Scandal-tainted Ting Hsin International Group’s (頂新國際集團) plan to sponsor a food safety reform committee has made little progress since the idea was raised last month.
Wei Ying-chiao (魏應交), a senior group executive, told a news conference in Taipei on Oct. 16 that the Wei family had invited Ruentex Financial Group chairman Samuel Yin (尹衍樑) to lead a new food safety committee set up by the group to evaluate the nation’s food safety loopholes.
However, Yin has been unable to recruit directors or obtain technical assistance largely because of concerns over the source of funding for the committee.
The committee is expected to be funded by a NT$3 billion (US$98.71 million) donation from Ting Hsin, which has been accused of putting animal feed-grade fats into its cooking oils.
Some potential committee candidates have declined to be involved because Ting Hsin’s move is perceived by many as a bid to alleviate public condemnation of its manufacturing practices.
Academia Sinica president Wong Chi-huey (翁啟惠) rejected Yin’s request that the institution provide technical assistance.
“It is too late for businesses to try to reverse the situation through donations after doing unforgivable things,” Wong said.
Yin said the challenges he is facing in trying to organize the committee are greater than he had expected, but said he would still strive to carry out the plan.
“Despite the many obstacles, someone must step in to help the government and businesses to do certain things,” he said.
An ideal operation model for the committee would be for funds to be donated to the government or to foundations specified by the government, he said.
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