TAIPEI - Taiwan's opposition candidate Ma Ying-jeou surged to an early lead of 17 points over his ruling party rival in Saturday's presidential election after a quarter of the vote count, television showed.

Ma, of the opposition Kuomintang (KMT), was also shown to be leading in 20 of Taiwan's counties and cities over the Democratic Progressive Party's Frank Hsieh.

"We are very hopeful of the result, and we hope that the election will end in peace, reason and victory," KMT manager Chan Chun-po told AFP at his party headquarters in the capital Taipei.

"Only a change in government can stop the current political unrest." -AFP/vm