After Yaung's abrupt resignation announcement, both President Ma Ying-jeou and Premier Wu Den-yih have attempted to talk him out of the decision. And KMT lawmakers also started a petition asking him to stay, while some of their DPP counterparts said that Premier Wu should be the one to step down instead.

Health Minister Yaung Chih-liang's third resignation unexpectedly came after lawmakers passed the third reading of long-stalled second-generation national health insurance reforms.

While many saw it as a premeditated move, high-ranking government officials, including President Ma Ying-jeou and Premier Wu Den-yih, expressed hopes that Yaung would reconsider.

KMT lawmaker Yang Li-huan, who was dissatisfied with the reforms, said that it was irresponsible of Yaung to leave office before the national health insurance system's problems were solved.

Other KMT lawmakers, however, started a petition asking Yaung to stay on at his post.

Their DPP counterparts, meanwhile, called for Premier Wu Den-yih's resignation instead.

It remains to be seen whether Yaung will change his mind.