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🇹🇼 Taiwan /Culture & Society

KMT plans Ketagalan Boulevard protest over food safety; criticizes premier

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • Taiwan's opposition Kuomintang (KMT) party plans to rally on July 25th in Taipei to protest alleged government inaction on food safety issues.
  • Legislative caucus whip Lin Pei-hsiang criticized Premier Cho Jung-tai's focus on budget deliberations, urging him to witness public anger over the "toxic oil" scandal.
  • Lin accused the ruling party of "administrative dictatorship" for pushing legislative amendments without consulting local governments, citing a recent meeting where Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an and Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen reportedly left in protest.

Taiwan's opposition Kuomintang (KMT) party is organizing a rally on July 25th at Ketagalan Boulevard in Taipei, demanding government accountability on food safety concerns, particularly following the ongoing "toxic oil" scandal involving Chung Lian Oil. Legislative caucus whip Lin Pei-hsiang stated that Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu has agreed to attend the protest.

July 25th should be an opportunity to invite Premier Cho Jung-tai to see where the people's anger lies.

— Lin Pei-hsiangResponding to the Premier's question about budget deliberations ahead of the planned protest.

Premier Cho Jung-tai questioned the timing of the rally, asking if the budget had been finalized. Lin Pei-hsiang retorted that the protest should serve as an opportunity for Cho to witness the public's anger. He emphasized that the Legislative Speaker's presence signifies the highest popular will and is intended to show the ruling party the extent of public dissatisfaction.

The Legislative Speaker representing the highest popular will of the nation attending and responding to public opinion is meant for Premier Cho Jung-tai and President Lai Ching-te to see. I don't know if the DPP government has been out of touch with the people for a long time.

— Lin Pei-hsiangExplaining the significance of the Legislative Speaker's planned attendance at the protest.

Lin criticized the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government for what he described as a lack of communication and an "arrogant" approach to the food safety crisis. He pointed to a recent meeting where the Executive Yuan presented its proposed amendments to the Food Safety and Sanitation Act. According to Lin, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an and Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen were so displeased with the process that they left the meeting.

The Executive Yuan recently convened a meeting with the six mayors, and Chiang Wan-an and Lu Shiow-yen were so angry they walked out, feeling the legislative amendments were unreasonable. If local governments are not respected, will there be communication?

— Lin Pei-hsiangCriticizing the Executive Yuan's consultation process with local governments.

The KMT legislator accused the administration of "administrative dictatorship" for attempting to push through legislative changes without adequate consultation with local governments. He expressed hope for cooperation between the executive and legislative branches but condemned the current situation where the executive power appears to dictate all decisions, disregarding local government input and public health concerns.

When the local government is not even respected, will there be communication? I expect the executive and legislative branches to assist and supervise each other to do things well, but now executive power can decide everything. If this is not administrative dictatorship, what is?

— Lin Pei-hsiangAccusing the ruling party of administrative dictatorship.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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