Maintaining self-control and losing oneself can be separated by a hair's breadth.

In many recent disciplinary cases involving officials, a significant number belong to the 70s and 80s generations, who did not experience war and received thorough training both domestically and internationally. They were once expected to bring a fresh perspective to personnel management – ​​their youth, creativity, and enthusiasm – but unfortunately, the line between maintaining integrity and losing it was incredibly thin.

At 41 years old, Mr. Tat Thanh Cang was appointed Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transportation, then Vice Chairman of the City People's Committee, Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee, and Permanent Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee in 2016 after joining the Central Committee. He once declared that he would strictly handle and not cover up for officials who committed wrongdoings that harmed the state budget and affected the people's trust... And he also "set an example" by accepting support for the four poorest households at a gift-giving ceremony for poor households in District 10, Ho Chi Minh City in 2017.

At 39 years old, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Anh holds the position of Secretary of the Da Nang City Party Committee and concurrently Chairman of the City People's Council. As one of the two youngest provincial/city Party Secretaries in the country, on his inauguration day, October 16, 2015, he made some "impressive" statements, declaring, "Wastefulness is an insult to the people's trust, corruption is a crime against the people." The young new Party Secretary also boldly stated: "Positions are assigned by the Party, therefore, leaders must think before they act. This is not power to be enjoyed for personal gain or for one's family, to be used arbitrarily."

There are many other young officials who rose to prominence through eloquent and forceful statements, but when things fall apart and the truth is revealed, it turns out that things are not as they said. The manifestations of corruption are not far-fetched; they manifest as "saying one thing and doing another," individualism, selfishness, pragmatism, a disease of achieving results, vanity, ostentation, and self-promotion...

Public opinion once lamented the loss of experienced officials who seized the last opportunity during the twilight of their terms... but now, they are disappointed that their faith in younger officials has been eroded and diminished. The nation's great opportunities await them, and their path remains wide and open... But they have led themselves astray from that path.

Looking at the young cadres being trained in the Party school system, Mr. Nguyen Viet Thao, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh National Political Academy, once said: "Our current leadership and management cadres, from the grassroots to the central level, are seeing many young, dynamic faces, well-trained and full of determination." However, what Mr. Thao pointed out is that this group is not being trained and tested like the older generations who experienced war.

What will young officials be like if there is no connection between the past and the present, no spirit of service and integrity...? They need to learn more from their predecessors about self-sacrifice and revolutionary ideals. They also need to understand the shame of those who are corrupt. One day they have money, power, and enjoyment. The next day, not only do they return to zero, but they may also lose their citizenship rights.

If, during the 12th term, 19 out of 200 Central Committee members were under 45 years old, then the number of young cadres is certainly expected to be even higher in the next term.

This November, Party committees, governments, agencies, and units will carry out the process of nominating personnel for the XIII Central Committee to be presented at the 9th Central Committee meeting in December this year.

To have a successor team that is both politically sound, professionally competent, dedicated, and able to maintain their integrity, the primary responsibility lies with the recruitment process.