TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) on Wednesday (Nov. 22) called for Taiwan People's Party (TPP) chairman Ko Wen-je to apologize for his allegations of corruption against the government in the production of face masks.
The MOEA refuted Ko's claims a day earlier by citing the absence of evidence and highlighted the necessity for public servants during the pandemic to ensure an adequate supply of masks for the nation.
Ko made the accusations during a campaign event for a TPP legislative candidate, implying the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in corruption cases involving not just masks, but also the Medigen COVID-19 vaccine and egg imports.
Referring to an earlier incident, the MOEA pointed out that the former Minister of the Interior, Lee Hong-yuan, had already issued a public apology on Oct. 17 after making unfounded accusations of kickbacks taken by the "mask national team." The MOEA urged Ko to demonstrate "at least the courage of Lee" by issuing his own apology.
In their statement, the MOEA defended the cross-industry collaboration that formed the "mask national team," which brought together sectors such as machine tools, machinery, and mask manufacturing.
The ministry condemned the repeated smears and attacks against this collaborative effort, emphasizing that such accusations were unfair and politically motivated in an election season.
The MOEA's request puts pressure on Ko to publicly retract his statements and make amends for the controversy he has stirred within the political and public health realms.