Taipei: Thousands of demonstrators gathered in Taipei on Saturday, organized by the main opposition party, Kuomintang (KMT), to demand accountability from the government over a month-old tainted cooking oil scandal in Taiwan.
According to Focus Taiwan, the rally took place on Ketagalan Boulevard in front of the Presidential Office, under the banner "I'm against poisoning Taiwan." The scandal erupted when Taichung-based Central Union Oil Corp. was found to have allegedly produced 1,300 metric tons of soy-based cooking oil containing levels of the carcinogen benzo[a]pyrene that were four times above the legal limit. This contaminated oil was distributed to major food processors between April and June, which then sold products containing the oil to smaller businesses and restaurants.
As reported, over 1,300 businesses have been impacted, and more than 500 products have been removed from shelves, per the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA). KMT officials, alongside members from the Taiwan People's Party (TPP), criticized the ruling Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) response to the scandal. They demanded the resignation of Premier Cho Jung-tai and an apology from President Lai Ching-te for what they termed as a sluggish investigation.
The opposition accused the government of attempting to hide the identities of businesses and products involved in the scandal. KMT Chairperson Cheng Li-wun and TPP Chairman Huang Kuo-chang were among those who spoke at the rally. A participant, identified by his surname Lin, expressed concern over the government's delayed response, highlighting that both local and central governments share responsibility for the crisis.
The TFDA has notified South Korean authorities about an export of the tainted oil products, though the quantity remains unspecified. Premier Cho has denied allegations of protecting manufacturers and emphasized the government's commitment to removing potentially contaminated products from the market.
The TFDA had ordered Central Union to halt production on July 1, with instructions to clear first-tier products potentially containing the oil by July 3. Cho refuted claims of reduced recall efforts, asserting that recalls have been expanded, including precautionary measures.
Presidential Office spokesperson Karen Kuo urged cooperation between local and central governments to uphold food safety standards. Meanwhile, the Cabinet has proposed amendments to the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation in response to the scandal, emphasizing that food safety should transcend political affiliations.
DPP spokesperson Lin Chu-yin accused only Central Union and related companies of attempting to conceal the issue, asserting that the DPP remains committed to food safety. The TFDA announced it has engaged an independent third party to investigate the contamination and will provide timely updates on its findings.