Don't let good people be held back.
(Baonghean) - The campaign to restore sidewalks to their original function as pedestrian areas, not commercial spaces, in Ho Chi Minh City, initiated by the decisive and specific "street-going" directive of the Vice Chairman of the District 1 People's Committee, continues. However, new developments surrounding this issue have begun to emerge that cannot be ignored.
(Baonghean) - The campaign to restore sidewalks to their original function as pedestrian areas, not commercial spaces, in Ho Chi Minh City, initiated by the decisive and specific "street-going" directive of the Vice Chairman of the District 1 People's Committee, continues. However, new developments surrounding this issue have begun to emerge that cannot be ignored.
"Father Nguyen Dinh Thuc incites parishioners."
Initially, on social media forums and some online news sites, the issue was raised that "the campaign to reclaim sidewalks is going a bit too far." A lawyer spoke out in the press, saying that "District 1's approach is going too far" because handling sidewalk encroachment must be governed by the Law on Handling Administrative Violations. To carry out enforcement, the district must follow the correct procedures as stipulated by law.
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| Deputy Chairman of District 1 People's Committee, Doan Ngoc Hai, directly participated in directing functional forces to inspect and penalize violations of encroachment on road lanes and sidewalks. Photo: Manh Linh/TTXVN |
First, a report must be filed against the person engaging in illegal construction, followed by a penalty decision. Alternatively, if the penalty period has expired, a decision must be made to restore the original state and compel the person engaging in illegal construction to dismantle the structure. Only if they fail to dismantle it will a coercive demolition order be issued. The cost of the coercive demolition will be borne by the person who committed the violation...
Then, a representative from a newspaper sent a very "impolite" letter demanding an interview to clarify whether the Vice Chairman of the District 1 People's Committee was using expensive watches and phones (although it was not definitively confirmed). Another newspaper, considered reputable in the city, published an article questioning whether "officials" are allowed to be extravagant, subtly bringing up the alleged expensive watch and phone, but with the intention of targeting someone who is diligently and wholeheartedly fulfilling their duties.
Following this, several people claiming to be owners of street vendors gathered in front of the District 1 People's Committee to protest the actions of the "deputy district head," arguing that it had "destroyed their livelihoods"... Some others, some with considerable influence, for reasons unknown, also voiced their opinions, making veiled comments. With things like this, how many people will still be enthusiastic and dedicated to doing good deeds?
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| Illustrative image, source: Internet |
The true motives of those who write articles, speak out, or gather to protest are not difficult to guess, as they can only stem from two things: fame and fortune. The question here is why someone who is working hard for the good of the community is not receiving the full support of everyone? Is it possible that a certain group of people are worried that a thorough crackdown on sidewalk encroachment will inspire others to follow suit, or perhaps force those who are waiting or hesitating to become more proactive and decisive?
This would severely impact the highly profitable "street economy," diminishing the interests of certain groups. Therefore, people are starting to retaliate, trying every way to "cool down" the actions of the "deputy district chief." It's also possible that someone simply doesn't want others to become more prominent than themselves and is trying to obstruct the process. While somewhat suspicious, it's also possible that malicious forces are using this incident to incite those affected to gather and protest, aiming to destabilize society through street protests...
Regardless of the reason, we must all agree that good people doing good deeds must be supported and protected to the very end. The people and authorities in Ho Chi Minh City in particular, and the whole country in general, need to be extremely vigilant and cautious against the aforementioned deceitful behaviors and rhetoric, and take strong measures to ensure that no one can hinder good people from doing good.
Duy Huong