On disciplining a series of leaders

Since the 12th Congress, a series of incumbent and retired officials have been disciplined, dismissed, or warned.

Carrying out the task of inspection, supervision and discipline enforcement within the Party, the 12th Central Inspection Commission (CCI) has conducted 18 sessions, conducted disciplinary actions and proposed the Secretariat, Politburo and Central Executive Committee to discipline many Party organizations and Party members who violated the law.

Trinh Xuan Thanh case

In July 2016, following the direction of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, the authorities conducted an inspection when there were signs of violations against Trinh Xuan Thanh - at that time a member of the Provincial Party Committee and Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Hau Giang province (term 2011-2016).

The initial investigation into this case was that the official was not exemplary, using public vehicles that exceeded the prescribed standards for the position of Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee. Specifically, Trinh Xuan Thanh used a Lexus car worth more than five billion VND with a blue license plate that was against the regulations.

Through inspection, the authorities determined that from 2007 to 2013, in his positions as Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee, General Director, Secretary of the Party Committee, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Vietnam Oil and Gas Construction Joint Stock Corporation (PVC), Trinh Xuan Thanh and the Corporation's leadership lacked responsibility, violated the provisions of the law on economic management, causing many violations and losses of nearly 3,300 billion VND (period 2011-2013)...

Trinh Xuan Thanh during his time as Vice Chairman of Hau Giang Provincial People's Committee. Photo: Contributor

Two months later, the Central Inspection Commission proposed that the Secretariat take disciplinary action by expelling Trinh Xuan Thanh from the Party. The Secretariat voted by secret ballot to agree to this proposal.

In addition, from the fact that Trinh Xuan Thanh was recruited, planned, transferred, appointed, and rewarded with many unusual factors, the inspection agency saw irregularities in personnel work and emulation and rewards.

The Central Inspection Commission conducted an inspection when there were signs of violations against the Party Committee of the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Party Committee of the Ministry of Home Affairs, and inspected and reviewed the Central Organization Committee. Thereby, the authorities determined that Mr. Vu Huy Hoang - former Secretary of the Party Committee, former Minister of Industry and Trade; Mr. Tran Luu Hai - former Deputy Head of the Central Organization Committee; Mr. Huynh Minh Chac - former Secretary of the Hau Giang Provincial Party Committee and a number of Deputy Ministers of Industry and Trade, Ministry of Home Affairs... had committed violations related to Trinh Xuan Thanh's promotion and rewards; these violations and shortcomings were all serious enough to require discipline or review.

Violations of leaders of the Ministry of Industry and Trade

In addition to the violations related to Trinh Xuan Thanh, the competent authority also determined that Mr. Vu Huy Hoang lacked exemplary conduct and showed signs of profiteering in accepting and appointing his son Vu Quang Hai as a controller of Vietnam Tobacco Corporation; deciding to transfer and nominate Mr. Vu Quang Hai to join the Board of Directors of Saigon Beer, Alcohol and Beverage Corporation (Sabeco) to be elected as a member of the Board of Directors and Deputy General Director of Sabeco; violating regulations on what party members are not allowed to do...

In November 2016, the Secretariat disciplined Mr. Vu Huy Hoang by removing him from his position as Secretary of the Party Committee of the Ministry of Industry and Trade for the period 2011 - 2016.

In January 2017, the National Assembly Standing Committee issued a resolution to remove his status as former Minister of Industry and Trade.

Mr. Vu Huy Hoang has been stripped of his position as former Minister of Industry and Trade for the 2011-2016 term. Photo: Contributor

After Mr. Vu Huy Hoang received disciplinary action, a current leader of the Industry and Trade sector, Deputy Minister Ho Thi Kim Thoa, was identified as having many violations and shortcomings in the equitization of enterprises; declaring assets and income incorrectly and incompletely...

Ms. Thoa was warned and dismissed from her position as Deputy Minister from August 16.

Disciplinary action against officials after Formosa environmental incident

Regarding violations related to the Formosa Ha Tinh project, the Secretariat decided to discipline the Party Committee of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment for the 2011-2016 term with a warning; warn Mr. Nguyen Minh Quang; remove Mr. Bui Cach Tuyen and Nguyen Thai Lai, former Deputy Minister, from the position of member of the Party Committee of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment for the 2011-2016 term...

The competent authority also removed Mr. Vo Kim Cu from the position of Member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee for the 2005-2010 and 2010-2015 terms (including the positions of Secretary of the Party Committee of the Provincial People's Committee, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Secretary of the Ha Tinh Provincial Party Committee according to regulations).

Mr. Vo Kim Cu retired in early October 2017. Photo: QH

Disciplinary action against Politburo member Dinh La Thang

Regarding violations at the Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group (PVN), the Central Inspection Committee has decided to discipline in the following forms: remove Mr. Phung Dinh Thuc from the position of Secretary of the PVN Party Committee for the 2010-2015 term; remove Mr. Do Van Hau from the position of Deputy Secretary of the Group's Party Committee; expel from the Party Nguyen Xuan Son - former Secretary of the Party Committee, Chairman of the Board of Directors of PVN Group; warn Mr. Nguyen Quoc Khanh - former Secretary of the Party Committee, Chairman of the Board of Directors, former Deputy General Director.

At the request of the Central Inspection Commission and the Politburo, on May 7, the Party Central Committee decided to discipline Mr. Dinh La Thang with a warning and remove him from the position of member of the 12th Politburo with a voting rate of over 90%.

Mr. Dinh La Thang was removed from his position as a member of the Politburo and is currently Deputy Head of the Central Economic Commission. Photo: QH

Warning to the Chairman of Da Nang and proposal to discipline the Secretary of the City Party Committee

At the latest meeting of the Central Inspection Commission on September 29, this agency decided to issue a warning to Mr. Huynh Duc Tho - Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee, Secretary of the Party Committee, Chairman of the People's Committee of Da Nang City; proposed the Politburo and the Central Executive Committee to consider and issue a disciplinary warning to the Standing Committee of the Da Nang City Party Committee for the 2015-2020 term and Mr. Nguyen Xuan Anh (Secretary of the City Party Committee, Chairman of the People's Council) according to their authority.

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Anh, Secretary of the Da Nang City Party Committee, was proposed for disciplinary action. Photo: Nguyen Dong.

According to the inspection agency, as head of the City Party Committee, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Anh bears primary responsibility and Mr. Huynh Duc Tho bears joint responsibility for the violations and shortcomings of the Standing Committee of the City Party Committee for the 2015-2020 term.

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Anh is said to have violated the principle of democratic centralism and the Party and State's regulations on personnel work; chaired the review and decision of a number of personnel with signs of imposition; directly directed many specific tasks of the government... "Mr. Xuan Anh's actions have caused distraction and affected the solidarity and unity in the Standing Committee of the City Party Committee," the Central Inspection Commission stated.

Mr. Huynh Duc Tho is primarily responsible for violations and shortcomings in land management and urban order...

Many other officials were disciplined.

The list of party organizations and party members who have been disciplined includes many officials and former officials of the Standing Office of the Southwest Steering Committee, including Mr. Nguyen Phong Quang, who was removed from all positions in the Party, including being removed from the position of Deputy Head of the Standing Office of the Southwest Steering Committee (2011-2016); removed from the position of member of the Executive Committee of the Southwest Steering Committee; and removed from the position of Secretary of the Southwest Steering Committee.

Among Mr. Quang's violations and shortcomings are lax management and lack of responsibility for subordinates violating regulations on financial and asset management; leaving over one hundred billion VND off the accounting books; creating fake documents to withdraw state budget and sponsorship money, causing serious loss of state money and assets.

Mr. Duong Anh Dien - former Secretary of the City Party Committee, former Chairman of the Hai Phong City People's Committee, and a number of other officials received disciplinary action for violations and shortcomings related to the unfinished water music project, causing bad public opinion.

Ms. Phan Thi My Thanh - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Head of the National Assembly Delegation of Dong Nai Province, was warned because during her time holding the positions of Provincial Party Committee member, Director of the Department of Industry and Trade, Secretary of Nhon Trach District Party Committee, she participated in the management of Cuong Hung Company Limited, of which her husband was a founding shareholder and Chairman of the Board of Directors, violating the Law on Anti-Corruption...

Determined to be responsible for appointing officials who did not meet conditions, standards and were not in accordance with regulations, Mr. Nguyen Van Thien - Secretary of Binh Dinh Provincial Party Committee for the 2010-2015 term was warned.

According to VNE