Taiwan Opposition Proposes Slashing Health Ministry Budget Amid Food Safety Scandals

Taiwan's legislature is entering a contentious second round of budget review, with the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) party proposing drastic cuts to the Ministry of Health and Welfare and its Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The KMT's move targets the agencies' operational budgets for August through December, citing a series of food safety failures throughout the year.

Key to the KMT's proposal are recent scandals involving contaminated olive oil and the detection of the carcinogen benzo(a)pyrene. The party argues that the government's response has been marked by negligence and indecisiveness. They point to the initial decision not to release a list of problematic products, followed by a swift policy reversal, as evidence of inconsistent governance that confused the public and hampered efforts to identify unsafe goods.

The KMT's proposal specifically criticizes the health minister and FDA director for failing to take political responsibility. The proposed cuts aim to reduce the "basic administrative work maintenance" budget for the latter half of the year. This legislative battle comes as the overall budget has been stalled for over 320 days, setting a record for the longest delay in Taiwan's constitutional history.

In response, FDA Director General Chiang Yu-kang stated that the agency's responsibilities extend beyond food safety to encompass the regulation of pharmaceuticals and medical devices. He warned that slashing the budget would inevitably have a significant impact on the overall administration of these critical areas, potentially jeopardizing public health and safety across multiple sectors.

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The FDA's work includes not only food safety but also the management of drugs and medical devices. If the relevant budget is cut, it will have a clear impact on FDA administrative work.