Falling before "sugar-coated bullets", anti-corruption activists become protectors

The fight against corruption has entered a fierce phase, becoming an irreversible trend, demonstrating the determination and great strength of the entire political system, dispelling all doubts about the so-called “forbidden zone” in this field. Major cases that have been and are being tried have strengthened people’s confidence in this fierce fight.

However, that is only the initial result. Experience shows that the stronger the determination and measures, the greater the plots and tricks of the corrupt to resist.

If corruption prevention is the responsibility of the entire political system and society, then the responsibility for detecting and handling corruption is mainly concentrated on a number of agencies with the functions of inspecting, investigating, auditing, prosecuting, and adjudicating corruption cases. It is often said that to effectively fight corruption, an iron hand is needed, but first of all, it must be a clean hand, and corruption must be fought right within the anti-corruption agencies.

Corruption is a highly dangerous act and is often carried out in a sophisticated manner, because the corrupt person is a person with professional qualifications, position and status in society, and even has close relationships with people with high positions and power in the state apparatus. The higher the position and power of a person, the higher the opportunity for corruption and the more serious the nature and level of danger of the corrupt act.

These characteristics make detecting and handling corruption much more difficult than other criminals. Therefore, organizations or individuals responsible for preventing corruption must have more powers, including special powers; the procedures for implementing detection and handling measures must be faster and stronger. The capacity of the staff in these agencies must also be more proficient, and the regime and policies for their treatment must also be more preferential than for ordinary civil servants.

Especially in the process of performing tasks, organizations and individuals participating in the work of detecting and handling corruption need to be guaranteed a high level of independence, without interference from any force. This is one of the important standards recognized at the international level.

According to a widely accepted principle: power always tends to be abused, the greater the power, the higher the risk of abuse, the more it must be controlled. Therefore, the risk of corruption in the activities of these agencies is even greater when they exercise their powers.

The anti-corruption agency has the right to judge and apply strong measures prescribed by law to prevent and combat corruption. The agency and the competent persons in this agency have the right to determine whether or not there is corruption, how much damage is caused? What is the nature and level of danger?; Have the right to take preventive or emergency measures against people who commit corruption or against assets suspected of being involved in corruption; Have the right to propose administrative sanctions or criminal prosecution, and sentence people who commit corruption...

That is why they are always the target of corrupt people who seek to bribe when they are discovered. They will be "attacked" by the temptation of money and other material and non-material benefits.

Corrupt people not only use “envelopes” but sometimes even suitcases, mineral water containers… And because of that, “what money cannot buy, a lot of money can buy”, they are willing to take a lot of money to escape punishment, even run away before being discovered and punished.

Those who are responsible for the fight against corruption must be truly courageous and honest to be able to protect themselves from such “sugar-coated bullets” so as not to collapse and become accomplices. If they do not stand firm and do not have an effective control mechanism, they themselves will become corrupt, with the common behavior of accepting bribes in various forms that has been and is happening. There is no shortage of people who used to be symbols of the spirit of fighting crime, but have surrendered to temptation, protected criminals and also become corrupt.

These are truly painful lessons in the work of educating, training and managing cadres and civil servants. Therefore, the resolute elimination of corrupt and degenerate cadres, first of all in anti-corruption agencies, has become a deep concern and an indispensable requirement in the fight against "internal invaders" in the new situation.

It requires every cadre and party member, especially in agencies with anti-corruption functions, to always cultivate, study, and discipline themselves to maintain steadfastness and integrity, and requires responsible agencies to strengthen control over the performance of their cadres and civil servants. In particular, it is necessary to promote the role of society, the activism of the people and the press, of "millions of eyes and ears" as Uncle Ho said, to immediately eliminate corrupt cadres from the anti-corruption team, ensuring the effectiveness of detecting and handling corruption in the coming time.