The National Assembly’s Judicial Committee said the government’s report on anti-corruption work over the past time fails to propose breakthrough solutions and specific roadmap to address outstanding shortcomings in the work. 

Commenting on the report at the National Assembly Standing Committee’s 19th meeting on September 19, the Judicial Committee cited Party documents and public opinions as assessing that corruption continues to be serious and complicated. 

It quoted Conclusion 10-KL/TW of the Politburo issued on December 26, 2016 which said anti-corruption work has not achieved the goal of stopping and gradually driving back corruption and wastefulness.

Therefore, the committee required the Government to clarify reasons behind its assessment on positive changes in the situation and the forecast that corruption will reduce in 2018.

The committee also pointed out the low proportion of verification of officials’ asset declarations with only 77 out of 1,113,422 declarations being checked, or 0.007 percent, and three of which found to be false.

In comparison, 414 declarations were checked in 2016 and 1,225 in 2015.

Therefore, it requested the NA and the Government to continue improving regulations on declaring assets and incomes of those holding position and power, with clear punishment meted out for dishonesty. 

The Judicial Committee also proposed that the Government conduct a general inspection of the appointment of officials nationwide in response to voters’ complaints about personnel work.

The Government’s report on anti-corruption submitted to the NA Standing Committee said the work has achieved certain deterrence effect and created positive changes, though without a real breakthrough.  

The government also admitted that anti-corruption work in localities remains weak and unequal, which was attributable to loopholes in socio-economic management mechanisms and policies in several fields and poor law enforcement.

The Government report also predicted a decrease in corruption cases in 2018, as drastic measures taken by the Central Steering Committee on Corruption Prevention and Control as well as joint efforts of relevant agencies, especially the investigation and strict punishment, take a deterrent effect and help consolidate trust of the society.

In the afternoon the same day, the NA Standing Committee examined reports of the Chief Judge of the Supreme People’s Court, the head of the Supreme People’s Procuracy and the Government on the fight and prevention of crime, verdict enforcement and anti-corruption work.

VNA