Lee Hua-chiu's Perspective: Toxic Oil Scandal—Has the DPP Taken the People for Granted?

On television, a reporter attempted to conduct an interview with Presidential Office Secretary-General Pan Men-an, but Pan repeatedly waved her away, refusing to accept the interview. This gesture, combined with DPP spokesperson Wu Cheng's on-air remark during a political talk show—"It's not like I forced you to eat it"—regarding the toxic oil incident, and Cho Jung-tai's delayed and reluctant apology, reveals a government overwhelmed and flustered by the crisis. Moreover, on the 19th, at the DPP's party congress, Cho declared: "Facing a legislature controlled by opposition parties that continuously propose bills undermining national security and violating fiscal discipline, I assure our members that the Executive Yuan will act as a gatekeeper, firmly blocking any unconstitutional or destabilizing bills from entering the administration. We will say 'no.'" These four actions clearly demonstrate that the government is powerless in handling the toxic oil incident, acting out of panic and disarray with no coherent strategy.

On the 19th, the DPP celebrated its 40th anniversary with a party congress, yet showed no sign of remorse or sorrow over the toxic oil scandal. The entire event conveyed an urgent desire to campaign for the 2026 local elections, clearly prioritizing political power over food safety. Power comes first; people's well-being is sidelined. The DPP, which has long championed 'democratic progress,' has now ruled for over 18 years—16 years under Chen Shui-bian and Tsai Ing-wen, and over two years under Lai Qing-de. What we now see is the party's decline and arrogance after four decades of existence and nearly two decades in power, manifesting in four phenomena: first, the decline of democracy and the rise of 'green terror'; second, arrogance of power and authoritarian dominance; third, manipulation of power to subvert laws and deceive the public; fourth, disregard for public sentiment and evasion of responsibility.

A party that once called for democracy and progress has now lost both. What remains of the DPP? Nearly a month has passed since the toxic oil incident, yet who has taken responsibility? Who has sincerely apologized to the public? Who has presented clear evidence and data to fully explain the situation? Who has proposed concrete and effective measures to restore public trust in the government's food safety policies?

In response to these questions, we ask the DPP: Why is the party congress more important than food safety? Why do you believe the people are so easily deceived, so quick to believe your words, and so willing to let your delays and deception slide? Silent public voices will eventually rebel. Has the DPP forgotten the lessons of the two major recall movements? You assume that opinion polls give you strong support and license, while harshly criticizing the opposition. These numbers embolden you, making you believe the people stand with you. But having been pampered for too long, you no longer feel gratitude—instead, you've become spoiled and blind to the value of public trust.

In this toxic oil incident, do you truly believe these silent voices will continue to endure in silence, ignoring their own safety, and keep tolerating your incompetence and moral failure? A simple truth: when water enters the nose, one naturally coughs and resists. If you continue to take the people for granted and doubt their resistance, then test just how much longer the people will endure. We will be watching.