Repeating the argument distorting the work of handling errant officials

The heat of the “furnace” campaign has spread strongly, reaching individuals in agencies with the function of preventing and fighting corruption. However, taking advantage of the handling of erring officials, especially high-ranking officials in Party and State agencies, bad elements have spread many negative and incorrect arguments, misleading public opinion.

Recently, the Ministry of Public Security's Security Investigation Agency has served a decision to prosecute the accused, executed an arrest warrant for temporary detention, and searched the residence of the accused Nguyen Van Yen (former Deputy Head of the Central Internal Affairs Commission) to investigate the crime of "Appropriating State secret documents" as prescribed in Article 337 of the Penal Code. Previously, the Central Party Secretariat decided to discipline Mr. Yen by removing him from all positions in the Party. Handling erring officials is normal in the long-standing fight against corruption. However, bad elements have taken advantage of public attention to "steer" and "swing" information, spreading many harmful and incorrect arguments. On the one hand, they spread the rumor that corruption in Vietnam has fallen out of control, deeply ingrained in the Party and State apparatus, and cannot be completely eliminated without changing the political system.

On the other hand, they stereotype and steer public opinion with negative arguments about the fight against corruption and the recent handling of high-ranking officials to infer and lead with bad intentions. In fact, this is not a new argument. However, with the curiosity and news-seeking mentality of readers, and the spread of social networks, this information has affected many people, creating negative public opinion.

The Party and State have identified the prevention and fight against corruption and negativity as a regular, continuous and long-term task. In particular, building a contingent of truly honest and honorable cadres is a key task. Recently, on behalf of the Politburo , General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong signed and issued Regulation No. 144-QD/TW, dated May 9, 2024, on revolutionary ethical standards of cadres and party members in the new period. One of the important qualities that every cadre and party member must have is: "Be clean, not embezzle, corrupt, negative, not cause trouble or harassment. Proactively prevent and fight against corruption, negativity, degradation in ideology, politics, ethics, lifestyle, individualism, group interests, manifestations of "self-evolution" and "self-transformation" within the organization". Regarding the responsibility to set an example, the higher the cadre's position, the more exemplary he or she must be.

Speaking at the meeting of the 14th National Party Congress Personnel Subcommittee held last March, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong stated that the degradation, corruption and negativity of cadres not only reduces the effectiveness and efficiency of state management but also weakens the people's trust in the Party's leadership. Therefore, every cadre and party member, especially those holding high positions in Party and State agencies, must always be aware of their own responsibilities, constantly cultivate, train, improve their political qualities and maintain revolutionary ethics.

In the context of the entire Party and people focusing on building a truly clean and strong rule-of-law State of Vietnam, the fight against corruption is being further promoted in the spirit of "no forbidden areas, no exceptions". More than anyone else, our Party and State clearly see that "corruption is still one of the threats to the survival of our Party and regime". Therefore, in order to maintain its role as the ruling party, to make the Party truly clean and strong, the Party has comprehensively deployed solutions to prevent and combat corruption and negativity. Along with propaganda and education for cadres and Party members, the Party also focuses on detecting and strictly and promptly handling acts of corruption and waste as well as acts of covering up, condoning, abetting corruption, interfering with, and obstructing the fight against corruption and waste. Not only limited to one agency, ministry, branch, or locality, up to now, the fight against corruption has become a major trend across the country.

Implementing the direction of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong on “fighting corruption right in the agencies working on corruption prevention and control”, the authorities have focused on building a team of officials working on corruption prevention and control that is truly clean and honest. For those officials who have degraded or become corrupt, the competent authorities will promptly handle them according to the provisions of the law.

Returning to the case of Mr. Nguyen Van Yen, in his position as Deputy Head of the Central Internal Affairs Commission - the advisory body, assisting the Central Executive Committee, directly and regularly the Politburo, the Secretariat on major policies and guidelines in the fields of internal affairs, anti-corruption and judicial reform - more than anyone else, Mr. Nguyen Van Yen should have clearly understood the responsibility to fight, prevent and combat corruption. He must fulfill the responsibility of setting an example, the higher the position, the more exemplary he must be. However, he himself lacked self-cultivation and training, allowing violations to occur that caused bad public opinion. On June 19, at the Central Party Headquarters, the Politburo and the Secretariat met to review and discipline party organizations and party members who had committed violations and shortcomings. Accordingly, the Politburo and the Secretariat found that Mr. Nguyen Van Yen, Deputy Head of the Central Internal Affairs Commission, member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee, Chairman of the Inspection Committee of the Central Internal Affairs Commission, lacked self-cultivation and training, degraded in political ideology, ethics, lifestyle, violated Party regulations and laws on protecting state secrets, declaring assets, income, marriage and family. Mr. Nguyen Van Yen violated the Regulations on what Party members are not allowed to do and the responsibility to set an example, causing very serious consequences, public outrage, and negatively affecting the reputation of the Party organization, agency, and work unit. Therefore, the Secretariat decided to discipline Mr. Nguyen Van Yen by removing him from all positions in the Party. Therefore, Mr. Yen's prosecution and temporary detention for investigation is completely in accordance with regulations, and cannot be manipulated as the bad elements have spread.

Corruption is a negative social phenomenon, associated with the division of power, manifested through the use of power by people in positions of authority to commit acts of self-interest, wrongdoing, and violating the interests of the collective. Not only Vietnam but every country in the world is facing the risk of corruption. Recognizing the harmful effects of corruption, on October 31, 2003, the United Nations adopted the International Convention against Corruption (UNCAC). By the end of 2023, this Convention had the participation of 190 countries (189 member states and one member organization) out of a total of 193 countries that are members of the United Nations. This reality shows that the arguments that corruption in Vietnam is caused by the political system are completely wrong, unreasonable, and stereotyped.

As the vanguard of the working class, and at the same time the vanguard of the working people and the Vietnamese nation, since its early days, under the training and education of President Ho Chi Minh, our Party has attached great importance to the task of building a truly clean and strong Party, in accordance with the spirit of "Our Party is ethical and civilized". All acts of corruption and negativity are strictly dealt with, ensuring deterrence. Thanks to that, from a young revolutionary Party, through revolutionary periods, our Party has continuously developed and matured, always being trusted and supported by the people, and entrusted with the leadership of the State and society.

cand.com.vn

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