Minister Truong Minh Tuan: Continue to handle negative reporters

The Ministry of Information and Communications, in coordination with the Ministry of Public Security, continues to review and handle a number of reporters involved in the "journalists receiving money" case.

At the regular Government meeting on the afternoon of July 3,Minister of Information and Communications Truong Minh Tuan affirmed that this agencyresolutely handle violations in press activities.

"Recently, the Ministry has revoked the press card of Le Duy Phong of Vietnam Education Newspaper. We will coordinate with the Ministry of Public Security to continue to review and handle a number of reporters involved in this case," said Mr. Tuan.

Speaking later, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan PhucIn the case of Mr. Le Duy Phong being arrested by the authorities in Yen Bai, there are two things. For officials,must investigate, inspect, from which conclusions can be drawn and a form of handling given.Government Inspector General Phan Van Sau directed the working group to clearly conclude the case related to the Department Director in Yen Bai, not to let bad public opinion," said the Prime Minister.

In addition, with editors and reporters, when authorities and management discover violations, typically the Yen Bai case, they must be strictly handled in accordance with legal regulations.

Government leadersProposing to strengthen State management in the field of information and communication. "N"Such negative reporting, corruption and bribery must be dealt with clearly. We should take this opportunity to rectify the situation and not let it continue," the Prime Minister said, emphasizing that the above situation is "extremely dangerous".

Minister Truong Minh Tuan. Photo: Quochoi

Minister Truong Minh Tuan also mentioned the phenomenon of reporters joining together to form groups to "attack" businesses by the method of "posting in the morning, meeting at noon, and removing in the afternoon"; meaning posting in the morning, inviting people out for drinks at noon, meeting to receive envelopes, and removing the articles in the afternoon.

The leaders of the Ministry of Information requested that press management agencies uphold their responsibilities, especially industries and associations, because currently "most management agencies are standing aside, and responsibility is being placed on state management agencies."

Listening to Minister Truong Minh Tuan mention the above phenomenon, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said that this is"painful reality"; recentlyThe Ministry of Public Security has reported to coordinate with relevant agencies for handling and rectification.

Previously, on June 22 in Yen Bai, Le Duy Phong was caught red-handed by the city police receiving 50 million VND from a business in a restaurant. He was prosecuted for abusing his position and power to appropriate property and had his press card revoked.

Editor-in-Chief of the Vietnam Education electronic newspaper, Mr. Nguyen Tien Binh, said Le Duy Phong had worked at the newspaper since 2014 and was arrested while on a private outing, not on a work schedule.

Le Duy Phong had directly researched and written articles reflecting the situation of land management and use in Yen Bai province, in which he mentioned the house of the Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment and the Director of the Yen Bai Provincial Police. The two most important articles in this series have been published.

According to VNE