The “Handover and Oath-Taking Ceremony of the Director-General of the Agency Against Corruption (AAC)” was held on May 28^th, 2024, at 10:00 AM at the AAC, Ministry of Justice (MOJ). The Minister of Justice, Cheng Ming-Chien, administered the oath to the newly appointed Director-General of the AAC and delivered a speech at the ceremony.

The Minister emphasized that the MOJ will adhere to President Lai’s inauguration speech to govern with integrity and establish an open and transparent government, living up to the trust and expectations placed upon people. The Minister encouraged all members of Government Employee Ethics Officers to demonstrate flexible thinking, stay abreast of the current landscape, and effectively transform crises into opportunities. He had put forth the following five points for encouragement mutually:

1. Placing Priority on Corruption Prevention, Followed by Corruption Investigation:

Assisting agencies in handling various integrity tasks helps improve administrative efficiency and gain public trust. For example, the Government Procurement Integrity Platform fundamentally changes the procurement culture of agencies, reduces procurement-related irregularities and criminal cases, and lowers the risk of corruption. Identifying latent risks within agencies and striving to eliminate them through anti-corruption policies is crucial. The Integrity Awards, promoted by the AAC, thoroughly examine internal anti-corruption policies and aim for continuous improvement. In the future, we hope the AAC will lead all Government Employee Ethics Officers with a pragmatic spirit and attitude, diligently examining internal anti-corruption measures and highlighting their strengths.

2. Improving Legislation, Keeping Up with the Times:

The AAC oversees many anti-corruption laws, including the Whistleblower Protection (Act) and the Classified National Security Information Protection Act, which are essential for developing national integrity in the future. Future legislative or amendment efforts need to keep pace with the times and meet contemporary demands.

3. Teamwork to Strengthen Corruption Investigation Capabilities:

Effective investigations require solidarity and cooperation. To combat new types of industries (such as green energy), and organized and technological crimes, we must work as a team to exert the strongest anti-corruption force and respond quickly. We hope that, in the future, Director-General Feng and his team will strengthen their corruption investigative capabilities, ensure legal legitimacy and procedural compliance, and win public confidence by teaming up with each other.

4. Utilizing AI for Smart Transformation and Technological Investigations:

The public often worries about the quality of corruption investigations, particularly those involving sophisticated crimes where evidence collection is challenging. Future investigations should undergo smart transformation, utilizing AI and information technology for precise investigations, improving efficiency and accuracy. Undoubtedly, this will increase conviction rates of corruption cases.

5. Integrity and Self-Discipline as an Agency Benchmark:

Government Employee Ethics Officers play an important role in assisting agencies with integrity tasks and must maintain strict self-discipline, setting an example for others.

Director-General Feng called a meeting with the directors of the AAC immediately. He emphasized that the AAC should lead and collaborate closely with Government Employee Ethics Officers and various agencies to identify risks, provide early warnings, and control these risks to reduce the incidence of corruption. Furthermore, he stressed the necessity for clear objectives and pragmatic, systematic promotion of public and private sectors exchange activities to ensure continuous improvement.

Speaking of the investigation of corruption cases, Feng highlighted the importance of strict adherence to procedures, thorough evidence collection, and the protection of human rights. He also urged directors of the AAC to implement team discipline and lead by example. The AAC should continue to follow the right path, align with international standards, and strengthen cooperation with other countries and non-governmental organizations. This would demonstrate Taiwan’s commitment to an open and transparent government and citizen participation, thereby achieving the new government’s goal of integrity and diligent governance.