Minister of Health and Welfare Lin Tzou-yien’s (林奏延) absence from an Executive Yuan Lunar New Year event yesterday reignited speculation over a possible Cabinet reshuffle prior to the start of the next legislative session.
The Executive Yuan’s low approval ratings have fueled the rumors, with Lin and Minister of Labor Kuo Fan-yu (郭芳煜) most commonly cited as ministers to be replaced.
In attendance at the well-wishing event in Lin’s stead was Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Ho Chi-kung (何啟功), who rejected reports that he was to replace his superior, saying Lin had not returned from spending time with his family in the US.
“Absolutely not. Those higher up have not consulted me at all,” Ho said when asked about the reports, adding that he was at the event because, as the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s second-ranking official, he was required to assume Lin’s duties when Lin is unavailable.
“Our efforts remain unified and we are completing our responsibilities under the direction of the minister,” he said, rejecting speculation of friction between Lin and Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Lu Pau-ching (呂寶靜).
Former deputy minister of health Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) has also been rumored as a potential replacement for Lin.
Asked by reporters at the event about the rumors, Kuo said that appointed officials should treasure every day in office and fulfill their responsibilities until the very end.
Controversy last year over amendments to the Labor Standards Act (勞動基準法) was unavoidable because of the influence of both labor and business interests, he said.
A number of lawmakers offered a range of opinions about the Cabinet reshuffle rumors.
“Replacing just one or two ministry heads would be worse than making no changes, as far as I am concerned,” Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Lai Shyh-bao (賴士葆) said, calling for a thorough reshuffling if any adjustments are to be made.
Both Ho and Chen Shih-chung would be good candidates to replace Lin, said KMT Legislator Arthur Chen (陳宜民), a former vice president of Kaohsiung Medical University, but called for Lu and Yilan County Commissioner Lin Tsung-hsien (林聰賢) to be removed from consideration because of their lack of a medical background.
The controversy over the amendments would make it “appropriate” for Kuo to be removed, KMT Legislator William Tseng (曾銘宗) said.
Some ministries have failed to effectively explain and promote the government’s policies, Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Wang Ding-yu (王定宇) said, adding that the Ministry of Labor, the Ministry of Finance and agencies involved in promoting the government’s “new southbound policy” should “get on their toes.”
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