 percent thought Tsai has demonstrated resolve for the country's reform through reforming the new systems for civil servants, teachers and military personnel, while 25.9 percent held the opposite view. Meanwhile, 57.4 percent saw the reform as a major achievement by the Tsai administration, compared with 38.8 percent who did not think so.

It also found that 28.8 percent support opposition Kuomintang (KMT) lawmaker Fai Hrong-tai's (費鴻泰) proposal that the KMT legislative caucus should reverse changes to the pension systems if the party returns to power, compared with 65.4 percent who said they disapproved.

The survey was conducted June 25-26 among 1,073 adults and had a confidence level of 95 percent and a margin of error of plus or minus 2.99 percentage points.