Officials must value integrity.

(NLĐO) - Directive No. 42 of the Politburo on strengthening education on diligence, thrift, integrity, impartiality, and selflessness has raised a core issue: the integrity of cadres.

Permanent member of the Party Central Committee Tran Cam Tu has just signed and issued Directive No. 42 of the Politburo on strengthening the Party's leadership over the work of educating on diligence, thrift, integrity, impartiality, and selflessness. In this directive, the Politburo requires cadres and Party members to value integrity and avoid corruption and waste.

This is not just a matter of personal ethics, but also a decisive factor in the effectiveness of work and the people's trust in the government apparatus.

Integrity and self-respect – two seemingly simple words, yet they are a crucial measure of a cadre's character. They represent moral purity, self-respect and honor, and the boundary between right and wrong that every cadre and Party member must define for themselves.

In reality, we have witnessed numerous cases of officials losing their integrity due to a lack of self-respect. A prime example is the case in the healthcare sector. During the COVID-19 pandemic, some healthcare officials exploited the emergency situation to profit from the procurement of medical supplies, medicines, vaccines, and equipment for epidemic prevention. These officials were responsible for protecting public health, but they chose the path of corruption, directly impacting epidemic prevention efforts and causing losses of life and property.

Most recently, there was the case at Van Thinh Phat Group, where several bank officials colluded with the company to commit fraud and misappropriate people's assets through the issuance of bonds.

Worse still, many officials, when caught in wrongdoing, try to conceal it, shift blame, or evade responsibility. For example, in the Viet A case, many officials deliberately erased evidence, denied responsibility, and tried to blame their subordinates. Similarly, in the AIC case, some involved officials fled abroad, demonstrating a lack of responsibility and integrity.

The lack of integrity among officials is the root cause of many evils within the public administration. When self-respect and honor are lost, people easily compromise their conscience for personal gain. The consequences of this are not only economic losses but also a serious erosion of public trust. When people no longer trust the public administration, even the best policies are difficult to implement effectively.

Therefore, building a team of honest and ethical officials is not only an urgent requirement but also a vital task for the system.

To build and strengthen integrity among cadres, a comprehensive approach involving multiple solutions is necessary. First and foremost, revolutionary moral education must be intensified, with particular emphasis on education regarding integrity. Furthermore, a strict mechanism for controlling power is needed, creating a transparent work environment so that cadres "cannot engage in corruption or negative practices."

The principle of "not wanting, not being able, not daring, not needing" corruption and malpractice must be strongly and transparently enforced. In this, "not wanting" is an expression of integrity – when officials set ethical limits for themselves.

Of course, to achieve this, in addition to the self-awareness of each individual, appropriate material conditions are also needed – namely, "improving the living standards of cadres, Party members, civil servants, and public employees."

The responsibility of key officials and leaders to set a good example must also be emphasized. When leaders clearly demonstrate integrity in their work and lives, they not only build trust among their subordinates but also contribute to building a culture of integrity throughout the entire system.

Conversely, if the leader lacks integrity, the consequences will be extremely serious.

To put it bluntly, integrity is the "moral compass" of a public official.

This is not only a requirement of the Party but also a legitimate demand of the people. Only when the cadre truly values ​​integrity and uses it as a guiding principle for their actions can Vietnam build a clean and efficient administration that meets the expectations of the people and leads the country into a new era.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/noi-thang-can-bo-phai-trong-liem-si-196250214202530484.htm