Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou promised to appropriate a special fund of 1 billion New Taiwan Dollars to Kaohsiung County for reconstruction after Typhoon Morakot.

Ma made the remarks to officials at a village in the island's southern county where an estimated 491 local residents have been buried by a mudslide triggered by Morakot on Aug. 8.

Ma Ying-jeou said the authorities will finish the reconstruction at the village within his tenure of office.

During his 45-minute stay at the village, Ma met local villagers and listened to their complaints and appeals. He told the villagers that the authorities have already started an investigation into whether the flooding of a nearby reservoir contributed to the mudslide.

To fully concentrate on the disaster relief and reconstruction works, Taiwan's ruling party Kuomintang announced on Wednesday that it will postpone the 18th plenary session of the party's congress, originally scheduled for Sept. 12, until mid October.

Ma Ying-jeou won his party's election on July 26. His inaugural ceremonies will also be postponed due to the storm.

(Xinhua News Agency August 19, 2009)