End the "hot above, cold below" situation!

Illustration photo. Source: Dantri.com.vn

On “hot”

“Hot” here refers to the enthusiastic, seething revolutionary spirit of organizations and individuals who dare to sacrifice personal interests for the country and the people. Always taking the right and accurate actions demonstrates mettle, determination, and courage in the face of difficulties; words go hand in hand with actions. Resolutely fight, criticize and self-criticize, fight against group interests, fight against signs of degradation and corruption. With the above spirit, “hot” is the birth and operation of the Central Steering Committee on anti-corruption headed by the General Secretary, demonstrating the high determination of our Party in the anti-corruption fight. It can be seen that this is a correct and wise decision, meeting the people's expectations in the anti-corruption fight of our Party and people.

The resolute and effective activities of the Central Steering Committee on anti-corruption have demonstrated the spirit of "heat", when the "furnace" is hot, "fresh wood, dry wood all burn", dry wood burns first... As a result, in the past 5 years, 68 cases, 57 serious and complicated corruption and economic cases have been brought to the Steering Committee for monitoring and direction, and to date, the investigation, prosecution, and first-instance trial of 40 cases/500 defendants have been completed with severe but also very humane sentences (10 defendants with 11 death sentences, 19 defendants with 20 life sentences, 459 defendants with terms of imprisonment from 12 months to 30 years,...). The rate of recovery of corrupt assets reached over 31%; the seizure and confiscation of assets in cases and cases under the Steering Committee's monitoring and direction reached over 35 trillion VND. A number of particularly serious cases and incidents, which have long been considered “forbidden and sensitive areas”, and many cases and incidents that have been lingering for years, have been directed to be handled thoroughly and strictly, serving as a warning, deterrent, and effective prevention of corruption. This is a bright spot in the fight against corruption, demonstrating the determination of the Party and State as well as the effectiveness of the Steering Committee in the recent fight against corruption, which has been approved, supported, and highly appreciated by the people. Many large and complicated cases have been brought to trial.

Accordingly, since the beginning of the 12th Congress term, more than 500 Party organizations and 35,000 Party members have been disciplined for violations, of which 1,300 Party members have been disciplined for corruption and intentional violations; 56 cadres and Party members under the Central Committee's management have been disciplined, including 11 comrades who are Central Committee members and former Central Committee members; 01 Central Committee member and former Politburo member has been expelled from the Party; many comrades are generals in the armed forces. This is a breakthrough in the Party's inspection and discipline work, tightening discipline and order in the Party and the State apparatus. Inspection and auditing agencies have strengthened inspection and auditing in areas with many negative public opinions and corruption; projects causing large and prolonged losses and losses that are of public concern to detect and strictly handle violations.

These results show that the spirit of resolutely fighting against corruption has no "no-go zones" and no "exceptions" regardless of who the person is, making the "not small part" of corrupt and negative cadres and party members gradually exposed in order to regain people's trust in the Party's leadership.

Under "cold"

“Cold” here is understood as fading revolutionary ideals, declining spirit and fighting will of revolutionaries, indifference to negative, wrong, and moral and lifestyle degradation, manifestations of “self-evolution” and “self-transformation” of cadres and party members. The situation of cadres with positions and power talking a lot but doing little, talking well but doing badly, saying one thing and doing another, seeking personal interests, group interests…

Therefore, according to the General Secretary's saying about the issue of "hot above, cold below", the Central Committee is "boiling", making the furnace "hot enough to burn even fresh wood", directing closely, actively, resolutely and effectively. Major cases directly directed by the Central Steering Committee for Anti-Corruption have been accelerated, highly effective, strengthening people's trust in the Party and State's fight against corruption. Meanwhile, there is a situation of slow change, lack of implementation, indifference, indecision and ineffectiveness at all levels, sectors, localities and units in the work of Party building, rectification and anti-corruption. The progress of cases in localities is still slow and indecisive. Many prominent cases and matters have caused outrage but the progress of resolution is slow and not resolute.

In handling cadres, there is not enough deterrence, there is still leniency, criticism and internal experience drawing, causing public outrage. The situation of appointing cadres who are relatives, relatives, and lack of standards still occurs, causing people to lose confidence in the team of leaders and managers. Self-inspection is still weak, criticism and self-criticism are still respectful, evasive, indifferent, and insensitive to injustice and negativity of cadres, party members, etc. Therefore, some cases must be directed and urged by the Central Government before being handled, even having to inspect, re-examine and directly handle with a higher disciplinary level than the level proposed by the grassroots.

The “under-cooling” situation is an incomplete and unsynchronized transformation between levels, sectors and fields. Especially in the reform of administrative procedures and the reduction of current business conditions. The head of the Government, the Prime Minister, has resolutely innovated and reformed and repeatedly instilled the "aspiration" for the people and the country in officials at all levels under his authority, repeatedly sending out messages of determination to build "an honest, active, and creative Government... but it seems that the lower levels are still "cold"; the situation of "laying out the carpet above, scattering nails below", "the higher levels say but the lower levels do not listen" still occurs. Simple matters at the grassroots level can be resolved but the responsibility is pushed back, leading to complaints to the Central Government. Many cases must be directly handled by the Prime Minister or Deputy Prime Minister. Public opinion and the people are indignant, complaining, discontented, and petitioning a lot because bureaucratic, authoritarian, and arbitrary officials and party members think that they have the position and power to do whatever they want, and are indifferent to the suffering of the people.

Speaking about this issue, Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan summarized as follows: The situation of superiors "setting a big fire", but subordinates are slow to set a fire or set a small fire, while degradation and corruption destroy people's trust, state assets, the Party's fighting strength and the country's overall strength every day and every hour.

Sharing the same view, Secretary of the Bac Giang Provincial Party Committee Bui Van Hai said that it is necessary to implement the inspection, supervision and monitoring regime more strongly and drastically. "Recently, the Central Committee has been very strong, but only at the Central Inspection Committee, not very strong at the lower levels. Localities must step up and be more determined in the inspection, supervision and monitoring," Mr. Bui Van Hai suggested.

Treatment of "hot above, cold below" disease

According to Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Quoc Suu, National Academy of Public Administration: “hot above, cold below” is the “disease” of the current political system that needs to be treated. This “disease” has been causing many harmful effects, is a barrier slowing down the revolutionary progress of our Party and people, and can even nullify all policies and guidelines of the Party and State if not given due attention and there are no effective solutions to prevent it. Therefore, to effectively treat this "disease" requires us to identify the exact name and address, especially the "cold" part. On that basis, we need to build organizational institutions, inspection and supervision agencies in general, and power supervision agencies in particular, to operate effectively. In particular, promoting the effectiveness of the "sacred sword" - the Central Inspection Committee and the Inspection Committees at all levels, whose powers are now being increased and their capacity enhanced. Inspection at all levels (it is possible to inspect some units under the province such as districts, thereby drawing common experiences throughout the Party for widespread implementation) is a new task of the Central Inspection Committee, which is considered one of the solutions to fill the gaps in handling current outstanding cases and violations at the local level and at lower levels.

At the same time, we must truly rely on the people, have appropriate mechanisms to promote the people's mastery in inspecting and supervising the building of the Party and the government. Then, the people will give the addresses of those who are still "cold" in the Party and State apparatus. Strictly and resolutely handle organizations, cadres and civil servants who are still "cold", strictly maintain Party discipline and State laws./.