Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

Government ineptness behind scandals: academics

Taipei Times

From second left to right, National Taiwan University professors Chen Wei-jen, Chen Chia-yang and Wu Kuen-yuh hold a news conference in Taipei yesterday to discuss the edible lard oil scandal.
Photo: CNA

Several National Taiwan University professors yesterday criticized the government’s efforts to crack down on food safety violations, saying that the snowballing recycled waste oil scandal highlights a lack of inter-ministerial cooperation and the ineffectiveness of the food safety management system.

Their remarks came one day after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released the results of laboratory tests that found the edible lard oil manufactured by Greater Kaohsiung-based Chang Guann Co (強冠企業), which included recycled waste oil collected from restaurant fryers, met legal standards.

Profit-only culture breeds trouble

Taipei Times Editorial

In recent years, food scandals, including the ongoing tainted lard incident, have not only destroyed the credibility of the food industry, but also damaged public trust in the government as a watchdog for food safety. As the public questions why the industry is yet to learn its lesson, a key problem behind the scandals has come to light — the “profit-only” culture, in which the government plays an essential role.

The latest food scare began when oil producer Chang Guann Co was found to have manufactured lard oil using recycled waste oil, affecting more than 1,000 downstream food manufacturers, restaurants and street vendors.

Ma makes mockery of rule of law

The Liberty Times Editorial

The ongoing case involving former Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) deputy minister Chang Hsien-yao’s (張顯耀) alleged leaking of state secrets to China has flustered President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) administration and caused public mistrust. In particular, the council and the national security apparatus have been criticized, and some more enlightened individuals have said they believe Ma should shoulder the political responsibility and make a public apology.

HK experience a warning for Taiwan

Taipei Times Editorial

China is nominally a communist state, but it calls its system “socialism with Chinese characteristics.” The fact is that China’s economy is more of a free-market economy than many capitalist countries, which is in line with China’s system, where nothing is what it seems. The “democratic system” being implemented in Hong Kong and Macau, with candidates picked by Zhongnanhai for endorsement by the public in elections is another unique system with Chinese characteristics.

When Hong Kong and Macau were returned to China from the UK and Portugal respectively, China promised to implement a “one country, two systems” policy, and late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping (鄧小平) famously promised Hong Kongers that its horse racing, dancing and stock markets would continue unchanged for 50 years, but less than 20 years after the handover, Hong Kong is a shadow of its former self.

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