Corruption fight falls short of expectations
(VOV) - Most National Assembly deputies agree the number of corruption cases brought before the public’s eye is merely a drop in the ocean and current anti-corruption measures are not strict enough to serve as effective deterrents.
Examining anti-corruption work in Hanoi on November 7, Quang Tri province Deputy Le Nhu Tien said official efforts have yet to meet voters’ expectations.
While anti-corruption agencies span from central to grassroots levels, the press and ordinary citizens have uncovered most cases of corruption, he said.
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| There is growing concern about the fight against corruption amongst National Assembly deputies |
He raised concerns regarding the increasing reluctance of whistleblowers to raise their voices. The negligence of authorities, delaying action on whistleblowers’ reports, leaves them vulnerable to reprisals and discourages their peers, Tien said.
The Central Steering Board for Corruption Prevention and Control has asked ranking officials at State organisations to declare their property, but functions as an empty formality with no oversight.
Vietnam’s Law on Anti-Corruption ostensibly demonstrates a strong political commitment to combating its malaise, but enforcement does not reflect this.
Tien compared anti-corruption failures to the non-performing loans of commercial banks, a “bad debt” betraying people’s trust in the Government until it is properly addressed.
He suggested establishing a new criminal corruption investigation agency under the Central Steering Board for Corruption Prevention and Control, endowed with the necessary authority to act with effectiveness—even within the anti-corruption apparatus itself.
Echoing Tien’s view, Danang City Deputy Huynh Nghia wondered whether anti-corruption forces hide corrupt behaviour. He also agreed with the need for an anti-corruption task force under either the National Assembly or the Central Steering Board.
The task force, equipped with powerful tools and professional staff, would help root out major corruption cases as quickly as possible to restore the people’s trust in the regime, said Nghia.
Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province Deputy Nguyen Van Hien stressed State-invested projects must be scrutinised to identify wrongdoing and eliminate waste and appropriation from key construction projects.
“If we tackle corruption effectively, we do not need to raise Government spending, nor issue more government bonds,” he said.
Tra Vinh Province Deputy Nguyen Thi Kha labelled corruption a national crime, saying prevention is better than cure. She recommended identifying the root causes of corruption and focusing on removing those initial motivations.