Control Yuan President Wang Chien-shien yesterday vowed to prioritize investigations into the liability of government officials in the Chinese toxic milk powder case and the collapse of Howfeng Bridge (后豐大橋).
Speaking on the sidelines of the 187th anniversary celebration of Central America’s independence in Taipei, Wang told reporters he had discussed the milk powder case with Control Yuan member Cheng Jen-hung (程仁宏), who filed an application yesterday morning to initiate a probe into the role and responsibility of the Department of Health (DOH) and the Ministry of Economic Affairs.
Wang said that he would ask government agencies to reinforce food hygiene control, adding that he hoped the investigation would be concluded as soon as possible to meet public expectations.
Milk powder imported from China’s Sanlu Group raised public concern after the company was recently found to have added a toxic chemical to its product.
The DOH confirmed on Friday that 25 tonnes of the milk powder in 25kg packages were imported into the country in June.
The Straits Exchange Foundation received the information about milk powder contamination via China’s Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait on Friday evening.
Wang said the Control Yuan would also launch a probe into the liability of public officials after the collapse of Howfeng Bridge in Taichung County on Sunday. The bridge collapse because of heavy rains brought by Typhoon Sinlaku caused one death and five to go missing.
Wang said the Control Yuan had launched similar probes in the past, but the collapse of the Howfeng Bridge showed that public officials had not learned their lesson from previous tragedies resulting from natural disasters.
He said the Control Yuan was working hard to carry out its duties and hoped to publicize the results of several investigations early next month. He did not specify which cases he was referring to.
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