“Anti corruption is not only a global trend, but is also the number one task of the government,” Ma said during his keynote speech for the opening ceremony of the 2008 International Anti-corruption Conference in Taiwan.

“The more honest a government is, the more competitive the country is. The two are directly proportional to each other,” he added.

Ma cited the Transparency International’s annual corruption perceptions index, several world renowned surveys conducted by the World Economic Forum in Geneva and the International Institute for Management Development in Lausanne to support his argument, that the integrity of governments affects national competitiveness.

“Those at the top have to set the example for those below to follow,” the president went on. “Leaders have to have the political will to oppose corruption, and the society also needs to be on board.”

He further argued that stricter laws are insufficient to guarantee a clean government, and pointed to public servants’ proactive attitude of “not wanting and seeing no need to be corrupt,” as they “cannot and dare not be corrupt.”

Although one might be disappointed at the government’s performance when the economy is sluggish, Ma emphasized the public would be “devastated” if a government proves corrupt.

“People’s trust is the most important asset a government can have, but corruption is the strongest corrosive agent of such trust,” he said.

Quoting famous British historian John Baron, the president stressed that “Power corrupts, absolute power corrupt absolutely,” adding that anti-corruption is a full-time task that requires everyone’s efforts.

The 2008 International Anti-corruption Conference will span in Taipei Aug. 11-13, with representatives from Denmark, Singapore, Australia, Malaysia and Macao as well as Transparency International attending.

During the sessions, the participants will exchange views on strategies on government ethics, fighting bribery and corruption control in government, business and the private sector.

In related stories, Minister of Justice Wang Ching-feng announced yesterday that the government will keep the NT$500 limit on the value of gifts public servants are permitted to accept in the line of duty for the time being.

Wang made the comments in response to media inquiries over a NT$620 gift bag planned by the Council of Agriculture (COA) to promote Taiwanese grown fruit.

“The Ministry of Justice is not considering raising the limit at present, despite the controversy,” she said.

Premier Liu Chao-shiuan recently asked the heads of agencies to buy locally grown flowers out of their own pockets to avoid contravening official guidelines.

The COA reportedly decided last Thursday to present each government minister with a gift bag containing four popular locally grown guavas, mangoes, pineapples and starfruit, as part of an advertising campaign launched late last month in Beijing ahead of the ongoing Beijing Olympics.

But the council was later forced to abandon the plan after central ethics authorities noted that the value of the gift exceeded the NT$500 ceiling imposed by the government.

According to the Ethics Directives for Civil Servants approved by the Executive Yuan in June, public employees are allowed to accept gifts or social hospitality that do not exceed the “standards of ordinary social etiquette” on special occasions such as engagements, weddings, promotions, transfers and new postings.

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