Law-makers’ opinions differ on major issues in revised anti-corruption bill

The bill had been tabled for discussion at the previous 4th and 5th session of the 14th NA, and the draft presented at this session has been revised based on thorough consideration of received feedback.   

One of the contentious issues is the handling of increases in assets and incomes of officials without appropriate explanation of their origin. The latest draft proposes two options for the handling, which is either to take the matter to court or tax the assets. 

Chairwoman of the NA’s Committee of Legal Affairs Le Thi Nga said so far there have been no legal regulations on increases in incomes and assets for which the owner cannot give proper explanation about their origin.

In order to create a new breakthrough in the prevention and combat of corruption, the NA Standing Committee proposed selecting the option of handling the assets and incomes with unclear origin at court, considering its many strong points compared to other options, Nga said.  

However, there was still remarkable disagreement over the recommendation. 

Deputy Luu Binh Nhuong of Ben Tre province did not accept both options. He said if there is suspicion that the assets were acquired through corruption, investigation should be launched and when the assets are proved to have come from corruption, they should be confiscated. He asked to keep the current stipulation on the matter unchanged. 

Regarding the organ to monitor officials’ assets and incomes, the NA Standing Committee said most deputies supported the idea that the Government Inspectorate and inspection agencies of ministries, sectors and provinces/centrally-run cities to supervise the incomes and assets of officials subject to asset declaration working at ministries, ministerial-level agencies, Government agencies and local administrations, while other agencies and political, socio-political and social organisations are responsible for monitoring assets and incomes of officials under their management. 

The NA Standing Committee also supported this option. 

Debate on the draft revised anti-corruption law continues in the afternoon of October 25.