Anti-corruption Institutions in Taiwan: A Holistic Governance Perspective

Beginning from 1956 Investigation Bureau of the Ministry of Justice in Taiwan was charged to monitor the security of government organizations and corruption investigation. In 1968, the Executive Yuan ordered the Investigation Bureau to take charge of public service ethics, including corruption, dereliction, unsavory behaviors and other acts of government employees that would tarnish the reputation of their organizations. Statute of Civil Service Ethics was enacted in 1992 and public service ethics units were established in various government agencies to monitor the integrity of the civil service system. The Agency Against Corruption (AAC), after decades of debates, was finally established under the Ministry of Justice in 2011. These anti-corruption institutions, in cooperation with prosecutors, police branch, and the supreme prosecutor office have separate but intervening jurisdictions and traditions in fighting corruption. The silo mentality and the practical reality that presented in the fragmented governance among these anti-corruption institutions cause confusion and competition in carrying out their duty. This research, supported by in-depth interviews and detailed literature analysis, advocates that holistic governance theory should be applied to foster a governing network based on an AAC centered, information sharing platform to better fight corruption.