Controlling power, combating corruption in appointments and promotions.

Việt Nam•15/08/2023

Recently, on behalf of the Politburo , Standing Committee member of the Party Central Committee Truong Thi Mai signed and promulgated Regulation 114 on controlling power and preventing corruption and negative practices in personnel work. This regulation takes effect from the date of signing, July 11, 2023, replacing Regulation No. 205/2019 of the Politburo on controlling power in personnel work and combating the buying and selling of positions and power.

This is not the first time the Party has "named and shamed" acts of buying and selling positions and power. The issuance of Regulation 114 once again demonstrates the Politburo 's political determination regarding personnel work in the new situation.

Appointment made according to proper procedures.

The story, reported in the press over the years in Kim Thanh district, Hai Duong province, reveals that the District Party Secretary has a younger brother who is the Vice Chairman of the District People's Committee, a brother-in-law who is the Head of the District Party Committee's Organization Department, and a nephew who is the District Inspector. Meanwhile, the Standing Deputy District Party Secretary has a son who is the Head of the Finance Department, a younger brother who is the Deputy Head of the District Tax Department, and a daughter-in-law who is the Deputy Director of the District Social Insurance Office. All these cases are explained as appointments made according to proper procedures.

Mr. Le Phuoc Hoai Bao, born in 1985, Director of the Department of Planning and Investment of Quang Nam province, son of Mr. Le Phuoc Thanh, former Secretary of the Quang Nam Provincial Party Committee, has been officially removed from the list of Party members due to dishonest declarations regarding his work history, poor organizational discipline, violations of Party principles, and neglect of Party activities for many months.

Or consider the case of the daughter of the Secretary of the Vinh Phuc Provincial Party Committee, who was appointed "rapidly," only to have the Vinh Phuc Provincial Party Committee later revoke the appointment decision—these are concrete examples...

Mr. Nguyen Duc Ha, former Director of the Party Organization Department of the Central Organization Committee, stated: There have been instances of rapid promotion and appointment of relatives, family members, and those connected to the same faction... Subsequently, the decisions had to be revoked.

"We've heard it so many times, it's getting irritating, that they keep saying the appointments followed the correct procedures. So why cancel the decision? If it followed the correct procedures, why the disciplinary action?" Mr. Nguyen Duc Ha questioned.

According to data from the Central Organizing Committee, after the Politburo issued Decision 205 on controlling power in personnel work and combating bribery for positions and power, the advisory body proposed not considering 251 cases of centrally-managed officials who did not meet the standards and conditions, and discovered 50 cases of family members holding related positions, in order to reassign them to other suitable positions.

Controlling power

According to Standing Committee member of the Party Central Committee Truong Thi Mai, the Politburo has issued documents to control power, including Regulation 205 on controlling power in personnel work. This document is very decisive but has not yet completely addressed the phenomenon of seeking positions and power through illicit means in practice.

To prevent similar cases from recurring in any locality, agency, or unit, Regulation 114, recently issued by the Politburo, clearly states: Individuals with family relationships should not be appointed to positions that are related to or hold positions within the same Standing Committee of the Party Committee, Party Committee, Party Group, or leadership team of the agency or unit, including the head and deputy head within the same locality, agency, or unit.

The head of the Party committee or the head of the administrative agency and the heads of the agencies of Internal Affairs, Inspection, Finance, Banking, Taxation, Customs, Industry and Trade, Planning and Investment, Natural Resources and Environment, Military, Public Security, Courts, and Procuratorate at the central level or equivalent level at the local level.

Dr. Nguyen Tien Dinh, former Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Interior, stated that regarding the Party's personnel work, the Central Committee has established a process for appointing officials, which has been supplemented, amended, and perfected many times.

“The process of appointing officials has been expanded from three steps to five, and the standards for officials at all levels have also been improved and supplemented. However, during the implementation of personnel work, some people with power and positions have taken advantage of the process and the process of becoming officials to pursue their own personal interests. Therefore, I believe that the newly issued Regulation 114 of the Politburo will effectively control power and prevent and combat corruption and negative practices in the appointment of officials,” said Dr. Nguyen Tien Dinh.

According to Dr. Nguyen Tien Dinh, Political Bureau Regulation 205 clearly states the control of power in personnel work and the fight against bribery for positions and power. However, Regulation 114 clarifies that it focuses on controlling power and preventing and combating corruption and negative practices in personnel work. Thus, Regulation 114 has a broader scope, encompassing all aspects of preventing and combating corruption and negative practices in personnel work, not just bribery for positions and power. This represents a step towards perfecting the mechanisms and measures for controlling power in the Party's personnel organization work.

Regulation 114 inherits from the previous Regulation 205 and incorporates amendments and improvements based on practical experience in directing personnel work. This also provides the basis for the Party to develop new measures and mechanisms to control power in personnel organization. Thus, it can be said that this represents a very high level of improvement. Along with improvements in legislation, Regulation 114 of the Party addresses measures to control power in the Party's personnel organization. This creates a new shift in personnel work towards a more substantive and merit-based approach, building a clean, strong, and effective Party organizational apparatus that fulfills the Party's leadership role and position.

According to VNA/News Agency

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