Policies to fight corruption need enhancement: state inspector


Loopholes in policies to fight corruption must be mended, said Deputy State Inspectorate Vu Pham Quyet Thang in an

interview with Tuoi Tre newspaper.

The interview came after the mid-term conference of Consultative Groups (CG) in Nha Trang last week, which focused on

Vietnam’s fight against corruption and effective use of official development assistance (ODA).

The following is an excerpt of his interview:

Reporter: Many say that the fight against corruption is encountering many barriers, including the hole in official management

and institutional organization?

Vu Pham Quyet Thang: President Tran Duc Luong in a talk with Hai Phong electorate in late April had confirmed that part of

the problem is “institutional errors”. He stressed that official and party member management was most important.

The larger the bureau system, the more likely corruption will arise. Simplifying administration, governmental systems and

executive branches is an effective way fight corruption.

If the renewal process in administration and governmental system are insufficient, the fight against corruption can be

superficial only.

Reporter: During the CG meeting, you refer to the essence of dropping politicization in fighting corruption. Can you clarify

this point?

Vu Pham Quyet Thang: State and party leaders always say to exclude no one in manifesting democracy and fighting

corruption.

We should not overlook or forgive misconduct due to one’s position.

I think that wrongdoings should be judged by legal stipulations, even with those who have already retired.

Just like our forefathers’ time, achievements were awarded while wrongdoings received strict penalties.

In this way we can avoid politicizing corruption or keeping scandals behind closed doors.

Reporter: In the wake of scandals in PMU18 and Vietnam Airlines (VNA), what should be added to existing anticorruption

laws?

Vu Pham Quyet Thang: Activities of officials beyond state’s regulations like studying or going for medical treatment overseas

must be declared to competent authorities.

Otherwise, like in VNA or PMU18 scandals, these expenses were later taken into contract prices, which are actually paid by

the state budget.

I think that documentation for bylaws or guidelines should detail this, including the property declaration of [officials’]

relatives like children or spouses.

We cannot let these wrongdoings be called ‘charity’.

Reporter: Many critics say that due to gross contributions to the state treasury, VNA could keep their faults behind closed

doors.

Vu Pham Quyet Thang: We should not attach contribution with protection. Gross contributions [of VNA] come from specific

advantages of the industry. We cannot accept using contributions as an umbrella for wrongdoings or using huge profits to

whitewash faults.

Source: Tuoi Tre –Translated by Thanh Tuan
http://www.thanhniennews.com/politics/?catid=1&newsid=16589