When the Nguoi Lao Dong newspaper ceased operations, although I felt a pang of regret, I remained proud of my professional journey and proud that I had helped to restore justice for many disadvantaged people.
For me, over 20 years working at the Vietnam Labor Newspaper has been a brilliant period of my youth, a journey to be proud of. This place has forged upright, courageous reporters who are ready to take risks.
It's not just about words and language.
In 2005, I decided to leave Ap Bac Newspaper and move to Ho Chi Minh City to join Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper. Before that, the Editor-in-Chief of Ap Bac Newspaper and the office staff kindly prepared a very impressive letter of recommendation for me as "moral support" for my move to the city to take up the job.
However, the reality of working at a major newspaper in Ho Chi Minh City leaves no room for past glory. Anh Bay Trach (Nguyen Van Trach), the Editorial Secretary at the time, bluntly stated: "You'll have to start over with the job; your achievements at Ap Bac Newspaper don't count. Although I recommended you, your actual abilities will depend on your performance."
He slipped the remaining eight gasoline vouchers into my hand and encouraged me, "This trial period is unpaid. Try your best!" I looked at the cramped room with its oval table and old chairs at the editorial office at 123 Vo Van Tan Street, Ho Chi Minh City (at that time, the headquarters of Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper had not yet been rebuilt), and told myself that I would overcome any difficulties.
To write an article that would "make an impression" for the Nguoi Lao Dong newspaper, I rode my small Mio Classical motorbike alone for over 400 km back and forth between Ho Chi Minh City, Can Tho University, and the Mekong Delta Rice Research Institute. That trip helped me gather the necessary information about the rice market at that time.
The next day, my article was on the front page. Mr. Bay Trach even took me out to celebrate. That was my first achievement at the Nguoi Lao Dong newspaper, and also an unforgettable introductory lesson.
After that article, I received a brief comment from Mr. Tran Thanh Hai, the Editor-in-Chief: "That girl is hardworking." For a young reporter who had just made her debut in the city's journalism, that was a very meaningful recognition. I understood that journalism requires not only words but also dedication, effort, and persistently building relationships with the local area, the field, experts, and the people...
Reporter Son Nhung records reader feedback... Photo: HOANG TRIEU
Another memorable experience, and a costly lesson, was my solo infiltration of the "lair" of a fraudulent multi-level marketing company. At that time, multi-level marketing models like Aloe Vera and Thien Ngoc Minh Uy emerged like octopus tentacles, luring many gullible people.
While trying to photograph people in suits and carrying briefcases entering the company headquarters, I was spotted by security guards. They rushed out, snatched the camera from my hand, angrily shouted at me, and demanded that I delete all the data.
Surrounded by menacing faces aggressively pressuring and threatening me, my professional instincts prevented me from compromising. In this desperate situation, I calmly explained the situation and decided that escaping safely was my top priority.
But I didn't give up. The next day, I returned to that multi-level marketing company with the "support" of my family, took photos, and completed the article.
Following my initial article in Nguoi Lao Dong newspaper, many other newspapers also joined the fray. For example, the Ho Chi Minh City Police Newspaper interviewed and wrote articles about this multi-level marketing company. Subsequently, authorities aggressively cracked down on and severely punished many fraudulent multi-level marketing companies.
Pursue the case to the very end.
The most impactful aspect, and the one that has left the most lingering impression on me throughout my more than 20 years in journalism, is the finance and real estate sector.
Throughout my years as a journalist, I've met countless people who were victims of financial and real estate scams. They came to the Nguoi Lao Dong newspaper when they were at their wit's end, with only stacks of documents, complaint letters, and a glimmer of hope in their hands.
I have witnessed firsthand numerous cases of people falling into crisis after losing all their life savings. Some have knocked on the doors of almost every government agency seeking help, but the results remain uncertain. At those times, I wished I had the power to help vulnerable people reclaim their lost assets, instead of just using my pen to speak out.
One case in particular stands out. A retired official gathered over 30 billion VND, savings from his family and money from his group of friends, and deposited it into what he thought was a bank. In reality, the money was tricked into a financial app. When the app shut down, all the money disappeared. One of his friends suffered a stroke from the shock.
The retired official approached the Nguoi Lao Dong newspaper, hoping to find a voice of empathy. When the articles I wrote were published, the authorities stated that they "were aware of the case and were handling it." However, I remain deeply concerned that my readers have not yet recovered their hard-earned money.
I have also encountered many readers who bought houses, apartments, or land plots, and even though they had paid, they only received a stack of documents stating "the product is under construction." The house never appeared, the land vanished, and the buyers were left to endlessly file complaints.
Driven by these concerns, I posed as a potential home buyer, accompanying project presentation teams. These tours took clients to provinces surrounding Ho Chi Minh City, to areas advertised with extravagant promises. Behind the scenes was an entire ecosystem of legal entities, sales consultants, "decoys," and manipulative schemes designed to lure customers into making purchases.
In reality, most of the projects offered for sale at that time lacked proper legal documentation, or if they did, the prices were inflated far beyond their true value. Once the money was paid, buyers were almost completely helpless, facing exhausting lawsuits with no guarantee of getting their money back.
One of my most intense investigations was against Nguyen Thai Luyen's Alibaba company. I single-handedly infiltrated their "headquarters" to document how they sold goods on paper, built trust, and lured buyers. During my investigation, many readers recovered their money after filing complaints with the Nguoi Lao Dong newspaper.
When the series of articles exposing Alibaba Company was published, the Nguoi Lao Dong newspaper received a stack of "counter-accusations" from Nguyen Thai Luyen, claiming that I was an "unethical" journalist who "wrote falsehoods." However, when Nguyen Thai Luyen and hundreds of his employees were arrested, I felt no schadenfreude. Because I always believed that the purpose of a true journalist when exposing fraud and corruption is to prevent them from harming others; to help them rebuild their lives; and to seek justice for the victims.
Ms. Nguyen Lien, one of the victims who was scammed into buying land in a "phantom" project, received her money back thanks to the Nguoi Lao Dong newspaper's intervention. Every time she meets me, she mentions it with gratitude.
Recently, upon hearing the news that the Nguoi Lao Dong newspaper was about to cease operations, Ms. Lien immediately messaged me, expressing her concern: "From now on, when we face injustice and grievances, we citizens will lose a voice to defend and support us... My family, in particular, will always be grateful to the Nguoi Lao Dong newspaper and to you for helping us during our time of hardship and difficulty..."
Enthusiasm alone is not enough.
Previously, when I was in charge of the lifestyle and consumer goods sector, I frequently visited wholesale markets such as Binh Dien, Thu Duc , and Hoc Mon, as well as chemical and textile markets in Ho Chi Minh City. I often posed as a buyer, small trader, or wholesaler at Kim Bien market to investigate the distribution channels of toxic chemicals.
On one occasion, after discovering that a gas station was selling less fuel than advertised, I contacted the Ho Chi Minh City market management force to coordinate a sting operation. Although the group disguised themselves as customers filling up their tanks, they were still discovered because they were in a large group, and the gas station stopped selling fuel...
Through those experiences, I learned that enthusiasm alone is not enough. Journalists need legal protection and must understand the law themselves. I decided to study law further after investigating a supermarket selling Tam Hoang chicken but labeling it as free-range chicken, based on a reader's complaint. Although the article documented what was happening, it later drew a backlash from the business.
Even if I continue working in journalism or any other field in the future, I want to maintain the spirit of a writer: always knowing how to listen, how to defend the truth, and how to humble myself before the suffering of others.
Source: https://nld.com.vn/nang-long-voi-ban-doc-196260629185442699.htm
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