Fight against corruption continues in tough new areas

Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng, head of the Central Steering Committee for Anti-corruption. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The fight against corruption and other negative phenomena has been stepped up and expanded to new, tough and lingering areas like land, finance, stock markets and bidding since the beginning of this year.

Responding to instructions by Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng, who is also head of the Central Steering Committee for Anti-Corruption, agencies have sped up the settlement of major, complex corruption cases that have caused concern among the public.

Bringing the cases to light has demonstrated the strong resolve of the Party and the State in the fight against corruption which has won the support and trust of the public.

Crackdowns on bidding regulation violations that cause serious consequences, bribery and abuse of power at Việt Á Technologies JSC, the Centre for Disease Control in the northern province of Hải Dương, and other agencies and localities have been the focus of public attention recently.

The Standing Board of the Committee has also agreed to put the case under the monitoring of the Committee.

Regarding the serious case, during its 12th and 13th meetings, the Party Central Committee's Inspection Commission pointed out signs of wrongdoings among the Party delegations to the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Health in the 2016-21 tenure, the Standing Board of the Party Committee of the Việt Nam Military Medical University in the 2015-20 and 2020-25 terms, and some individuals.

The Party Central Committee's Secretariat decided to issue warnings against the Standing Board of the Party Committee of the Việt Nam Military Medical University and relieved Lieutenant General Đỗ Quyết and Major General Hoàng Văn Lương from their Party positions in the 2015-20 and 2020-25 tenures.

The wrongdoings by collectives and individuals in the case have been quickly clarified in line with the spirit of the Politburo, as stated in Conclusion No. 12-KL/TW on enhancing the Party leadership in the fight against corruption and other negative phenomena.

The Politburo has requested an acceleration of investigations, completing the handling of such cases, especially those under the management of the Committee, and completely retrieving corrupt assets.

Another corruption scandal that has shaken the stock market took place recently. The Ministry of Public Security is launching a probe into the acts of "manipulating the stock market," and "hiding information in securities activities" that cause losses to investors and affect the operations of the domestic stock market. The case has also been placed under the monitoring of the Central Steering Committee for Anti-Corruption.

At its 13th meeting in late March, the Inspection Commission noted that the Party Committee of the State Securities Commission (SSC) for the 2015-20 term violated the principle of democratic centralism and working regulations, and showed a lack of responsibility along with lax leadership and supervision, making it easier for some organisations and individuals to violate laws, manipulate the market and gain illicit profits.

The Commission concluded that the violations have caused serious consequences, harmed the stock market, eroded investors' trust, and affected the prestige of the Party organisation and the SSC, triggering public concern and that they must be punished.

Speaking at a meeting in late April, Politburo member and Secretary of the Party Central Committee Trần Cẩm Tú, who is also Chairman of the Inspection Commission, asked provincial Party committees and their inspection commissions to seriously observe instructions by Party General Secretary Trọng.

The Party leader ordered inspections over signs of wrongdoings, focusing on the sectors and positions from which corruption and other negative phenomena can easily sprout, especially the degradation of political ideology, morality and lifestyle, and other issues of public concern.

The violating Party organisations and members must be seriously and quickly handled, Trọng stressed.

Asking for prompt actions against wrongdoings at Việt Á Company, he said this is a complex case as it is associated with different agencies and localities and draws special attention from the public.

The settlement work should be completed in the second quarter of this year, the leader said. — VNS