Premier Liu hands out free breakfast at Da-an Forest Park

Written by changthai11 on Wednesday, October 8th, 2008

The China Post news staff

TAIPEI, Taiwan –– Premier Liu Chao-shiuan has seemingly turned populist. He went to Ta

ipei’s Da-an Forest Park with his health minister Yeh Chin-chuang yesterday, to hand out free breakfast packages to anybody who felt hungry.

Liu and his former health minister Lin Fang-yue refused to drink untainted milk on the Legislative Yuan flood last month. They were both blasted for showing no confidence in Department of Health tests that cleared foods with melamine residue.

Lin had to resign as a result.

Wishing to brush up his public image, Liu drank milk as he doled out the breakfast packages early in the morning.

Yeh, who succeeded Lin, was by Liu’s side, claiming he is the only one hospitalized in the milk powder scandal. He was taken to Taiwan University Hospital not for drinking or eating contaminated food but for high blood pressure.

This was after he was mobbed at the Legislative Yuan and suffered an attack of hypertension.

“Please drink milk and eat bread, which are safe to consume,” the health minister turned salesman told park goers. People lack exercise, the premier chimed in. “And they do not eat breakfast,” he said, “and that affects their health.”

“All of us need to take breakfast, particularly after a walk in the park,” Liu went on. Hence free breakfast was handed out to everybody at the forest park.

But not all park goers wanted to receive the handout.

“Don’t try to tell me how delicious the milk and bread are,” said an elderly citizen. “Just tell me which food I can eat,” he added, brushing aside the package presented to him.