When the leader aids in wrongdoing

Since the beginning of the year, many cases of counterfeit and poor quality goods in large quantities have been discovered, causing public confusion. According to data from the General Department of Market Management, in the first quarter of 2025, this force inspected nearly 20,000 cases, detecting more than 3,500 cases related to counterfeit goods and goods infringing intellectual property, with a total value of infringing goods reaching hundreds of billions of VND. In the first 4 months of 2025 alone, units and localities arrested and handled more than 34,000 cases of violations in the production and trade of counterfeit and poor quality goods.

However, the above figures are just the tip of the iceberg. What makes the public wonder is why there are places producing and trading counterfeit goods that have existed for many years without being handled? Why are there routes for transporting smuggled goods considered “black spots” but still operating openly?

A sobering reality is that counterfeit and fake goods cannot exist openly if a number of officials and civil servants, including heads of agencies, units and localities, are lax in management, irresponsible, and even abetting violations.

Recently, the prosecution and temporary detention of Mr. Nguyen Thanh Phong, former Director of the Department of Food Safety, Ministry of Health , for investigation into bribery and assisting businesses in violating regulations on advertising functional foods, partly answered the above questions of public opinion.

According to initial testimony, the head of the unit ensuring health safety for the people received money and issued GMP certificates, post-inspection... for the two factories MediPhar and MediUSA belonging to MediUSA Company, with Nguyen Nang Manh (36 years old) - the leader of the chain of production and trading of hundreds of tons of fake food - as Chairman of the Board of Directors.

The company's operations lasted for 9 years before being discovered by the authorities. Surrounded by a matrix of counterfeit, fake, and poor quality goods, the force that was supposed to be the shield protecting people's health ran after money, allowing violations to occur. With that protection, there was no place where counterfeit goods could not infiltrate and penetrate.

This is not an isolated incident, nor is it the only area where leaders have been complicit in violations. For a long time, a series of officials who once held leadership roles in sectors and provinces have also been caught up in the law for complicit, covering up, or directly committing violations of the law. These cases all have one thing in common: the leader - instead of being a model of discipline, ethics, and dedication - has become a person who manipulates the system for his own benefit. Although the cases were strictly handled after being discovered, the erosion of people's trust will take a long time to recover.

Counterfeit goods have long been a headache for the economy , a threat to people's health and a crack in trust in the management system. The launch of a nationwide campaign to combat counterfeit goods affirms the Government's determination to restore market order and tighten public discipline.

Many tasks were assigned specifically to each sector and unit, and the entire society was mobilized to fight against counterfeit and fake goods. Along with many other forces, press agencies were required to strengthen propaganda work on the results of the peak period; commend positive examples and good practices of ministries, sectors, localities and the people; and criticize negative behaviors and lack of responsibility.

But to prevent the peak period from turning into a formal movement, the first thing is to hold leaders accountable if they let loose, cover up or assist in commercial fraud. We cannot shout “fight against counterfeit goods for consumers” if there are still officials who disregard the law, make concessions to wrongdoing or are willing to trade public interests for personal gain.

During his lifetime, the late General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong repeatedly emphasized: “The higher the position, the more exemplary one must be. If one cannot maintain oneself, the harm will not only be to one individual, but also to the loss of trust of the Party and the People.”

A system is only strong when its leaders maintain morality and integrity. Every cadre and party member holding a leadership position must first and foremost be a person who knows how to maintain himself. Lessons from recent painful incidents need to be taken seriously to improve personnel work, select virtuous and dedicated people, and not let those "disguised as public servants" infiltrate the system.

Reality shows that wherever leaders take decisive and transparent action, discipline is established and the market becomes healthier. On the contrary, wherever officials avoid responsibility, counterfeit goods are rampant and people suffer. If we do not dare to clarify responsibilities and do not handle them strictly, the peak period will only be a fire that burns brightly and then goes out.

Therefore, in parallel with tightening inspection, it is necessary to establish an independent monitoring mechanism, clarify the responsibilities of leaders, especially district-level People's Committee Chairmen, heads of specialized departments, and leaders of local functional forces. At the same time, there must be strict handling if there is any act of abetting, covering up, or deliberately ignoring violations in this field.

Mai Lam

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/khi-nguoi-dung-dau-tiep-tay-cho-sai-pham-193830.htm