A piece of baked sweet potato and a pat on the back from General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong

Editorial: The passing of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong - a great personality, an outstanding leader of our Party, an exemplary model of personality, lifestyle, simplicity and sincerity, leaves behind infinite sorrow for the entire Party, people and army.

Comrade Nguyen Thai Hoc - Acting Secretary of Lam Dong Provincial Party Committee had many memories with the General Secretary during his time working at the Central Internal Affairs Commission, especially during the process of performing the task of Head of the Compilation Team of the book "Resolutely and persistently fighting against corruption and negativity, contributing to building our Party and State increasingly clean and strong", the Acting Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee had many times met, listened to, and reported on the work to General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. The impressions of the General Secretary were recorded by the Acting Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee as a respectful incense stick in memory of the General Secretary.

Lam Dong Newspaper respectfully sends to our readers stories and emotional memories of comrade Nguyen Thai Hoc.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong talked with delegates on the sidelines of the National Conference to review one year of operation of the Steering Committee on anti-corruption and anti-negativity in provinces and centrally run cities in June 2023.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong talks with delegates on the sidelines of the National Conference to review one year of operation of the Steering Committee on anti-corruption and anti-negativity in provinces and centrally run cities in June 2023.

During my two terms as a National Assembly Delegate and nearly six years working at the Central Internal Affairs Commission , I had the opportunity to meet and attend meetings chaired by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong many times. Each time I met the General Secretary, I was left with deep impressions and unforgettable feelings through the General Secretary's simple and sincere words and gestures.

• AN UNEXPECTED PAT ON THE BACK

In May 2018, I was working in Phu Yen province, attending a National Assembly meeting. Usually, after the meeting, the General Secretary did not take the elevator but took the stairs from the 3rd floor to the ground floor to leave. That day, I was walking in the hallway when I unexpectedly met the General Secretary. Seeing me greet him, the General Secretary immediately turned to ask: "I heard you were transferred to work out here, but you haven't come out yet?". Because I had been waiting for a long time, I quickly and innocently replied: "The General Secretary hasn't given me permission to come out yet!"

Hearing me say that, the General Secretary immediately patted me on the back…

Until now, thinking back, I still cannot forget the loving slap on my back from the General Secretary that day. The simple, friendly image in every step, every gesture, every smile of the General Secretary in the hallway of the National Assembly building still remains in me over the years.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong with comrade Phan Dinh Trac and comrade Nguyen Thai Hoc before the August 2021 Steering Committee meeting

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong talks with comrade Phan Dinh Trac and comrade Nguyen Thai Hoc before the August 2021 Steering Committee meeting

• THE DRUM BEATER OF THE ANTI-CORRUPTION WAR

In 2022, when I was assigned to be the Head of the Editorial Team of the book "Resolutely and persistently fighting against corruption and negativity, contributing to building our Party and State increasingly clean and strong", one day, the assistant to the General Secretary called me to report on the compilation of the book. I have met the General Secretary many times, but this was the first time I had a direct report on the work to the General Secretary, so I could not help but feel nervous and anxious. That day, I always remembered the General Secretary's concern and consideration: should I put my name in this book? The General Secretary said that the results of the fight against corruption and negativity today are the efforts of the entire Party, the entire people, and the entire army, not just one individual. If I put my name in this book, some people will think that I am polishing my own name. The General Secretary is called by many names by the people such as "The Great Furnace", "The Drum Beater of Anti-Corruption"...; Yet even putting his name in a book on preventing and fighting corruption and negativity made him hesitate and think.

The General Secretary's handwriting on the cover of the manuscript of the book "Resolutely and persistently fighting against corruption and negativity, contributing to building our Party and State increasingly clean and strong"

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong signed and presented the book "Resolutely and persistently fighting against corruption and negativity, contributing to building our Party and State increasingly clean and strong" to cadres and soldiers of Truong Sa archipelago.

• ONE HOUR OF CLASS IN THE HOSPITAL

After the book manuscript was completed, the General Secretary brought it to the hospital to read and quietly edit. I was called back to the hospital to get the manuscript. Here, I witnessed with my own eyes the General Secretary still bringing documents to work every day. The General Secretary kindly told me: "I have read and edited up to page 12, you guys take it back to review and just like that edit the remaining pages". The General Secretary flipped through each page of the manuscript while pointing to each place that needed editing, explaining in detail why it had to be edited like that. The General Secretary said: "I used to be an editor of the Communist Magazine!". I watched and listened, sweating from the General Secretary's detailed edits, from capitalization, periods, commas, and word usage in each sentence, each paragraph... and for more than an hour in the hospital, I was like a little student with so many things to learn from my teacher - General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. How lucky and honored I am to have such a meaningful and profound lesson.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong took a souvenir photo with comrade Nguyen Thai Hoc and journalists during the break of the meeting of the Central Steering Committee on Anti-Corruption and Negativity in June 2020.

• UNMEMBERABLE BAKED SWEET POTATO

During breaks between meetings, the General Secretary usually goes to his own room, while everyone else has their rations in the hallway. For a long time, in my mind and many others', the General Secretary must have been nourished with many things during such breaks. That day, during the break between the Central Steering Committee meeting on anti-corruption and negativity at the end of 2023, I was led into the room by the General Secretary. On the table was only a bun, two pieces of baked sweet potato, a piece of apple, and a glass of milk. The other delegates outside had the same things. The General Secretary gave me a piece of baked sweet potato, told me to eat it, and he also took a piece to eat. While eating and talking to the General Secretary, I felt choked up because the food reserved for the General Secretary was "far different" from what I had thought for so long. It turned out that whatever everyone else ate, the General Secretary ate the same.

The General Secretary revised the manuscript of the book "Resolutely and persistently fighting against corruption and negativity, contributing to building our Party and State increasingly clean and strong"

• LAST TIME SEEING THE GENERAL SECRETARY

After two months in Lam Dong, I was invited to Hanoi to attend the Central Conference. I asked to meet the General Secretary, but was told that it was difficult to arrange because the General Secretary was not well at the time. Seeing the General Secretary sitting and giving the opening speech at the 9th Central Conference, everyone could feel that the General Secretary was weaker than usual. I still tried to convince him because since I left for the mission, I had not had the opportunity to meet the General Secretary. At 3:30 p.m. on May 17, I met the General Secretary.

When meeting me, the General Secretary asked many questions about the situation in Lam Dong. The General Secretary advised: “Lam Dong is a land with a lot of potential and advantages for development. The recent incident happened in many provinces, not just Lam Dong! When we go there, we must work together with our comrades to quickly stabilize the situation to overcome the current difficulties and challenges”. When I greeted the General Secretary at the door, the General Secretary also said: “Send my regards to the comrades there!”

Until now, when the General Secretary is no longer here, I and the cadres, party members, and people of Lam Dong still seem to hear the echo of the General Secretary's words: "Sending my regards to the brothers there" containing so much love and affection from the leader of our Party for the Party Committee, government, and people of Lam Dong. As for me, I never thought that would be the last time I would meet the beloved General Secretary...!

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong talks with comrade Nguyen Thai Hoc during the break of the 23rd meeting of the Central Steering Committee on Anti-Corruption and Negativity.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong took a souvenir photo with comrade Nguyen Thai Hoc and National Assembly deputies at the 11th session of the 15th National Assembly.