Quite a few township mayors and elected officials across Taiwan have been prosecuted and sentenced for taking bribes or for obtaining fees fraudulently. Local governments are charged with executing a wide range of tasks, with nearly every project related to public construction, welfare and the economy. A local government official was once criticized for frequently authorizing the excavation of roads to install or repair pipes. Local officials find it difficult to get elected without being involved in factions, money, favors and connections. The crackdown on corruption is only an afterthought, while the solution to the problem lies in the moral insistence on “rejecting corruption.” If elected officials could abide by the law and act fairly and honestly, they would be able to achieve great political outcomes and a clean government.
