An unusual relationship

(Baonghean)According to Mr. Le Hong Liem, Deputy Chairman of the Central Inspection Commission of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CIC), speaking at a seminar organized by the CIC in Da Nang City on April 5, 2013, currently "some officials and Party members with positions and power are having abnormal relationships" with businesses. What are these abnormal relationships? How do they manifest?

We know that officials with positions of power also possess authority. Many of these powers are directly or indirectly related to the affairs of businesses. For example, issues concerning bidding, land, personnel promotions, and preferential policies of central and local ministries and agencies… These issues all relate to the production, business operations, and profits of enterprises. This is a very "delicate" relationship between "those in power" and "those with money," so it can manifest in many forms, including the form that this conference calls "the abnormal relationship between a segment of officials and Party members with positions of power and businesses."

The manifestations of this relationship are often discreet and subtle, but sometimes quite blatant: collusion to create "backyards" for certain businesses to exploit each other and profit together; manipulating the conversion of agricultural land to specialized land to generate hundreds of billions of dong in profits for businesses, while the businesses "reward" officials with million-dong houses or guaranteed sufficient funding... Besides the harmful actions of some male officials, there are also harmful actions from their wives (the wives of male officials) that deserve attention and consideration! There are instances where wives of officials do business with enterprises, using them as a front. Furthermore, some officials have wives and children involved in business, establishing enterprises. When businesses are registered under the names of their wives, children, or relatives, officials can easily bring projects and contracts to their "backyards."

The manifestations of abnormal relationships between some officials and businesses are multifaceted and difficult to list completely. However, looking at the specific salaries of each official position according to the salary scale, and comparing them to the current living standards of some state officials, the public often asks: Where does that standard of living, that lifestyle of these officials, come from?!

I believe that one of the important and necessary tasks of the Central Inspection Committee at present is that, after this conference, the people hope the committee will implement more measures, conduct more investigations and research, and propose new policies and guidelines to gradually provide answers that clarify and illuminate the pressing questions currently facing the people.

Thach Quy