In Taipei
IT never rains but it pours in Taiwan.
At least that's what the government must feel sometimes, as the relentlessly critical media (and by extension the public) take them to task for their tardy responses to problems from the economy to broken bridges and now the spread of tainted milk products from China.
It did not go unremarked that it was manufacturer King Car - not the authorities - which raised the alarm on its melamime-tainted products. King Car might have suffered losses in pulling its Mr Brown instant coffee mix off the shelves but it won applause for its quick action.
In contrast, the government was criticised for its lackadaisical response.
Only after King Car came out did the health authorities here conduct checks on other Taiwanese manufacturers which use China milk ingredients.
After many products tested positive for melamime, the authorities finally decided late on Tuesday to order all products made with creamers, milk powder or vegetable proteins off the shelves until they are proven safe.
Shouldn't they have done this earlier, ask many.
'Slow by half a beat!', goes the common critical refrain.
'Don't be like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (ie, slow)', wrote one exasperated reader.
Well, the comparison is wrong on at least two counts: the current cabinet is made up of grey-haired gentlemen and ladies; and Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo are no slowpokes, turtles or not.
Still, the bottom line is - people are not pleased.
When President Ma Ying-jeou's approval ratings dipped to 27 per cent after his 100 days in government in August, Taiwanese commentator Nan Fangshuo said August was the cruellest month for Mr Ma.
Now it seems September is no less cruel.
Battered by Typhoon Sinlaku and turmoil from Wall Street, and not helped by poor PR, Mr Ma's ratings has dropped to a new low of 24.9 per cent.
Now it remains to be seen what damage the latest milk scandal will wreak.
The irony is that Beijing was supposed to supply Mr Ma with a series of 'good news' to keep him in power and stop the pro-independence opposition from stealing a march.
Just take a look at the gifts penciled in for the month ahead: cross-strait cargo flights and a pair of pandas.
Little did Mr Ma and his team forsee the unwanted 'gift' that China has given them instead.
Is September the cruellest month?
Mr Ma is probably hoping so, so that he can look forward to a better tomorrow