Department of Government Ethics

In response to the International Anti-Corruption Day on December 9, the Taipei City Government (TCG) promoted the concept of anti-corruption in the Time to Wake Up – Let’s Do It anti-corruption festival at Taipei Zoo on the afternoon of December 8. Lung-Bin Hau, the Mayor of Taipei City, personally attended the event and presented certificates of appreciation to community college personnel and anti-corruption volunteers in Taipei City. Honored guests including Srirak Plipat, Regional Director of the Asia Pacific Department at Transparency International (TI); Rukshana Nanayakkara, Regional Outreach Manager of the Asia Pacific Region; Zhu Kun-Mao, Director General of the Agency Against Corruption (AAC) of the Ministry of Justice; Ye Yi-Zhang, Executive Director of TI Chinese Taipei, and three Deputy Executive Directors also from TI Chinese Taipei, participated in the event, and highly agreed on the measures taken on anti-corruption in the recent years.
Adopted on October 31, 2003, the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) was signed on December 9 of the same year at the 58th United Nations General Assembly. To commemorate the day of the ratification of the UNCAC, and at the same time arousing concern of the international community as well as the importance of the issue of corruption, through the promotion of TI, the UN designated December 9 as the International Anti-Corruption Day from the year 2004. By means of spreading public awareness on anti-corruption issues and merging with the world, the Department of Government Ethics (DOGE) of the TCG started holding the Together We Join, a Transparent Taipei event in response to the International Anti-Corruption Day. Through the process of holding events with administrative authorities, NGOs, campus and voluntary organizations, the DOGE invites the public to support the corruption-intolerant concept.
In Mayor Hau’s speech, he pointed out that integrity is the most valuable asset for the Taipei City Government, and for the Republic of China; Taipei City has put a lot of effort in anti-corruption measures. Hau makes sure the clean and competence of public servants working for Taipei City obey the ethical guidelines, following a declaration procedure when accepting gifts, and facing serious consequences when failing to declare. As a result, the citizens have certain confidence in anti-corruption for public servants working in the TCG. Mayor Hau believes that upon encountering unreasonable or unfair problems, one should bravely and clearly speak out for oneself; if citizens find any improper conduct from public servants, they are encouraged to report them; this way, public servants can better meet the expectations of the public. Hau also looks forward to Taipei City being the role model for other cities within nations. On the day of the event, the Ifkids Theatre Company was invited for a mobile theatre performance on integrity. There was also an anti-corruption-quiz with prizes for the public, forming an enthusiastic atmosphere. In addition, the DOGE launched a Promoting a Clean Government and an Ethical Society Course Curriculum to gather public awareness in anti-corruption and foster external supervision. The anti-corruption courses are open in community colleges, and activities among community and schools as well as parents and children are designed. To promote the values of integrity and the concept of anti-corruption, there have been performance, picture books, and citizen journalist cultivating workshops, hoping to let citizens recognize the negative impact corruption causes, and seek support from citizens in anti-corruption operations. Annual achievements of the curriculum at the community colleges, including Hand-in-Hand We PICTURE an Upright Character in Me from Da’an, and Probity March-and-Sing Ukulele Performing Group from Zhongshan were extensively displayed at the event. Interactive stands including the Road Excavation Geographical Information System from the Administrative Awards of Taipei City, and the Anti-Corruption Storytelling House from the AAC, attracted a significant number of people. Mayor Hau also accompanied the honored guests from TI on the booth-walk-around, allowing guests to witness the guidelines in governance of the TCG in the pursuit for integrity, honesty and transparency, leaving them with a great impression on the event.