Remembering General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, a leader who left a deep mark in many fields, including social policy, Dr. Bui Sy Loi shared with Dan Tri reporters simple yet moving memories.
General Secretary with 10 years of "pursuing" social policy
You became a delegate and worked at the Social Committee from the 12th term, when General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong was Chairman of the National Assembly. It is known that since then, the General Secretary has paid much attention to social and welfare policies. You must have had the opportunity to work with the General Secretary when you were Vice Chairman of the Social Committee for 3 consecutive terms?
– Dr. Bui Sy Loi: During my working life, I have known General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong since he was the Editor-in-Chief of Communist Magazine with many sharp articles about the Communist Party of Vietnam and the country's renovation after the 6th National Congress of the Party.
But since working at the Committee on Social Affairs of the 12th National Assembly (2007-2011), now the Social Committee, during the period when Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong was Chairman of the National Assembly, I have been close to and learned many things from the respected Chairman of the National Assembly.
Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong always exudes the image of an intellectual leader, sharp in policy, dedicated and enthusiastic in all work and very simple in daily life, always friendly and open with everyone, with no gap between senior leaders and subordinates.
In each working session of National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong with leaders of provinces and units, he always briefly stated the discussion requirements and concluded concisely, raising 3 specific issues: Must truly unite internally, strive to build a strong Party, government, and socio-political organizations; comprehensively develop the socio-economy, promote the comparative advantages of the locality to be ahead, and care for people's lives, paying special attention to individuals and families with meritorious services to the revolution, vulnerable groups, and ethnic minorities.
In the activities of running the National Assembly and directing the work of the Social Committee, I truly understood the thoughts of National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong on the determination to develop social policies, especially policies for people with revolutionary contributions, ensuring social security and caring for social welfare for all people.
In the last 3 terms, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong also signed 2 important Resolutions guiding social policies through 2 periods. In 2012, Resolution No. 15-NQ/TW on social policies for the 2012-2020 period was issued and in 2023, Resolution 42-NQ/TW on continuing to innovate and improve the quality of social policies was issued. As someone who participated in summarizing 10 years of implementing Resolution 15 and building Resolution 42 to replace it, how do you assess the role of the General Secretary in issuing these important policies?
– Dr. Bui Sy Loi: When I was the Vice Chairman of the 12th Party Central Committee on Social Affairs, I participated in developing a project to submit to the Central Executive Committee on a number of social policies, as a basis for the 5th Conference of the 11th Party Central Committee to issue a Resolution on a number of social policies for the 2012-2020 period. With the responsibility of being the Party General Secretary, at that time, comrade Nguyen Phu Trong presented the Central Committee for discussion and issued Resolution No. 15 as you mentioned.
The Resolution is an important milestone, continuing to affirm the Party's consistent viewpoint on the role of social policy, focusing on two basic and important policy groups in the social policy system: preferential policies for people with meritorious services and social security policies. The ideology and viewpoint of Resolution 15 are of a turning point, changing the perception and actions of the entire political system and society on social policy.
The General Secretary once concluded that "the policies and viewpoints of Resolution 15 are still valuable and need to continue to be inherited and promoted."
Later, when I was invited to participate as Deputy Head of the Editorial Team to summarize Resolution No. 15 and draft a new resolution (Resolution 42) on social policy, I saw more clearly the concern, opinions, and guiding viewpoints of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong throughout the viewpoints on scope and approach.
While the Resolution of the 11th Central Committee, Session 5, only mentioned a number of issues on social policies for the 2012-2020 period, the new Resolution has expanded to cover all social policies. According to the General Secretary, these policies focus on innovation and improving the quality of social policies to meet the requirements of building and defending the Fatherland by 2030, with a vision to 2045.
So which proposals of yours and the Editorial Board and the document drafting agency convinced the General Secretary?
– Dr. Bui Sy Loi: Concluding the 8th Central Conference, Session XIII, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong emphasized the orientation of changing thinking, shifting from a social policy approach with the goal of “ensuring and stabilizing” to “stabilizing and developing ” ; associated with sustainable social development management, improving social welfare for all people, ensuring social security, human security, and social security. He agreed and supported the proposals that our Editorial Team submitted.
In particular, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong pointed out: “Social policy is a policy for people, for people, reflecting the good nature of our regime. Building and implementing social policy must always take people as the center; considering investment in implementing social policy goals as investment for development ”. And the highlight of Resolution No. 42 is built on that principle.
Our concept of building a “national social security floor” has been approved. It is a regulatory tool to narrow the gap between rich and poor and ensure social security and social justice.
According to our Party's viewpoint, economic growth must be associated with social progress and equity, the goal of ensuring social security and leaving no one behind, that is the ideology and viewpoint that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong always desires.
“Small but cozy house, live for happiness and love”
It is known that during the special period of the last term, when the Covid-19 pandemic broke out and caused severe impacts, he reported and proposed to the General Secretary about using the surplus of the Unemployment Insurance Fund to support workers in difficult times . How did the General Secretary receive the opinion that was controversial at that time?
During the term of the 14th National Assembly, I have always recommended the need to expand and increase the payment regimes from the Unemployment Insurance Fund for workers to ensure a minimum living standard when unemployed, increase the cost of vocational retraining and career conversion so that workers can return to the labor market soon, and at the same time increase the level of vocational training payments for businesses to retain workers. However, this is related to legal regulations and the principle of insurance contribution and benefit, so it has not been considered.
But the context of the Covid-19 pandemic is really special. At that time, many workers lost their jobs, many households lost their livelihoods, and fell into a precarious and dangerous situation. I have proposed that the Government should allocate a part of the surplus of the Unemployment Insurance Fund to support workers and businesses to overcome difficulties during the pandemic.
People receive support from the Unemployment Insurance Fund balance during the Covid-19 pandemic (Photo: Duy Tuyen).
As an expert, I directly called to present and persuade the Chairman of the National Assembly and indirectly reported to General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong through the Chief of the Party Central Office and the Head of the Central Economic Commission (as an expert making recommendations to the General Secretary).
The proposal was accepted. Immediately after that, the Central Committee reviewed and directed the Government to develop a project to submit to the National Assembly Standing Committee for decision by Resolution 03/2021 promulgating a policy to support employees and employers affected by the Covid-19 pandemic from the Unemployment Insurance Fund.
I think that is just a proposal as an expert who has been following this field for many years for the General Secretary and the Central Committee to consider and decide.
After three terms of working in the National Assembly, leaving his position he continued to participate and contribute to the development of social policies as an expert, having many opportunities to interact and understand the thoughts, viewpoints, and personality of the General Secretary. What memories do you remember at the time of saying goodbye to him?
– Dr. Bui Sy Loi: During my many years of working, I have many memories with comrade Nguyen Phu Trong both in the parliament and in real life. Among them, there are two memories that will never fade in me – as a reminder for me to live and work responsibly, to know how to share with everyone, to always practice and maintain my qualities and character.
The first session of the 12th National Assembly ended, the first working trip of the then National Assembly Chairman, lasting from September 30 to October 4, 2007, was to inspect and work with the Northwestern provinces (Son La, Dien Bien, Lai Chau and Lao Cai). At that time, the road to the Northwest was still extremely difficult.
The National Assembly Chairman requested the office to arrange for the members of the delegation to travel in the same car with him. This was the first time we had to travel in the same car with a high-ranking leader, so we were all a bit nervous and apprehensive. But when we got in the car, all those worries disappeared.
Getting on the bus, National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong asked each member of the delegation to tell a story to create a cheerful atmosphere and reduce fatigue on the journey.
Throughout the journey, the National Assembly Chairman acted as a “referee”, evaluating each person after each story. Therefore, the bus was always filled with laughter. If anyone fell asleep, the “referee” would call out their name and ask them to tell another story.
Among my stories, I jokingly told the story of how from the time of my engagement to my wedding day, I had spent… 21 country chickens. Later, every time he met me again, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong would laugh and mention that story.
In our group, Mr. Nguyen Si Dung, Deputy Head of the National Assembly Office, was a treasure trove of stories from the past and present, contributing many interesting stories that caused much laughter throughout the trip.
General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong visited farmers in Tan Thanh commune, Giong Trom district (Ben Tre) about production damage caused by saltwater intrusion (Photo: Nhan Dan Newspaper).
On the way, the National Assembly Chairman occasionally asked to stop the car, to make surprise visits to a police unit, a border post, or a salmon or sturgeon farm. Seeing ethnic people harvesting rice, the Chairman went down to the field, holding a sickle, and harvested rice with the people. The image of the head of the National Assembly at that moment was very close, without any distance from the voters and compatriots.
Another memory that was profound and touching not only for me but also for my whole family was that on a late autumn afternoon in Hanoi, I received a phone call from the assistant of the National Assembly Chairman, informing me that he was coming to visit my family. I was really touched, thinking that a National Assembly Chairman, busy with thousands of tasks with great tasks for the country, still took the time to visit and encourage a subordinate.
In my family's small, simple house on a small street in Hanoi, President Nguyen Phu Trong encouraged my wife and I: "The house is small but cozy, try to live happily, work responsibly, love and share with everyone...".
Dr. Bui Sy Loi keeps many photos of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and the delegation he participated in during difficult trips (Photo: NVCC)
That reminder and encouragement has followed me throughout my three terms in the National Assembly and up to now. Now my wife and I still hold hands, walk across the street, go to the market, just like the simple way General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong held hands with his wife Ngo Thi Man when he crossed The Huc bridge to return home after a reception event at Ngoc Son Temple. I am forever impressed by the simple, serene, peaceful image of my grandparents.
His visit and encouragement 15 years ago helped me to cultivate, train, strive, and maintain myself, especially in the spirit of love and sharing with the community and the disadvantaged.
For decades, I have been taking volunteer trips with my colleagues, participating in “Loving Sunday”, building and developing the “Cow Bank”. Our “Bank” is special in having no bad debts, only bringing love and joy to families in many rural areas across the country.
Thank you for your insightful stories about the General Secretary!
“General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong is truly a shining example of moral qualities, intelligence, enthusiasm, courage, and steadfastness in the fight against corruption and negativity. Throughout his career, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has always strived for an independent, free, prosperous, and powerful socialist Vietnam with a prosperous and happy people. This has been clearly affirmed throughout his time as the head of the Communist Party of Vietnam from the 11th National Party Congress to the present,” Dr. Bui Sy Loi.
Source: https://dantri.com.vn/an-sinh/tu-vi-chu-tich-quoc-hoi-gat-lua-voi-dan-toi-tong-bi-thu-nam-tay-vo-tren-pho-20240721230348107.htm
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