The central government's annual budget proposal is still under review in the Legislative Yuan. Premier Cher-Rong Tsai stated today that the legislature's consistent stance of drastically cutting media publicity funding is 'highly unacceptable.' He emphasized that the government must retain the capacity to report policies to the public and urged the legislature to prioritize public safety by reasonably restoring road safety-related budgets to ensure citizen protection.Speaking at the '2026 Safe Streets and Human-Centric Environment University Competition,' Tsai stressed that for cities to function orderly, every pedestrian must be able to walk safely. He urged drivers to prioritize pedestrians and pedestrians to prioritize safety, especially by avoiding smartphone use while crossing streets, to further reduce accidents.Tsai reported that pedestrian fatalities this year have decreased by approximately 14%, falling short of the targeted 22% reduction from the 2023 baseline. He reiterated that progress is reviewed at every road safety meeting. The 'Sustainable Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Program' (2024–2027) is already underway, renovating over 900 high-risk intersections and improving 95 kilometers of sidewalks.He emphasized that policy formulation, engineering improvements, traffic safety promotion, and education all require budgetary support. With the central government's budget still under legislative review, some lawmakers have proposed cutting road safety-related funding. Tsai urged that such cuts be reconsidered and effectively restored during the second round of deliberations.As an example, he cited a proposed deletion of NT$20 million (80% of the total) from the budget for national public construction quality and roadwork inspections. With only 20% remaining, meaningful oversight would be impossible, risking engineering safety. He called on legislators to restore funding appropriately during the second review, keeping public road safety in mind.Tsai also pointed out that the NT$8.1 million budget for updating and maintaining the road information inquiry website faces full elimination. This would prevent the government from integrating and disseminating road safety data. Although recent reports suggest a partial cut may replace the full deletion, even a uniform reduction would severely undermine efficiency and prevent the original policy goals from being achieved. He urged the legislature to conduct rational and careful deliberations.The Ministry of Transportation has allocated NT$94.88 million for promoting road safety awareness through media campaigns and educational materials. However, about half—around NT$45 million—is now proposed for deletion, which would halve the program's effectiveness. While the Executive Yuan accepts reasonable discussions and cuts, eliminating half of a project renders it ineffective, Tsai emphasized.Regarding media publicity funding, Tsai explained that the government must report policies to the public and enable counties and cities to learn from each other’s strengths and weaknesses, which requires media-based communication.He noted that drastic cuts to media publicity funding have been a consistent legislative attitude since last year, calling it 'highly unacceptable.' The government must have the ability and opportunity to report policies to the people. Broader and more comprehensive media outreach ensures policies are concretely implemented. He expressed hope that the legislature will reconsider current proposals, expedite the review process, and reasonably restore road safety-related expenditures. 'I am telling the Legislative Yuan: this budget must not be cut,' he concluded, stressing that maintaining these funds is essential for the government to protect public safety.