Dismissal of Mr. Tat Thanh Cang: Why do young officials go bad so soon?

At the 9th Central Conference, the 12th Central Executive Committee considered disciplining Mr. Tat Thanh Cang, member of the Party Central Committee, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee by removing him from the position of member of the 12th Party Central Committee; Standing Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee, member of the Standing Committee of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee for the 2015-2020 term, for having committed very serious shortcomings and violations.

Not until now, a young cadre who was once highly "expected" like Mr. Tat Thanh Cang has committed such a serious violation and "lost everything", but in the recent past, many young cadres have also been disciplined and dismissed.

Among them, many people when newly promoted to important positions, have made promises and sworn to continue to strive and contribute for the benefit of the people and the country. And public opinion has also waited and hoped for innovation and breakthrough from such officials.

But in reality, their contributions have not been as much as they promised, but instead, mistakes are continuously discovered.

In recent times, continuing the spirit of no "forbidden zones" and no exceptions of the Party and State, many high-ranking officials, including retired officials, including young officials who are members of the Party Central Committee, have been disciplined, removed from positions in the Party and government, and almost "lost everything".

Never before have the phrases “lightning-fast official career” or “super-fast appointment”, “the whole family becomes officials” been talked about so much. That is the unexpected promotion of many young people who were previously officials with average professional capacity, no experience, no political courage… Some people were even “promoted” in a field contrary to their professional expertise.

Many officials, including young people at many levels and in many sectors, right from the time they were promoted, did not do what they said, liked to show off their achievements, violated the principle of democratic centralism and working regulations, violated authority, principles, and work handling procedures... Especially dangerous, many "young officials" took advantage of their positions to seek personal gain or "protect" and "back up" interest groups and "backyards" to embezzle state assets.

This is also a profound lesson in the work of planning, training and appointing cadres. Public opinion cannot help but ask the question, why can young cadres in both age, "young" in both capacity and experience, and quality be promoted so quickly? We all have a process and it is very strict, so where is the "loophole"? In addition to the clear responsibility of the violators, how much responsibility do individuals and organizations involved in introducing and appointing these cadres have?...

It cannot be denied that there are many people who are “children and grandchildren” but uphold the family tradition, are contributing very well in their field of work, and are recognized and respected by everyone. However, after the disciplinary cases of young cadres and the “rapid promotions” in recent times, public opinion has many doubts and frustrations about a certain support and priority for some cases of “children and grandchildren”, “family members”, “relatives”… that have lost opportunities for other young people with “heart” and “talent”.

However, it is not because of violators like Mr. Nguyen Xuan Anh and Tat Thanh Cang that we lose faith in the source of young cadres and are afraid to promote and appoint them. Young people are the future owners, the pillars of the country. They are the ones who bring new, creative energy to all areas of social life and develop the country.

So how can cadres, especially young people, not degenerate, become corrupted, get involved in serious and very serious violations that lead to disciplinary action and being brought to court like in the past? First of all, we need to seriously review the cadre work, including the appointment of young cadres. Give young people opportunities but at the same time, we must comply with strict procedures for appointing cadres, to select people with enough virtue and talent. And importantly, they must have a strong will and know how to stop before the temptations of power and material things.

Our ancestors have a saying "no one is perfect". Giving young people opportunities but at the same time there must be a strict monitoring and inspection mechanism so that right from the beginning, when they show signs or commit small violations, we can promptly remind and correct them, not waiting until they commit serious and very serious violations to be discovered and handled like the cases of Mr. Nguyen Xuan Anh, Tat Thanh Cang and many young cadres as recently.

All efforts will be meaningless without the self-improvement of both professional expertise and moral qualities, and political courage of the cadres themselves. They must surpass themselves and not be tempted by power and material things.

Every cadre must always be aware of their responsibility as “servants of the people”, shouldering the extremely important responsibility of the interests of the nation and people. And what is more important is their own honor, that of their family and relatives.

Painful lessons in reality have been and are being revealed. Every cadre, including young people, regardless of their position, if they do not regularly cultivate, practice, self-reflect, and self-correct, leading to “self-degeneration and self-evolution”, can follow in the “footsteps” of others. And the final outcome is severe punishment from the Party, the government, and the law.

This is also the warning that General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong emphasized at the closing session of the 9th Central Conference, 12th tenure: "For the strictness of Party discipline, the rule of law of the State, the purity, strength and prestige of the Party and the will of the people, we must do and will continue to do in the coming time"./.