Taiwan has long had a problem with low-quality highways that can hardly withstand normal wear and tear and are often filled with potholes after strong rains. Prosecutors in Tainan County initiated a probe into the issue and concluded that this was the result of corrupt politicians conniving with shrewd businessmen to line their own pockets via public projects. The following is coverage by two leading local newspapers on Tuesday: United Daily News: After several months of investigation, an ad hoc team from the Tainan District Prosecutors Office found that many private laboratories commissioned by local governments to inspect the quality of highways issued false certificates for shoddy work in return for rewards from contractors. The prosecutors found many newly paved highways in the southern Taiwan county were full of potholes after heavy rains. They initiated a probe and found the top layer of some roads wasn't thick enough, the asphalt content was too low, or they had been paved without first shearing off the old top layer. These roads, however, had all been verified as up to scratch by private laboratories and passed government inspections. The laboratories said they cannot win business without 'cooperating' with the contractors. On the other hand, the contractors who win their bids by greasing the palms of officials or entertaining them with lavish dinners or sex have to cut corners on construction procedures or skimp on materials to make profits, according to the prosecutors. After questioning more than 100 people, the prosecutors found at least 50 stretches of highway in the townships of Sinying, Madou and Guantian that are suspected to fall short of standards. (Sept. 2, 2010) China Times: The prosecutors also suspected some elected heads of local governments and councilors of rewarding their cronies with government highway contracts in return for kickbacks. Prosecutors said that elected chiefs of cities or townships had set aside a portion of their government budget for pork barrel projects, which they steer to favored contractors in return for bribes of 10 percent to 30 percent of the value of the contracts. It is a vicious circle resulting from Taiwan's election system, with politicians and businesspeople working hand in glove to pillage the tax payers, and the latter will have to endure the pitted highways unless the country can end the cycle, a prosecutor said. 