Taipei - Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou Wednesday announced his bid to run for chairmanship of the ruling Nationalist Party, or Kuomintang (KMT), to facilitate pushing through his policies.

The announcement drew harsh criticism from the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which questioned the credibility of the president and his real intentions.

Speaking at a news conference, Ma, who had previously vowed not to double as KMT chairman and criticized his predecessor Chen Shui-bian of the DPP for doing so, said he decided to do so "for the sake of national development and public interest."

"I decided to do this not for the expansion of power, but for the sake of faithfully doing my duty," he said.

He said since he became president last year, the global downturn has seriously battered the island's economy, making it difficult for him to deliver his campaign promises.

Doubling as KMT chairman would help him push through the government policies aimed at improving the economy and public benefits, Ma said.

Although the KMT dominates parliament, some KMT lawmakers have defied Ma regarding some economic bills and government appointments.

Taiwan media said once Ma took the party reins, he would be able to control KMT parliamentarians whose candidacies are decided by the party chairman.

Current KMT Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung, whose term was to expire in September, said he greatly supported Ma's bid would drop his reelection plans.

Ma became KMT chairman in 2005, but resigned in 2007 after he was charged with corruption, but was acquitted by a Taipei court.

He is expected to win the post unchallenged in the July 26 chairmanship election.

His enhanced status could result in authoritarian rule in Taiwan as no one would be in a position challenge Ma in the future, the opposition warned.

"He had said he would never run for KMT chair if he became president, and even criticized (ex)-president Chen for doing so, but now he is doing the same. Is he the one who can be trusted? And where is his credibility," DPP parliamentarian Chiu Yi-ying said.

Former vice president Annette Lu suspected that Ma hoped to "socialize" with China's President Hu Jintao in his capacity as KMT chairman, referring to the regular meetings between leaders of the KMT and the Chinese Communist Party, which have mended fences over the past years.

Taiwan and China split at the end of a civil war in 1949, and government leaders from the two sides have never met or talked directly with each other since then.(dpa)