VietNamNet Bridge – Various ways of denouncing corrupt and illegal practices were raised during discussions on the draft law on denunciations at the third session of the National Assembly Standing Committee yesterday, Oct 12.

At present, accusations are made directly or through a petition, methods that do not always protect the person supplying information.

Most delegates agreed that it would be wise to include other methods, such as e-mail, fax, phone or audio-visual documentation, to send complaints to authorised agencies.

They said the use of e-mails, fax and telephones for denouncements were currently approved under the anti-corruption law and had generally proved effective.

However, NA Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung said it was not easy to identify denouncers who sent e-mails, faxes or phones and that these forms of communication could be used to provide wrong information, negatively affecting others' dignity or reputation.

He said strict punishment was needed to threaten people who did this.

Most deputies agreed with the draft law that only citizens had the right to denounce, not agencies or organisations. However, agencies and organisations still had the rights to provide information on law violations through other methods such as complaints, recommendations or reports.

Regarding the draft law on administrative punishment, a report by the NA Standing Committee on Law said it was too high and was not in line with regulations set by the Criminal Code.

Under the draft law, presented by Minister of Justice Ha Hung Cuong, the maximum level of administrative punishment will be raised four-fold, from VND500 million (US$24,000) to VND2 billion ($96,000).

The maximum fine will be applied to five types of violations - those involving the management of territorial water and the continental shelf, nuclear and radio-active substances and nuclear power, forestry and forest products, monetary, banking, credit, stock and stock markets, water resources, oil, gas and other mineral resources, environmental protection and land management.

The report said it was essential to not only focus on increasing the level of fines but on other measures, such as law education and dissemination, to ensure the effectiveness of administrative punishment.

Nguyen Van Hien, Chairperson of the NA Justice Committee, agreed with the draft law that higher punishment should be applied in inner areas of Ha Noi and HCM City as violations were also affected by objective conditions such as time and space.

This follows proposals from the People's Committees of Ha Noi and HCM City, suggesting many times that administrative punishments be higher than at present for some violations.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News