Rally in Taipei Amid Anger Over Tainted Cooking Oil Scandal
Thousands rallied in Taipei Saturday to protest a tainted cooking oil scandal, the latest in a string of food safety scares in the past few decades. Politicians are divided over the issue across party lines, and health experts say there are more steps needed to stop this kind of scandal from happening again.
Tainted Cooking Oil Scandal Sparks Mass Protests in Taiwan
REPORTER:
Calls for answers and even for the premier to step down as thousands rally near the Presidential Office. For around a month, a scandal around tainted cooking oil that should have never reached shelves has caused alarm among Taiwan’s consumers—the fear: levels of a carcinogen above the legal limit. Over 1,000 metric tons made by Central Union Oil went into Taiwan’s food supplies, leading to mass recalls and now, mass anger.
REPORTER:
Taiwan’s had a string of food scares over the past two decades: tainted milk from China in 2008, plasticizers in drinks in 2011, and a gutter oil scandal in 2014 to name a few. On Saturday, drawn together by Taiwan’s two opposition parties, concerned people protest the fact it's happened yet again.
REPORTER:
The government keeps not taking food safety seriously and incidents keep happening. We’re not afraid when problems arise but once they do, what’s your plan to deal with them?
REPORTER:
At first there was no official announcement or policy and no apology. Some people were exposed without even knowing it. And then [the government] says “well we didn’t force you to eat it”.
REPORTER:
For the rally’s organizers, the opposition Kuomintang and Taiwan People’s Party, it’s a case of fumbled responsibility on the part of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party—now in its third straight term in control of the presidency.
Huang Kuo-chang (CHAIR, TAIWAN PEOPLE’S PARTY):
If the DPP can’t meet its own standards, set 12 years ago then it should be replaced.
Fu Kun-chi (KMT CAUCUS WHIP):
[President] Lai Ching-te and [Premier] Cho Jung-tai have not taken responsibility. They're treating Taiwan’s 23 million people like lab rats. Doesn’t that make all of you angry?
REPORTER:
For the DPP, the responsibility for what comes next lies not just with the central government in Taipei, but with local inspectors.
REPORTER:
The Presidential Office is calling on local officials who came to Taipei for Saturday’s rally to get back to their posts across the country and to work with the central government to conduct inspections, remove affected products from shelves, and trace distribution.
REPORTER:
The premier, meanwhile, says the focus now should be on ongoing changes to food safety laws that draw clearer lines of responsibility and raise fines for violators.
Cho Jung-tai (PREMIER):
We’re already amending the law. Once that’s done, we can have a reasonable discussion.
REPORTER:
Outside the political fray, meanwhile, some healthcare experts say more work is needed to prioritize food safety.
Hung Tzu-jen (DIRECTOR, TAIWAN COLLEGE OF HEALTHCARE EXECUTIVES):
First, we must establish a timely, effective reporting mechanism. Second, we must strengthen digital management and tracking systems for food supply. Third, there needs to be cross-department cross-field coordination. Finally, food safety and industry resilience.
REPORTER:
Products are off the shelves as the flow of tainted oil becomes clearer, but protesters, politicians and health experts all see a bigger problem unresolved.
