Deliberations on ractopamine must be based on scientific evidence, not rumors, Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) said yesterday.
“Some people hide their spreading of rumors and disinformation behind free speech, but that is wrong,” Su told a session of the Legislative Yuan.
Su made the remarks following the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) expression of support for psychiatrist Su Wei-shuo (蘇偉碩).
In media interviews earlier this week, Su Wei-shuo said: “The toxic effect of ractopamine is 250 times that of an ecstasy [MDMA] pill.”
When a nation allows the importation of products with traces of ractopamine, its “entire ecosystem will become filled with ractopamine, even the air, so that people will inhale it just by breathing,” Su Wei-shuo told reporters.
The Kaohsiung Police Department’s Sanmin Second Precinct reportedly sent Su Wei-shuo a notice to report to the precinct on Friday next week over his comments.
The 51-year-old doctor was given the notice after the Ministry of Health and Welfare reported him to the police, accusing him of spreading false rumors about food safety and alleging his comments on ractopamine were most likely in contravention of Article 46-1 of the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation(食品安全衛生管理法).
KMT Culture and Communications Committee director-general Alicia Wang (王育敏) told a news conference on Thursday that the party supports Su Wei-shuo, accusing the government of violating his right to freedom of speech.
Pork with traces of ractopamine is a public issue and people have the right to express views that are contrary to those of the government, she added.
The premier yesterday said that KMT officials were making the issue about freedom of speech.
“It is not right to spread rumors,” he said. “This matter should not be politicized, and it is not about free speech and freedom of the press.”
“It is good for people to focus on food safety, but it must be based on scientific evidence ... not based on emotions,” Su Tseng-chang added. “Our government will ensure that the ractopamine issue will adhere to scientific evidence — to safeguard the health of all of our citizens.”
Additional reporting by CNA
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