Carcinogenic oil scandal: Taichung mayor calls for central government apology, green camp hits back

Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen has demanded an apology from the central government and the resignation of officials involved in the carcinogenic oil scandal. The controversy centers on Taichung's Zhonglian Oil company, which allegedly supplied contaminated oil. However, Lu's call has drawn sharp criticism from the green camp and netizens, who point out that the Taichung city government, as the local supervisory authority, failed to conduct inspections of the oil factory this year.

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Central government should apologize, and poorly performing heads of departments should step down.

Critics argue that Mayor Lu is attempting to deflect responsibility onto the central government while neglecting her own administration's shortcomings. Taichung city councilors have questioned the mayor's accountability, asking what responsibility she will take. They urge the city government to honestly explain its routine inspection and supervision efforts and to take initiative in reviewing its food safety management mechanisms, rather than engaging in political disputes.

Premier Cho Jung-tai acknowledged Lu's prompt action on July 1, after being notified on June 30, and emphasized the need for central and local governments to collaborate in clarifying the incident to ensure food safety for the public. Despite this, Lu has repeatedly accused the central government of mishandling the situation. This stance appears contradictory to her administration's previous actions, which included fining Zhonglian Oil, Fwusow, and Fwumao oil factories for delayed reporting and imposing a substantial fine on Fwusow.

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The Taichung city government is the supervisory authority for the oil plant. It should honestly explain its routine inspection and supervision efforts and take responsibility.

Taichung city councilors have accused Lu of prioritizing election campaigning during the initial phase of the scandal and then shifting blame to the central government once questioned. They characterize her response as typical "Lu Shiow-yen tactics" and "double standards," urging her to take responsibility and genuinely implement food safety measures instead of merely seeking publicity.

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Only through the joint efforts of the central and local governments can we clearly clarify this incident and provide greater assurance to the public on food safety issues.