That success has an extremely important contribution from the team of key cadres, especially leaders at all levels. However, with malicious intentions, hostile and reactionary forces have been deliberately distorting, "turning black into white", completely denying the role, position and contribution of key cadres and leaders in the fight against "internal invaders".

Intentionally distorting and defaming key officials

Recently, on some websites, reactionary elements posted articles with content that criticized, distorted, and spread rumors that: The heads of state agencies are "setting a hypocritical example" before the people (!); corruption in Vietnam is rampant due to the corruption of the leaders (!); the fight against corruption in Vietnam is only "from the shoulders down" (!) and is essentially a "factional war" (!)...

Along with that, some articles by the anti-government elements have deliberately slandered and defamed the honor and dignity of high-ranking officials of the Party, State, Army, and leaders at all levels. They spread false news that: Official A, Official B have been involved in corruption, Official C is under house arrest...

On the other hand, there are reactionary and disgruntled people who spread rumors: In addition to most of the corrupt leaders, the rest, due to their "weak position and weak strength", deliberately avoid and do not dare to fight against corruption and negativity (!). They also put forward false arguments accusing the fight against corruption in Vietnam of only "letting go of big worms, catching small worms" and "big worms catching small worms" (?)... Then they use the trick of "interviewing patriots" (in fact, people who are disgruntled and reactionary) to have these people express their support for their slander, distortion, and accusations, fabricating that "the Vietnamese people have lost faith in their leaders" (!...

What everyone can see is that hostile, reactionary, and dissatisfied forces are all focusing on slandering, accusing, distorting, and defaming key cadres, especially leaders, because their plots and sabotage methods are extremely sinister and sophisticated: Losing the trust of cadres, party members, and people in the leading and key cadres. They consider this the most effective measure, the shortest path to collapse the socialist regime in our country. They thoroughly take advantage of the fact that many people do not have the opportunity to contact high-ranking leaders, and it is difficult to verify information... to intensify the implementation of this "dirty plot".

Illustration: Propaganda Magazine

Is it true that "let go of the big worms, catch the small worms"?

First of all, it must be affirmed that the Party and State of Vietnam always identify: Preventing and combating corruption and negativity as a pillar in the work of building and rectifying the Party and the political system. This is an inevitable and objective requirement, a particularly important task, directly affecting the survival of the Party and the regime. Therefore, we must be determined, steadfast, persistent, and fight directly and uncompromisingly against corruption and negativity; ensure "unanimity from top to bottom" and "transparency across the board". In 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 affirmed: "Fighting against corruption is a necessary and inevitable task, an irreversible trend"... The General Secretary resolutely directed: It must be carried out resolutely and persistently, without forbidden areas, without exceptions, without any pressure from any organization or individual. Those who are afraid to fight, cannot do it, should stand aside...

Reality has proven that in recent years, the work of preventing and combating corruption and negativity in Vietnam has achieved many breakthrough results with many cases and incidents being discovered and strictly handled from the central to the grassroots levels. Recognizing the reality behind many corruption and negativity cases, especially particularly serious and complicated cases, there are often the shadows of some leaders of units, localities, sectors, and even central officials, the Party and State have resolutely directed the competent agencies to conduct inspections, investigations, clarify and strictly and thoroughly handle them; resolutely not to let violators and officials who ignore, condone, assist, or cover up escape.

In 2022 alone, 539 party members were disciplined for corruption and intentional violations. The Central Executive Committee, the Politburo, the Secretariat, and the Central Inspection Commission disciplined 47 officials under the management of the Politburo and the Secretariat (an increase of 15 cases compared to the previous year); dismissed 5 comrades from the position of Central Party Committee member (term XIII); dismissed 2 deputy prime ministers, 3 deputy ministers and equivalent; localities dismissed 3 chairmen of the People's Council and chairmen of the provincial People's Committee according to the policy of arranging and assigning work to officials who were disciplined and had lost prestige. Through the work of inspection, supervision, audit, investigation, prosecution, trial, and execution of judgments, 557 cases with signs of crime were transferred to the investigation agency for consideration and handling according to the provisions of law (more than double that of 2021). In 2022, nationwide, 493 new cases/1,123 defendants were prosecuted for corruption (an increase of 163 cases/328 defendants compared to 2021).

In the fight against corruption, the Party and State of Vietnam have resolutely handled and directed strict handling of leaders and senior officials who have violated the law. According to statistics from the authorities, in the period 2012-2022, the Party Central Committee, the Politburo , the Secretariat, and the Central Inspection Commission have disciplined more than 190 officials under the Central Committee's management (including 4 Politburo members, 36 members and former members of the Party Central Committee, and more than 50 generals in the armed forces)... In particular, since the beginning of the 13th Party Congress term, the Party and State have handled and directed disciplinary action, criminal proceedings, dismissal, and retirement of many senior officials, including many leaders of ministries, branches, localities, and units... and the press has published this information very publicly. Thus, it cannot be said that the fight against corruption and negativity in Vietnam is "catching the small ones and leaving the big ones alone" as hostile and reactionary elements have spread and distorted.

On the other hand, although Vietnam has dealt with many high-ranking officials and leaders at all levels who have committed corruption or allowed corruption or negativity to occur in agencies and units under their management, these are just "bad apples spoiling the barrel", which is completely different from the information spread by anti-government forces, which accuses "most leaders of corruption". In reality, officials who have committed violations, corruption or negativity only account for a very small proportion of officials in general, and leaders at all levels in particular. The vast majority of officials, especially key officials and leaders at all levels in the political system, have strived to serve the Fatherland and the people, with General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong being the most typical example. According to the results of a recent public opinion survey conducted by the Central Propaganda Department, the vast majority of people (93%) expressed confidence in the Party's leadership, including the particularly important role of leaders in the fight against corruption and negativity.

It is also necessary to add that corruption is a negative and evil social phenomenon that exists in every era, regime, and country; it is a “congenital defect” of power. Human history shows that corruption among officials and leaders has become a painful problem, occurring in many countries around the world, including countries that are considered to have good control of power. The fact that hostile, reactionary, and dissatisfied subjects believe that the socialist regime is the cause of corruption in Vietnam and that most leaders are corrupt and negative is completely untrue, showing a perspective that is not only very one-sided but also intentionally distorted and exaggerated to carry out a sinister plot to sabotage our Party, State, and regime.

The leader is leading

Contrary to the arguments that some hostile and destructive elements have spread, in the fight against "internal invaders", the vast majority of leading officials at all levels in the political system in Vietnam have been leading by example. They are not only shining examples for officials, party members, and subordinates to follow, but also regularly educate, thoroughly understand, remind, and require subordinates to properly implement Party regulations and State laws, and at the same time direct the promulgation of regulations and statutes, maintain strict implementation by agencies and units, strengthen inspection, promptly detect, and strictly handle cases of corruption and negativity.

According to Dr. Nguyen Thai Hoc, Deputy Head of the Central Internal Affairs Commission: The leader has a very important position and role, which has a decisive meaning in the process of implementing tasks in localities, agencies and units, including the work of preventing and combating corruption.

The ancients also concluded: "If the top is not upright, the bottom will be in chaos". The question is, if every leading official is corrupt and negative (as the reactionary forces spread), can organizations, units and localities in Vietnam maintain stability and strength to serve the people and develop the country? Can Vietnam ensure political stability, security and order to become a destination and attract foreign investment?

In our country today, the leader who is at the forefront of declaring war on corruption and negativity and constantly beating the drums of battle against "internal invaders" is General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. The determination and exemplary leadership in preventing and combating corruption and negativity have been affirmed by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong since the early days of the 11th Congress term: "The fight against negativity and corruption is a long-term and arduous struggle, requiring the determination of the entire political system and the whole society, in which each cadre, party member and especially the leading cadre must be exemplary and take the lead."

In fact, our entire Party, people and army clearly recognize and deeply admire the exemplary leadership, the spirit of determination, perseverance and the wise and effective directions in the fight against "internal invaders" of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. As the head of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Head of the Central Steering Committee on preventing and combating corruption and negativity, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong always has a very high political determination and has directed resolutely, synchronously, comprehensively, systematically, in-depth, with breakthroughs, linking the prevention and combat of corruption and negativity with the building and rectification of the Party and the political system. The exemplary role and will to "declare war" on corruption and negativity of the head of the Party and the Central Committee has spread throughout our entire Party, people and army with the spirit of "first support, second support", "one call, all responses", "unanimity from top to bottom", "unity across the board"; pushing back the phenomenon of "hot above, cold below". As a result, many corruption and negative cases have been discovered and handled strictly but also very humanely.

In the fight against “internal invaders”, leaders do not take the lead alone, but the Party Central Committee and Party committees at all levels attach the responsibilities, obligations and powers of the “flag leaders” to specialized organizations and agencies in charge of preventing and combating corruption. Not only has the Central Steering Committee on preventing and combating corruption and negativity been operating more and more effectively, but steering committees of provinces and centrally-run cities have also been established, including key leaders, directing the fight against “internal invaders” with remarkable results. Thus, leaders are truly the “commanders-in-chief” of the work of preventing and combating corruption and negativity at all levels, assigned with heavy responsibilities and obliged to become role models for cadres, party members and people to follow. That affirms the position and pioneering role of leaders in the fight against "internal invaders" and not the slanderous argument that "leaders set an example of hypocrisy and are even more corrupt" (!) as brazenly spread by hostile elements.

Master TRAN CHIEN, Journal of Military Political Science