Legislature Preliminarily Approves Exemption from Punishment for Minor Corruption by Civil Servants Under NT$50,000
The Legislative Yuan's Judiciary and Organic Laws and Statutes Committee has preliminarily approved an amendment to Article 12 of the Anti-Corruption Act. This amendment introduces a provision for exemption from punishment for civil servants involved in minor corruption cases or those involving property valued under NT$50,000, in addition to the existing reduction of sentences. The change aims to provide judicial authorities with greater discretion and address concerns about disproportionate penalties for minor offenses.
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- 📰 Published: April 13, 2026 at 16:12
- 🔍 Collected: April 13, 2026 at 16:31 (19 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 15, 2026 at 19:20 (50h 48m after Collected)
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency reporter Wang Yang-chun, Taipei, 13th) In response to the "light offense, heavy penalty" phenomenon in minor corruption cases involving civil servants, the Legislative Yuan's Judiciary and Organic Laws and Statutes Committee today preliminarily approved an amendment to Article 12 of the "Anti-Corruption Act." For cases where the circumstances are minor or the property involved is under NT$50,000, in addition to the current reduction of sentence, a provision for exemption from punishment has been added, granting judicial authorities more discretionary flexibility.
Recently, a case where a sanitation worker gave discarded recyclables of low value to an elderly scavenger, resulting in a 10-month prison sentence, sparked public discussion on minor corruption cases. According to the current Article 12, Paragraph 1 of the "Anti-Corruption Act," "For crimes under Articles 4 to 6, if the circumstances are minor, and the property or illicit gains obtained or sought are under NT$50,000, the sentence shall be reduced."
This morning, the Legislative Yuan's Judiciary and Organic Laws and Statutes Committee jointly reviewed the amendment proposals to Article 12 of the "Anti-Corruption Act" put forth by legislators Lai Rui-long, Lin Qian-qi, Cai Yi-yu, Wang Hong-wei, Weng Xiao-ling, and Lin Si-ming. Deputy Minister of Justice Feng Cheng and others attended to explain and answer questions.
Lin Qian-qi, Wang Hong-wei, and Weng Xiao-ling's proposed amendments all added a provision for exemption from punishment, changing it to "reduction or exemption from punishment."
Wang Hong-wei's proposal explained that the legislative purpose of the "Anti-Corruption Act" is to severely punish corruption and clarify official conduct. However, recent cases, such as a sanitation worker giving recyclables to an elderly scavenger and being sentenced to 10 months, show that although the current regulations reduce sentences for illicit gains under NT$50,000, the reduced sentences are still too heavy. This deviates from the legislative purpose of the act and violates the principle of proportionality.
Weng Xiao-ling's proposal mentioned that the current "Anti-Corruption Act" lacks flexibility in sentencing for minor cases, leading to a situation where some civil servants involved in small amounts or property with no residual value may face severe criminal prosecution for corruption, resulting in "light offense, heavy penalty."
Lin Qian-qi's amendment proposal pointed out that the current regulations only allow for sentence reduction, raising concerns about "heavy penalties for minor mistakes." Therefore, adding the "exemption from punishment" provision grants judicial authorities more discretionary flexibility, balancing the principle of proportionality and public perception.
Feng Cheng pointed out that the proposals by legislators Lin Qian-qi, Wang Hong-wei, and Weng Xiao-ling are consistent with the Ministry of Justice's draft, which is currently undergoing its third review by the Executive Yuan. After committee discussion, the entire case was preliminarily approved, adding the provision for exemption from punishment, and does not require party caucus negotiations.
In addition, Lin Bing-wen, who was wanted in connection with the 88 Club underground remittance case, was shot dead in Cambodia on March 23. Taiwan People's Party legislator Chen Chao-tzu questioned that Lin Bing-wen was involved with too many party and government officials, and his connections were complex. Media reported that he was shot 29 times and his face was disfigured by hacking. How can the authenticity of his identity be verified?
Feng Cheng said that regarding the details of the case, the Cambodian police stated that investigations are still ongoing, and the authenticity is very important and will be handled carefully. (Editor: Wan Shu-chang) 1150413
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(Central News Agency reporter Wang Yang-chun, Taipei, 13th) In response to the "light offense, heavy penalty" phenomenon in minor corruption cases involving civil servants, the Legislative Yuan's Judiciary and Organic Laws and Statutes Committee today preliminarily approved an amendment to Article 12 of the "Anti-Corruption Act." For cases where the circumstances are minor or the property involved is under NT$50,000, in addition to the current reduction of sentence, a provision for exemption from punishment has been added, granting judicial authorities more discretionary flexibility.
Recently, a case where a sanitation worker gave discarded recyclables of low value to an elderly scavenger, resulting in a 10-month prison sentence, sparked public discussion on minor corruption cases. According to the current Article 12, Paragraph 1 of the "Anti-Corruption Act," "For crimes under Articles 4 to 6, if the circumstances are minor, and the property or illicit gains obtained or sought are under NT$50,000, the sentence shall be reduced."
This morning, the Legislative Yuan's Judiciary and Organic Laws and Statutes Committee jointly reviewed the amendment proposals to Article 12 of the "Anti-Corruption Act" put forth by legislators Lai Rui-long, Lin Qian-qi, Cai Yi-yu, Wang Hong-wei, Weng Xiao-ling, and Lin Si-ming. Deputy Minister of Justice Feng Cheng and others attended to explain and answer questions.
Lin Qian-qi, Wang Hong-wei, and Weng Xiao-ling's proposed amendments all added a provision for exemption from punishment, changing it to "reduction or exemption from punishment."
Wang Hong-wei's proposal explained that the legislative purpose of the "Anti-Corruption Act" is to severely punish corruption and clarify official conduct. However, recent cases, such as a sanitation worker giving recyclables to an elderly scavenger and being sentenced to 10 months, show that although the current regulations reduce sentences for illicit gains under NT$50,000, the reduced sentences are still too heavy. This deviates from the legislative purpose of the act and violates the principle of proportionality.
Weng Xiao-ling's proposal mentioned that the current "Anti-Corruption Act" lacks flexibility in sentencing for minor cases, leading to a situation where some civil servants involved in small amounts or property with no residual value may face severe criminal prosecution for corruption, resulting in "light offense, heavy penalty."
Lin Qian-qi's amendment proposal pointed out that the current regulations only allow for sentence reduction, raising concerns about "heavy penalties for minor mistakes." Therefore, adding the "exemption from punishment" provision grants judicial authorities more discretionary flexibility, balancing the principle of proportionality and public perception.
Feng Cheng pointed out that the proposals by legislators Lin Qian-qi, Wang Hong-wei, and Weng Xiao-ling are consistent with the Ministry of Justice's draft, which is currently undergoing its third review by the Executive Yuan. After committee discussion, the entire case was preliminarily approved, adding the provision for exemption from punishment, and does not require party caucus negotiations.
In addition, Lin Bing-wen, who was wanted in connection with the 88 Club underground remittance case, was shot dead in Cambodia on March 23. Taiwan People's Party legislator Chen Chao-tzu questioned that Lin Bing-wen was involved with too many party and government officials, and his connections were complex. Media reported that he was shot 29 times and his face was disfigured by hacking. How can the authenticity of his identity be verified?
Feng Cheng said that regarding the details of the case, the Cambodian police stated that investigations are still ongoing, and the authenticity is very important and will be handled carefully. (Editor: Wan Shu-chang) 1150413
Choose to stand with facts, every sponsorship you provide is the power to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency's "First-hand News" APP to stay updated with the latest news.
Text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.
FAQ
What is the content of the amendment to the "Anti-Corruption Act"?
The amendment adds a provision for exemption from punishment for civil servants involved in minor corruption cases or those involving property valued under NT$50,000, in addition to the existing reduction of sentences.
Why was this amendment proposed?
It was proposed to address the issue of "light offense, heavy penalty" in minor corruption cases involving civil servants, to provide judicial authorities with greater discretionary flexibility, and to consider the principle of proportionality and public perception.