New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih in hot seat over preschool drugging scandal

New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih in hot seat over preschool drugging scandal

2023-06-12

New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih is on the defensive amid a preschool drugging scandal in his city. At a press conference in city hall, Hou laid out the measures taken by his government to handle the crisis. Opposition councilors demand that he report to city council, accusing him of being slow to act. DPP presidential candidate Lai Ching-te says the mayor should have more empathy for the parents involved.

Holding up a visual aid, New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih addresses a preschool drugging scandal in his city during a regular press conference.

Hou Yu-ih
New Taipei mayor
From the very beginning, we have been handling this issue using a joint task force.

One day earlier, he had urged his 2024 presidential election rival, Lai Ching-te, to follow up on the case, saying “the judiciary is under your government’s jurisdiction.” On Monday, Lai criticized him for missing the point.

Lai Ching-te
Vice president
Think about it, if these children were our own children, our own grandchildren, think about how upset we would be. We need to empathize in this situation. Mayor Hou or the New Taipei City government should set up a medical team as soon as possible to protect these children’s health. Come on, Mayor Hou.

Hou Yu-ih
New Taipei mayor
Lai Ching-te specifically said that I missed…he said that I missed…he said that I missed the point, but actually it’s Lai Ching-te who missed the point. The measures that Lai Ching-te recommended, we have already been taking. So he doesn’t know what we’re actually doing at this stage. For the parents and their children, the most important thing is that they want prosecutors to quickly figure out where the drugs came from.

Hou stressed that his government was being proactive over the case. But DPP councilors say he has explaining to do at the city council.

Cho Kuan-ting
New Taipei councilor (DPP)
The bottom line is that you missed the golden window of opportunity. There are too many mysteries in this case, too many truths that are being covered up. Your only chance at saving yourself is to walk into New Taipei City Council tomorrow and face the questions of the people’s representatives.

Hou Yu-ih
New Taipei mayor
I’ll never try to evade the issues. We fully respect the procedures of the city council.

Lin Feng-yu
New Taipei research and development commission
Lawmakers and councilors convened a press conference, saying that in April, the scandal was reported to the 1999 hotline, but it was not taken seriously. I personally have no tolerance for cover-ups or concealment. If anything is being concealed, I will personally step down.

The chairman of the city’s Research, Development and Evaluation Commission pledged to resign if the case was being mishandled.

首出席餵藥說明記者會侯:面對問題不逃避

2023-06-12

新北市幼兒園餵藥案，引發全國關注，新北市長侯友宜連日來緊急危機處理，今天首度出席市府說明會，親自解釋市府針對此案的作為。對於在野議員要求他進議會報告，侯友宜表示不會逃避。但對手賴清德呼籲他將心比心，要把重點畫在孩子，侯友宜不滿回嗆，賴清德才畫錯重點。

拿出手版解說，新北幼兒園餵藥案，例行的市府說明記者會，市長侯友宜首度親上火線。

[[新北市長侯友宜]]
“從頭到尾我們都用一個聯合專案的小組，來面對這件事情”

前一天，侯友宜喊話2024總統大選對手賴清德，直言司法現在是你們政府的，要賴清德緊盯進度，遭賴清德批評畫錯重點。

[[副總統賴清德]]
“大家想一想，如果這些孩子是我們自己的孩子，我們自己孫子，我們會有多難過，我們應該要將心比心，請侯市長或新北市政府，應該要盡速成立醫療團隊，保護這些孩子健康，侯市長加油”

[[新北市長侯友宜]]
“賴清德特別說我畫 ... ，說我畫... 說我畫錯... ，說我畫錯重點，其實應該是賴清德畫錯重點，賴清德說的其實我們早都在做了，所以他搞不清楚我們現階段的作法，家長們以及孩子們，最重要的還是希望，我們的檢方快速地釐清楚，藥物從何而來”

侯友宜強調市府有作為，不過，在野黨議員要侯友宜必須到議會說清楚。

[[新北市議員(民) 卓冠廷]]
“真正歸根究柢，就是你們錯失了黃金時間，太多的謎團，太多想要掩蓋的真相，你唯一能夠補救的機會，是明天光明正大地走進新北市議會，面對這麼多民意代表的質疑”

[[新北市長侯友宜]]
“面對所有的問題，我永不會逃避，議會的所有流程，我們要給予高度的尊重”

[[新北市研考會主委林豐裕]]
“有立法委員及議員開記者會說，四月份就通報1999但未獲重視一案，我個人不允許有任何隱匿或蓋牌的事件，如果屬實有蓋牌，我個人下台負責”

新北幼兒園餵藥案，研考會主委也賭上烏紗帽。

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Chen Shih-chung talks nicotine stains and dental health after quitting smoking

Former Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung recently announced that he’s been off tobacco for a whole year. Before quitting, the dentist and statesman had been a smoker for 60 years. Since retiring from frontline politics, he’s back in the dental clinic, practicing his first career again. He sat down with us to talk dental health, specifically: how can smokers avoid those tell-tale nicotine stains on their teeth? It turns out the secret isn’t rocket science, just dedication.

Chen puts on his scrubs. He’s gone back to his roots in dentistry.

Here in his dental clinic stands a mini figurine of “A-chung” the former Central Epidemic Command Center chief – a gift from another dentist, with lasting sentimental value for the former minister. In this rare interview, Chen was happy to share that he has been off tobacco for a whole year, after being addicted to smoking for six decades. And that means no more fussing over nicotine stains on his teeth.

Chen Shih-chung
Former health minister
Before, when we smoked, we had to think about how to keep our teeth clean. But then I said, “If you clean your teeth after every meal – brushing and flossing – like we do, then basically you don’t really get nicotine stains.”

The former Minister of Health and Welfare is proud that his rigorous dental routine kept the stains away – for the most part.

Chen Shih-chung
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Reflecting on his own experience, Chen has a piece of strong advice for fellow addicts: get serious about brushing your teeth if you want to avoid unsightly stains. He’s not so definite about teeth whitening, though – it might not be right for everyone. Now that he’s back in the clinic, everyone wants to know: who are his patients?

Chen Shih-chung
Former health minister
For example, when my wife has dental problems, I take a look.

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Ms. Chen
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This lettuce was originally sold in a big pack. Now there’s also a single portion. Many convenient ready meals are also gaining popularity due to the single market.

And consumers no longer feel embarrassed to sit down to a feast by themselves. Restaurants have installed single-person seating areas for traditional group meals like roast pork or hotpots. You can even buy mini kitchen gadgets designed for the single household.

Jessica
Online retailer PR manager
For example, we have plug-in single hotpots, and mini ovens, as well as small, instant meals that you don’t need to do anything to. They’re all popular products.

If you want to go and sing karaoke alone, you can get a solo booth. The single market is no longer synonymous with “unmarried people,” either. There are lots of people who were married and are divorced, as well older people who live alone and have retired. The “singles’ economy” is now worth over NT$500 billion a year in Taiwan. And another market that benefits from the rise of solo life is the pet industry.

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