We need to set an example in complying with and enforcing the law.

Violations of the law and party discipline.

Every citizen must abide by the law and be equal before the law. That is self-evident; however, as officials and civil servants within the political system, they must be more exemplary and serious in complying with and enforcing the law to create a positive impact on society.

The first principle in the performance of public duties, as stipulated in the Law on Cadres and Civil Servants, is: "Adherence to the Constitution and laws." The 19 prohibitions for Party members also clearly state that Party members are not allowed to "do things that the law does not permit," "abuse power, or harass while performing their duties," etc.

CCTV footage shows a group of officials visiting the home of Mr. Vi Văn Hùng (Thanh Chương). (Archival photo)

However, in recent times, there have been numerous cases of officials and Party members violating the law, leading to prosecution and disciplinary action by the authorities. For example, in Phuc Thanh commune (Yen Thanh district), due to the unauthorized sale of over 280 plots of land, generating over 22 billion VND, many officials, including the former Party Secretary and Chairman of the People's Committee, the former Vice Chairman of the People's Committee, the chief accountant, and the land cadastral officer, were prosecuted for "Abuse of power while performing official duties." In addition to facing legal consequences, the former Party Secretary and Chairman of the People's Committee of Phuc Thanh commune was also expelled from the Party.

Many officials of Phuc Thanh commune (Yen Thanh district) have been prosecuted for "abuse of power in the performance of official duties". The photo shows the Phuc Thanh commune headquarters. Photo: Archival material.

Similarly, in June 2018, the Provincial Police cracked Case 418D, initiating legal proceedings, indicting and temporarily detaining former Chairmen of the People's Committee, Secretaries of the Party Committees, and land management officials of Nghia Thai commune, Tan Ky district, for the crime of "Abuse of power while performing official duties". The investigation revealed that between 2001 and 2006, the aforementioned individuals illegally sold land to households in the area, totaling 77,742 m2 (143 land plots), causing a loss to the State of 1,562,992,000 VND.

Also related to official misconduct, on August 14, 2018, the Vinh City Police cracked Case 418T, arresting and prosecuting four former officials of the Dong Vinh Cooperative for "Forgery in official duties" aimed at misappropriating state budget funds from the Nghi Kim - Nghi Van drainage canal construction project, causing losses of over 640 million VND.

In addition, there have been numerous cases of officials and Party members being prosecuted and disciplined for gambling, fraud, drug trafficking, and other vices, causing a loss of public trust and affecting the prestige of the Party organization and the administration and direction of the state at all levels.

Defendant Vu Ba Xenh, a former teacher at Tay Son Primary School in Ky Son District, was sentenced to death by the People's Court of Nghe An Province for drug trafficking. (Photo: archival material)

In addition to legal violations that led to prosecution, in 2018, the province witnessed incidents related to the conduct, character, and ethics of Party members that negatively impacted public opinion. For example, the Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Nghia Binh commune (Tan Ky district) was disciplined by the Party with a warning for punching the Head of the Commune Police in the chest while the latter was on duty. After review, the Tan Ky District Party Committee's Inspection Committee concluded that the Deputy Secretary's actions "negatively affected the image, character, ethics, and lifestyle of cadres and Party members."

For example, the case of the Chairman of the Veterans Association in a locality in Vinh City being accused by citizens, subsequently investigated by authorities, recovering the misappropriated funds, and receiving a Party disciplinary warning for falsifying documents to receive veteran benefits. Then there's the offensive act of a male head of the administrative department at a district-level hospital throwing a chair at a female colleague due to a conflict... these are all sad stories that occurred in the past year.

These behaviors are not only manifestations of degradation, "self-evolution," "self-transformation," and violations of public service ethics by officials, civil servants, and Party members, but also relate to Party discipline and State laws, negatively impacting public opinion.

In 2018, authorities in Nghe An province discovered and prosecuted 5 cases involving 18 defendants for crimes related to official duties and corruption, an increase of 1 case and 15 defendants compared to the same period. These included 1 case with 4 defendants charged with "Negligence causing serious consequences"; 1 case with 1 defendant charged with "Abuse of power and authority to appropriate property"; and 1 case with 4 defendants charged with "Forgery in official duties".

Clause 5, Article 2 of Regulation 102-QD/TW, dated November 15, 2017, of the Politburo on disciplinary action against violating Party members clearly states: Party members who violate the law to the extent that they must be prosecuted criminally must be prosecuted criminally; there should be no "internal handling"; if sentenced by a court to a non-custodial correctional sentence or higher, they must be expelled; if sentenced to a sentence lower than non-custodial correctional sentence or exempted from criminal prosecution, or subject to administrative penalties, appropriate Party disciplinary action will be considered and implemented depending on the content, extent, nature, harm, cause of the violation, and aggravating or mitigating circumstances.

Strengthening administrative discipline and public service discipline.

The causes of violations of the law, public service ethics, and prohibited actions by officials, civil servants, and Party members, besides a lack of self-cultivation and training, and moral and lifestyle degradation of individuals, also include the responsibility of Party committees, governments, and heads of agencies and units in inspecting and supervising public service activities to prevent, detect, and promptly handle manifestations of degradation or negative behaviors and corruption.

The recent case of two officers from Market Management Team No. 8 (under the Market Management Department of Nghe An province) being prosecuted and temporarily detained by the Police Investigation Agency (Thanh Chuong District Police) for abusing their positions and authority to misappropriate property (6 million VND) from Mr. Vi Van Hung, a traditional medicine practitioner, is a typical example.

Although the amount of money involved in the irregularities was not large, it serves as a painful lesson for many officials and civil servants in the performance of their duties, as well as for agencies and units in managing and educating their staff. In reality, in some places, inspections and supervision are not carried out regularly and promptly, so by the time violations are discovered, it is often too late, resulting not only in the loss of officials and Party members but also in the damage to public trust.

Furthermore, in some cases, when violations by officials and civil servants are discovered, the handling is not strict enough, and there are even signs of cover-up or suppression of information for fear of affecting the achievements and reputation of the collective.

Two market management officials have been prosecuted for abusing their positions and authority to misappropriate assets. (Photo: archival)

To prevent and promptly stop manifestations of "self-evolution" and "self-transformation," as well as violations of public service ethics by officials and civil servants in general, and Party members in particular, grassroots Party organizations, agencies, units, and localities must strictly uphold Party discipline and tighten administrative discipline and public service discipline.

In addition, it is necessary to strictly handle violations while simultaneously educating and improving public service ethics, and strengthening anti-corruption efforts to prevent officials and Party members from violating the law and the rules that Party members are not allowed to break.

However, most importantly, every official and public servant, especially Party members, must constantly cultivate and improve themselves, and consciously "set an example" in adhering to Party discipline, administrative regulations, public service discipline, and the State's policies and laws. They should not become part of a significant number of "public servants" who are morally and ethically corrupt, becoming "poor examples" rejected by the public and condemned by society...

Public officials who violate the law are handled according to Decree No. 34/2011/ND-CP regulating disciplinary action against public officials. The acts subject to disciplinary action include:

1. Violating the duties, ethics, and communication culture of public officials in the performance of their duties; actions that public officials are prohibited from doing as stipulated in the Law on Cadres and Public Officials.

2. Violations of the law resulting in a legally binding judgment by the Court.

3. Violations of laws and regulations on preventing and combating corruption; practicing thrift and combating waste; gender equality; preventing and combating prostitution; and other laws and regulations related to public officials, but not to the extent of being prosecuted for criminal responsibility.