The Impact of Act on Recusal of Public Servants Due to Conflict of Interest on Local Clean Governance
Nai-Hui Chuang, Hao-Lin Yuan*
Abstract
Fighting corruption and promoting clean government have become the top priorities for governments all over the world. However, the study of clean governance is still focused at the national rather than local level. When localization has become one of the most important issues in the study of global governance, it is necessary to strengthen the study of clean governance in local governments.
In accordance with Taiwan’s corruption records in recent years, it is obvious that cases of transferring unjust interests from local public servants to stakeholders to whom they themselves are closely connected have increased significantly. In fact, the Act on Recusal of Public Servants Due to Conflicts of Interest was enacted in 2000. And according to this study, the transference of unjust interests between local public servants and their stakeholders is serious, reflecting the potential problem of clean governance in local governments.
The purpose of this study is to explore the implementation of the national anti-corruption policy in local governments, primarily focusing on the process of local governance. By classifying the categories of punished public servants, behaviors of corruption, and consequences of violating laws, this study tries to explain why transference of unjust interests occurred in local governments, provide advices to solve corruption problems, and promote the goal of good local governance.
Keywords: clean governance, conflict of interest, local governance, anti-corruption
* Nai-Hui Chuang, Master, Graduate Institute of National Policy and Public Affairs, National Chung Hsing University.
Hao-Lin Yuan (corresponding author), Professor, Graduate Institute of National Policy and Public Affairs, National Chung Hsing University. email: hlyuan@nchu.edu.tw.