Conference reviews fight against child abuse

A conference was held in Hanoi on February 15 to review the implementation of national policy and law on child protection in the 2008-2010 period.

The event was held by the National Assembly (NA) Committee for Culture, Education, Youth and Children.

NA Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung, who chaired the conference, affirmed that child protection and care are important tasks for the Party, State and people, primarily each family.

This is the national cause of great humanitarian significance ensuring the country’s sustainable development, he said.

Mr Hung highlighted some achievements in preventing child abuse and domestic violence, but said many children are still abused and unprotected.

The top legislator stressed the importance of finding the causes for cases of child abuse, so that children can be properly cared for and protected.

A representative from the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) delivered a report on shortcomings in State management and ineffective communication and education programs, as well as the shortage of child protection services.

Over the past three years, nearly 3,000 children have been reportedly abused, but in fact, the figure may be much higher.

Vietnamese man jailed in Malaysia for cutting rare wood

23-year old Nguyen Van Tien from the central province of Quang Binh was sentenced to six years in prison and fined RM200,000 (US$65,000) at a Malaysian court last Tuesday after collecting agarwood in the country’s Penang state.

On January 1, Tien and his two brothers, who later fled, were logging agarwood without a permit at the Forest Reserve in Penang’s Nibong Tebal.

Malay Mail said the five agarwood trees chopped down by Tien and his brothers are believed to be worth RM28,437.50 ($9400).

According to Malaysian law, Tien could have been charged with up to 20 years and a maximum fine of RM500,000 ($165,000)or both.

At the court, Tien asked for leniency, saying that he regretted committing the offence, according to newswire The Star.

The court proceedings were adjourned three times before the sentencing.
Finally, session court Judge Ikmal Hishan Mohd Tajuddin charged Tien a fine of RM200,000 and six years in jail, which started to take effect on February 14.

Penang police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Wira Ayub Yaakob told newswire AsiaOne that the perpetrators, who are members of a syndicate with links to neighboring countries, were armed.

Money exchange offered to fire-damaged firms

The State Bank of Viet Nam (SBV) has issued an official dispatch to its branch in central Quang Ngai Province to offer a money exchange to traders whose assets and money were damaged in a fire at the Quang Ngai Market last Thursday.

According to the SBV, the bank also sent an expert team to the locality to check up on money brought by traders for exchange. A note could still be exchangeable if at least one-third was undamaged and with security signatures intact, according to Nguyen Chi Thanh, head of the SBV's Vault and Treasury Department.

He added that the provincial branch would co-ordinate with relevant agencies to make a list of traders whose notes did not conform with regulations to avoid fraud. The list would then be sent to the SBV Governor who will ask for the PM's instruction.

8 Vietnamese workers to resume working in Libya

Nearly a year after their repatriation because of the political chaos in Libya, 8 Vietnamese workers will return to the African country to resuming working on February 22, said Nguyen Ngoc Quynh, head of the Overseas Labor Management Department.

The workers were among nearly 10,000 Vietnamese who came back to Vietnam in February-March last year, Quynh said.

They had worked for an office of a German contractor in Libya before their repatriation and are now preparing to resume their work, said the International Manpower Supply and Trade Company (SONA), which had sent over 400 Vietnamese workers to Libya

SONA said it had received a request from the German contractor to send the Vietnamese workers back for work.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has earlier agreed to the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs’ proposal to resume sending Vietnamese workers to Libya, Quynh said.

The PM has asked the ministry to work with the Foreign Ministry and other relevant agencies to submit a plan on this issue to him for approval, Quynh said.

Big traffic projects to be monitored

15 crucial public traffic projects will be under careful inspection this year, according to Nguyen Xuan Hao, Chief Inspector of Ministry of Transport.

The ministry will inspect projects' management and investment implementation.

The projects include national route 49A in the centre province of Thua Thien Hue, Ben Thuy bridge, the Ha Noi - Thai Nguyen highway, the belt-road number III in its second stage, the national route 3B, route adjustments of national route 32C crossing Viet Tri city, etc.

Hao added most of the projects are already 50 per cent finished.

Next month, the ministry of transport will monitor transportation business, travel support services, vocational training, and driving licence examination.

Planes unable to land in Hanoi due to bad weather

Many planes scheduled to arrive in Hanoi on Wednesday morning were unable to land in the airport due to foggy weather.

Two Vietnam Airlines planes could not land in Hanoi’s Noi Bai airport and had to fly back to Da Nang and Vinh City, according to an airlines representative.

Another Jetstar Pacific plane was scheduled to touch down Hanoi at 8.20am but had to rest in an airport in Hai Phong.

“Due to bad weather in Hanoi this morning, many VietJet Air flights could not arrive on schedule,” said a representative.

Their flight numbered VD8660 departed from Ho Chi Minh City’s Tan Nhat Airport at 6.15am but did not land in Noi Bai airport until 11.59am.

“We are contacting our customers to announce them the new schedule,” added the VietJet air representative.

Similarly, an Air Mekong plane leaving Ho Chi Minh City at 6.15am had to land in Hai Phong as fog covered Noi Bai airport. However, soon after, it could arrive in Ha Noi and continue its trip to Da Lat in the morning.

Departing from Hanoi, ten other Vietnam Airlines flights were also delayed due to bad weather yesterday morning, Feb 15.

Another VN man fined for opening plane emergency door

A Vietnamese passenger could be fined at least VND15 million ($750) after he attempted to open an emergency exit of a Vietnam Airlines airplane on Tuesday.

Le Van Thuan, 29, was caught when flight VN1265 was taxiing on the runway of the Tan Son Nhat airport at 6:20pm.

According to a report, when the flight crew announced a safe landing, Thuan suddenly pressed the “Open” button and the float inside opened.

As the result, the airplane could not be used to serve the next flight.

Thuan explained that although he had been reminded by the flight crew and ground personnel staff not to open it, he wanted to get outside quickly since he was annoyed by a baby crying nearby.

An airport security staff member says the airline could suffer a loss of $10,000 in damages due to the customer’s inappropriate act.

Last November, a 22-year-old Vietnamese college student, who claimed he was a first-time flyer, was fined VND15 million for committing the same act, also at the Tan Son Nhat airport.

Five drug firms fined for violations

The Health Ministry’s Inspectorate Department has given penalties to five pharmaceutical companies and warned another for their violations of regulations on management and use of addictive medicines.

Minh Hai Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company was fined VND75 million (US$3,600) for purchasing materials to illegally produce medicines with methamphetamine precursor pseudoephedrine (PSE), for selling psychotropic drugs to wrong users, and for issuing fraudulent invoices.

Ha Tay Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company (Hataphar), Tien Giang Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company (Tipharco), and Health Import Export Joint Stock Company (Yteco) were penalized VND20 million each for illegally selling materials for the production of medicines with PSE.

Mediplantex National Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company was fined VND10 million for labeling and making medicines with ingredients different from those registered with the Health Ministry.

Besides issuing fines, the Inspectorate has also warned Imexpharm Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company about storing drugs with active addictive ingredients and PSE not in accordance with applicable regulations.

In respect of Imexpharm exporting drugs with codeine and PSE worth VND2.6 billion (US$124,000) to Indochina Pharma Co. Ltd in Cambodia without an export license from the Health Ministry, the Inspectorate said it has referred the case to an investigation agency for handling.

PSE is used in making medicines for a number of diseases including cold, rhinitis, and sinusitis but can be also used in preparing methamphetamine, a very addictive stimulant.

VNN/VOV/VNS/Tuoi Tre