(kontumtv.vn) – During his lifetime, former Provincial Party Secretary So Lay Tang made many important contributions to the building of the Party, government, and the economic and social development of Kon Tum province. These contributions are cherished and promoted by generations of officials and people of Kon Tum province.

Former Provincial Party Secretary So Lay Tang is respected and remembered by the people as a steadfast Party member. He joined the revolution at a young age and belonged to the generation of students from the South who went to the North to study. In 1970, he graduated from Medical University, becoming the first doctor of the Gie Trieng ethnic group. Afterwards, he returned to the South to participate in the resistance war against the US. After liberation, he served as Deputy Director of the Health Department, Director of the Health Department, Vice Chairman, Deputy Secretary, and Chairman of the People's Committee of Gia Lai - Kon Tum province.

At the end of 1991, Gia Lai - Kon Tum province was divided into two provinces. At the 10th Provincial Party Congress of Kon Tum in December 1991, Mr. So Lay Tang was elected Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee. At that time, Kon Tum was one of the poorest provinces in the country. With the leadership philosophy that "to have correct policies, one must stay close to the people, visit the grassroots frequently, listen to what the people say, and ultimately, all policies and resolutions of the Party must originate from life," during his nearly 10 years as Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, he intensified his visits to the grassroots to encourage people to change their methods of developing their family economies and rise out of poverty.

The village of Brong My, in Dak Mon commune, Dak Glei district, has a basin-shaped topography and limited arable land. The villagers mainly cultivate cassava and rice, resulting in low incomes and making it difficult to escape poverty. In 1995, the Provincial Party Secretary, So Lay Tang, directed relevant departments to implement a program to support the villagers of Brong My in planting coffee trees on a trial basis, initially on 5 hectares. Thanks to proper technical care, the coffee plants thrived, yielding a good income. Gradually, the villagers felt confident and boldly expanded the area under coffee cultivation. Mr. A Hai, a resident of Brong My village, shared: “ Thanks to the attention of the Party and the State, specifically Mr. So Lay Tang, who introduced a pilot model of coffee cultivation in Dak Mon commune, especially in Brong My village, which currently has nearly 40 hectares dedicated to coffee farming. Thanks to this coffee crop, the villagers have improved their lives and been able to purchase many daily necessities such as motorbikes, televisions, and refrigerators.”

In his various positions, he demonstrated the vision of a leader who dared to think, dared to act, dared to take responsibility, spoke little, and did much; valued his staff; cared for and trained young cadres, especially those from ethnic minority groups… Mr. A Thuan – Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Dak Kroong commune, Dak Glei district, said: “ Through contact with Mr. So Lay Tang, I myself have seen that he is a leader with heart and vision, wholeheartedly serving the country and the people, always close to the people, listening to their opinions. As a young person, I vow to learn from his example, his straightforward and upright working style.”

Thanks to the collective efforts of the Provincial Party Committee, including the role of former Provincial Party Secretary So Lay Tang, Kon Tum province has achieved several outstanding results. Specifically, the province's economic growth rate reached 9.15% in the period 1992-1995 and 9.85% in the period 1996-2000; the poverty rate in the province decreased from over 65% in 1999 to over 38% in 2005. Mr. Dinh Cong Binh – Secretary of the Dak To District Youth Union, expressed: “ The younger generation deeply mourns the passing of Comrade So Lay Tang. Inheriting his indomitable spirit, the youth of Dak To will resolutely strive to study, train, and mature to contribute to the development of Dak To.”

Respecting and building upon the contributions of former Provincial Party Secretary So Lay Tang, we are confident that Kon Tum province will continue to develop economically and socially, maintaining political security and social order./.

Cat Tien - Cong Luan