Head of the Central Internal Affairs Committee: 'We have never dealt with so many high-ranking officials as severely as recently'

The 5th Central Conference of the 11th term (May 2012) decided to establish the Central Steering Committee on Anti-Corruption (Central Steering Committee) under the Politburo, with the General Secretary as Head to comprehensively direct anti-corruption work nationwide.

Looking back at the 10-year journey of implementing the Conclusion of the 5th Central Conference of the 11th tenure, it can be seen that the work of preventing and combating corruption and negativity has been led and directed resolutely, synchronously, comprehensively, methodically, and in-depth, with very high political determination, achieving many clear and breakthrough results, and receiving the people's consensus, support, and high appreciation.

The above results have affirmed that the goals, viewpoints, policies and solutions of the Party and State on corruption prevention and control, especially the policy of establishing a Steering Committee under the Politburo with the General Secretary as its Head, are completely correct, timely and suitable to practical requirements.

On this occasion, Mr. Phan Dinh Trac - Member of the Politburo, Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Head of the Central Internal Affairs Commission, Deputy Head of the Standing Committee of the Central Steering Committee on anti-corruption and negativity shared with the press about this content.

Head of the Central Internal Affairs Commission Phan Dinh Trac.

PV:In recent times, the fight against corruption and negativity has made great strides, achieving comprehensive and synchronous results and, as the General Secretary affirmed, has become a movement and trend. In your opinion, what are the factors that have led to such results?

Mr. Phan Dinh Trac:There are many reasons for achieving great results in the fight against corruption. Among them are the following basic reasons:

First isThere is the correct and timely leadership and direction of the Central Executive Committee, the Politburo, the Secretariat, the National Assembly, the Government, and directly and regularly the drastic and close direction of the Central Steering Committee on preventing and combating corruption and negativity with the very high political determination of the Party and State.

The second isThe exemplary role of the General Secretary, Head of the Steering Committee, and leaders of the Party, State, and key leaders at all levels and sectors, "words go hand in hand with actions."

Third isThe efforts, coordination, and synchronization of functional agencies in preventing and combating corruption and negativity, first of all, Party inspection, internal affairs, inspection, examination, investigation, prosecution, and trial, especially the agencies conducting proceedings at the central and local levels.

The fourth isInheritance and continuation of the process of persistent and steadfast fight against corruption and negativity of many previous terms.

Thursday isThe participation of the entire political system, the people, the press and the whole society, creates a combined strength in preventing and fighting corruption and negativity.

I would like to emphasize the extremely important role of the head and key leaders, especially the General Secretary, Head of the Steering Committee, the people and the press. The exemplary, decisive, “words go hand in hand with actions”, “actions go hand in hand with words” of the General Secretary, Head of the Steering Committee and key leaders are a solid support, a political guarantee and a great driving force. Therefore, this is the leading factor determining the success of the work of preventing and combating corruption and negativity in the recent past.

Besides, there is the great role of the people, there is no power greater than the power of the people, there is nothing that the people do not know, nothing can be hidden from the people. The consensus and support of the people is a measure of trust in the leadership of the Party in the work of preventing and fighting corruption and negativity.

We must turn tens of thousands and millions of vigilant eyes and ears of the masses into "headlights shining everywhere" so that corruption, waste, and bureaucracy have no place to hide, as Uncle Ho once taught.

PV:Some people say that without the determination, strong leadership of the leader, high consensus and exemplary leadership of the entire Steering Committee, the fight against corruption would certainly not have achieved the results it has achieved. What is your opinion?

Mr. Phan Dinh Trac: That is a very valuable lesson that we have learned in the fight against corruption and negativity in the past time. The determination and fierceness of the Steering Committee is shown in the perseverance, determination, non-stop, non-rest, "no forbidden zones, no exceptions, no matter who that person is" and not to be pressured by any individual or organization that is not transparent in the fight against corruption and negativity in accordance with the direction of the General Secretary, Head of the Steering Committee.

That determination and resoluteness is demonstrated in the recent past, we have resolutely handled 170 officials under the Central management, of which 37 high-ranking officials were criminally prosecuted, including Politburo members, Secretariat members, Ministers, Deputy Ministers, generals in the armed forces, and incumbent and retired officials.

It can be said that we have never dealt with so many high-ranking officials as severely as recently. General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has repeatedly stated that he was very sad when disciplining his comrades and teammates, but because of the strictness of the Party's discipline, the strictness of the law, and the people's trust in the Party, the State and the regime, he was forced to do so. And this is the great determination of the General Secretary, of the Party and State leaders recently in dealing with corruption and negativity.

PV:In this work, it shows the strong participation of many agencies. How has the Central Internal Affairs Commission performed its advisory and proposal tasks to the Steering Committee to contribute to bringing positive results in the activities of the Steering Committee, as well as the work of preventing and combating corruption and negativity as in the past time, sir?

Mr. Phan Dinh Trac:Recently, in its role as the Standing body and advisory body of the Central Steering Committee on anti-corruption and anti-negativity, the Central Internal Affairs Committee has proactively coordinated with functional agencies to carry out key tasks.

One is,Proactively advise, propose, urge and supervise the implementation of the Steering Committee's work programs and plans; at the same time, advise the Steering Committee to select difficult tasks, sensitive areas with many problems, key and breakthrough areas to focus on directing.

Second,Advise the Steering Committee to organize many inspection teams to inspect key areas.

Three is, advising on many mechanisms to improve the effectiveness of the Steering Committee's coordination and direction, such as the mechanism for including cases and incidents under the monitoring and direction of the Steering Committee; the coordination mechanism between prosecution agencies to handle difficulties and obstacles in the process of handling corruption and negative cases and incidents; the Steering Committee's 5-step direction mechanism for serious, complicated, negative and corrupt cases and incidents with difficulties and obstacles and the mechanism for detecting and handling corruption and negative incidents in investigation, prosecution, trial, execution, inspection, auditing.

Fourth,The Internal Affairs Committee has focused on summarizing practices, researching theories and from there proposing amendments and supplements to the functions, tasks, powers and working regulations of the Steering Committee.

Five is,As a standing agency, we coordinate and harmonize agencies with the function of preventing and combating corruption and negativity to further improve the effectiveness of the Steering Committee's operations.

PV:In the coming time, how will the agencies responsible for preventing and fighting corruption and negativity coordinate to overcome the situation of "crabs relying on their claws, fish relying on their fins", sir?

Mr. Phan Dinh Trac:In the past time, we have proactively coordinated with the relevant agencies to advise and propose to the Steering Committee many coordination mechanisms as presented above; promptly monitored, supervised, coordinated, and urged the proper implementation of those mechanisms according to the issued regulations and in accordance with the direction of the General Secretary.

Specifically, we must be truly united, responsible, closely coordinated, rhythmic, and synchronized with each other. In carrying out our duties, we must be extremely exemplary, closely coordinated, impartial, objective, courageous, and especially with very pure motives. We must put the interests of the nation, the people, and the interests of the people above all else.

When there are issues with different opinions, agencies sit together to discuss, exchange and debate in the spirit of comradeship and on the basis of legal regulations and Party regulations, avoiding the situation of "drums beating one way, trumpets blowing the other", "your rights, my rights", "crabs relying on their claws, fish relying on their fins".

This is the guiding ideology, the guiding viewpoint and also the action motto of the coordination between the Internal Affairs Committee and functional agencies in preventing and combating corruption and negativity in the coming time.

PV:Thank you, sir./.