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By Wu Shu-wei and Jason Pan / Workers reporters
Management Yuan member Lin Wen-cheng (林文程) on Friday offered a briefing on his evaluation of alleged corruption in procurement applications by the Ministry of Nationwide Protection (MND), and put forth suggestions for corrective measures.
Following an inspection tour of the Govt Yuan by Management Yuan members, Lin mentioned that Taiwan is dealing with a hostile navy risk, and President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) has granted full help to the armed forces for weapons procurement, upgrading protection capabilities and increasing troop coaching for preparedness.
“Conscious of a possible navy battle, Taiwanese are prepared to bear the burden of difficult instances, and have given help to boosting the nationwide protection price range, whereas anticipating each greenback for use successfully,” mentioned Lin, who’s convener of Management Yuan’s Committee on Overseas and Nationwide Protection Affairs.
Photograph: George Tsorng, Taipei Instances
Lin mentioned the MND’s tendered contracts and budgets have elevated previously few years, creating alternatives for “graft in navy procurement,” and “oversight and monitoring” is “troublesome.”
In 41 investigations by the Management Yuan over the previous few years referring to MND and armed forces items, Lin mentioned 14 had been relating to corruption in procurement, whereas 17 associated to the administration of coaching applications.
Seven of the procurement probes resulted in impeachment, censure and different corrective measures, however weren’t made public given their safety classifications.
Lin summarized findings in 5 major areas, which he tabled to the MND and the Govt Yuan for evaluation and the administration of corrective measures.
Inner oversight mechanisms needs to be enhanced, Lin mentioned, including that the ministry created ethics places of work and engaged inspectors to watch and fight corruption.
“Most instances concerned misconduct and contraventions of the Authorities Procurement Act (政府採購法), however weren’t caught in time by inspectors and supervisors,” Lin mentioned.
“The breaches had been later reported by authorities’s Audit Workplace for judicial investigation,” he added.
“The MND ought to improve its inside management and oversight mechanism to catch misconduct and corruption when it occurs,” he mentioned.
The federal government also needs to present particular analysis funds for the MND, as commissioning weapons analysis on supersonic missiles, for example, resulted in “contractors shopping for low-cost China-made components of inferior high quality,” resulting in “defects and poor missile efficiency,” Lin mentioned.
Taiwan’s high weapons analysis middle, the Chungshan Institute of Science and Expertise (NCSIST), needs to be restructured as effectively, as Lin.
Having high MND officers serving on the institute’s governing board whereas being liable for efficiency appraisal results in questions relating to their impartiality, he mentioned.
“MND inspectors seldom checked procurement and manufacturing tasks, that are primarily based on specs and necessities set by the Chungshan Institute itself. That is an obstacle to high quality and capability for weapons manufacturing, and interferes within the institute’s inside audits and oversight of attainable dangers and violations in procurement,” Lin mentioned.
The MND should have strict monitoring and auditing of procurement, he mentioned.
“Parts of MND procurement tenders have uncommon hyperlinks to sure contracting companies… Deficiencies have been discovered within the bid tender course of, together with analysis of bids and contractor {qualifications},” Lin mentioned.
“Within the Management Yuan’s evaluation on corruption and authorized violations present in investigations, about one-third, or 14 out of 41 instances, are associated to procurement applications, displaying an absence of oversight and an absence of rigorous compliance. MND personnel want steerage in abiding by the regulation,” he mentioned.
Extra should be executed to forestall corruption amongst officers and contractors, he mentioned.
“The MND procurement items are monopolized by a couple of contractors which have met necessities and situations for approval. There are causes to imagine that graft, bribery and corruption in navy procurement will proceed to happen, and oversight businesses should concentrate on this,” Lin mentioned.
“The MND should make it greatest effort to forestall exterior forces from influencing navy procurement. It also needs to take steps to reinforce staffing of appropriately skilled personnel,” he mentioned.
Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) acknowledged Lin’s report.
“It’s fairly a radical briefing, and we thank the Management Yuan for mentioning these issues,” Su mentioned.
“Nationwide protection is throughout the president’s authority, and the ministry ought to reply to the president relating to the Management Yuan’s findings and solutions,” he mentioned.
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