Saturday's three legislative by-elections have again sent a warning to the ruling Kuomintang (KMT) , as the party lost all three seats up for grabs. KMT Secretary-General King Pu-tsung said at a post-election news conference that the party will squarely face the setbacks, learn from the lessons, continue efforts to reform the party and move forward. Such a vision, however, is not enough for the KMT to overcome its challenges ahead. The party must solemnly face its latest defeat and sort out winning strategies from the losing streak that followed its landslide victories in the 2008 legislative and presidential elections. Commitment on reform is also not enough. Reform should be a strategy that serves the party's ultimate goal. Otherwise, the party will face the crisis of losing power again. For one thing, the party should no longer shun its the issue of its problematic ties with grassroots political factions. The KMT has traditionally relied heavily on local factions for its grip on power. However, those factions are generally unreliable because they tend to place factional interests above all else. The party's losses in Yunlin County legislative by-election and magistrate elections last year and in Saturday's Taitung County legislative by-election were evidence of the KMT's predicament of relying on factional leaders in political elections. The KMT should now have a strong sense of crisis and prudently review its strategies in dealing with local political factions. While trying to restrain them from getting involved in vote-buying or shedding links with criminal rings as part of its reform programs, the KMT should be able to consolidate its influence in the Legislative Yuan and grassroots power base. Otherwise, President Ma Ying-jeou's leadership could be at stake. 