Delegates at the national conference on anti-corruption on June 25 all agreed that no “restricted areas and exceptions” are accepted in fighting corruption.

An overview of the national conference on anti-corruption

They asked for intensified inspections to weed out degenerate officials from the political apparatus, while stressing the need to heighten the responsibility of leaders of localities in tackling corruption cases.

Many said corruption prevention can be successful only when the Party and State’s political resolve be turned into specific actions of officials, Party members, public servants and people.

From the fight against corruption in Ho Chi Minh City, Vice Secretary of the municipal Party Committee and Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong proposed defining the responsibility of leaders of higher agencies for violations of leaders of lower-level agencies if these violations are related to various sectors, levels and agencies.

Some delegates suggested continuing to implement the Party’s resolution on strengthening the Party’s leadership of corruption prevention, as well as revising and supplementing legal documents on socio-economic management, especially in fields corruption often occurs and completing the draft law on corruption prevention.

Vice President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee Ngo Sach Thuc said the law should have a mechanism that is strong enough to tackle weaknesses in the work.

Meanwhile, Government Inspector General Le Minh Khai said it is necessary to speed up administrative reform, and supplement regulations on the punishment of corrupt officials and public servants, including retired ones.

Deputy Minister of Public Security Le Quy Vuong requested the National Steering Committee on Anti-Corruption direct the Government Inspectorate and State Audit agencies to step up unannounced inspections and auditing over projects related to land and public investment, key projects and those reporting huge losses.

When seeing signs of legal violations, these agencies should work with the Ministry of Public Security’s investigation unit to minimise State asset losses, and prevent related suspects from escaping, destroying evidence and dispersing property, Vuong added.

Party chief vows to eliminate corrupt officials

National conference on anti-corruption aims to review anti-corruption work since the Party’s 12th National Congress and define future plans and tasks
National conference on anti-corruption opens 

The Party chief also called for stepping up measures to  timely block and seize stolen money as part of the Party’s crackdown on corruption.

The fight against corruption and wastefulness has been widely expected by the citizens, stressed Trong, adding that this is a difficult, complicated and long-term battle.

He urged the delegates, including members of the Party Central Committee, to work out effective approaches and solutions to create substantial changes in this domain.

Some delegates said the outcomes of the fight against corruption over the past time came as a result of the political determination of the Party and State.

They shared the view that the Party should continue enhancing its leadership over anti-corruption work while legal regulations on economic management need to be further amended and supplemented.

Besides, power control should be strengthened and administration reform must be accelerated.

Legislators support extended scope of anti-corruption law

Lawmakers have voiced their support for extending the scope of the draft revised Anti-Corruption Law to the non-state sector to conform with the international trend and requirements of the current fight against corruption.

The bill was discussed by legislators at the National Assembly’s fourth and fifth sessions before it is scheduled to be approved at its sixth session later this year. 

This is a very important draft law and expected to create a legal foundation for preventing and combating corruption more effectively in the coming time. The contents mentioned in the draft law are matters that affect aspects of the social-economic life and receive much attention and expectations from the people.

During the NA’s fifth session from May 21 to June 15, the lawmakers pointed out the occurrence of corruption in the non-state sector, saying that it has caused adverse impacts on the healthy competition as well as the investment and business environment, and hindered the effectiveness of the anti-corruption work in the state sector.

Deputy Mai Thi Phuong Hoa said “corruption in the private sector affects not only the righteous activities of organizations and enterprises in the sector but also those in the public sector.”

In some cases, the private sector is the place where money laundering occurs or is the “backyard” of corruption activities in the public sector, so the anti-corruption work will not be effective if the private sector is ignored, she stressed. 

Corruption in the non-state sector affects the whole national economy and consumers, Hoa noted, adding that it also makes foreign investors hesitant as they cannot predict unofficial costs that may arise during their business process, thus indirectly slowing the development of the national economy. 

Some other deputies said expanding the scope of the draft revised Anti-Corruption Law also ensures compliance with the Penal Code’s provisions on criminalizing acts of corruption, bribery and taking bribes of those holding key positions and power in  non-state enterprises and organisations. 

Lawmakers have also raised their concerns over regulations related to the dishonest declaration of assets or the declaration of additional assets and incomes without reasonable explanations. 

Most of the legislators agreed with the Government’s measure, which stated that tax agencies will be responsible for collecting personal income tax of persons whose asset and income declarations are unclear.

VNA/VGP