When the Revolving Door Becomes Easy Doors, Government Ethics Will Be Destroyed Entirely

 When the Revolving Door Becomes Easy Doors, Government Ethics Will Be Destroyed Entirely

China Times Editorial (Taipei, Taiwan)

August 10, 2017

 Translation of an Excerpt

The Tsai government is prepared to amend the "Civil Servants Service Act." Besides preparing to ease provisions on civil servants moonlighting, the revision would substantially relax the revolving door clause. In the future, as long as designated by the government, civil servants could serve on the board of directors or the board of supervisors of state enterprises or non-profit corporations. This measure proposed by the Tsai government would add another instance to its “flip-flopping administration,” it would create a serious sequela of destroying the civil service system and government ethics. Indeed, it must be extremely prudent.

Nearly all advanced countries have enacted similar conflicts of interest clauses in order to prevent civil servants from abusing their office in engaging in acts detrimental to public causes for their own interests in the future. From constitutional interpretations of the Council of Grand Justices, we can also see that the most important objective of this restraint is to "safeguard the important public good of integrity and impartiality on the part of civil servants.” The Tsai government, this time, wants to substantially ease this restriction; it not only would shorten the time period currently in force, but would also relax provisions to allow civil servants to serve in for-profit enterprises and private sector enterprises. It goes without saying that this would have a far-reaching impact on and harm to clean governance.

From the proposed move to revise the "Civil Servant Service Act" on the part of the Tsai government, we have once again seen the Green camp’s flip-flopping, "yesteryear's no has become today’s yes.” In the past, the Ma government had intended to change the "prohibited function" currently in force to "prohibited acts," but the Green camp strongly questioned the motive for benefiting others, doling out spoils to departing officials; the proposal was thus blocked. However, today the Green camp has introduced a more relaxed revision with more serious sequelae. How can the big wigs in the Green camp not feel embarrassed when facing the “ego of yesteryear”?

We are not saying that there is absolutely no room for revision and relaxation of the Civil Servants Service Act. However, the government should prudently and cautiously assess the "moral hazard and sequelae" this could unleash. Moreover, it should remember the taboo against easing only for political interests and short-term considerations.

Attachment : none