Why does such a trivial matter have to go to the government?
After days of controversy, the issue of the ancient trees swaying along National Highway 1A across dozens of provinces and cities has finally reached the Government. People are delighted because, perhaps, after this directive, everything will be clearly resolved.
Following the incident of the tree resembling a "monster" brazenly standing on National Highway 1A, another story has emerged that has prompted much reflection: the power of public authorities is being challenged.
Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh requested the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Transport to direct investigations to clarify whether or not there is any cover-up for oversized and overloaded vehicles circulating on roads, as reported by the press, and to address compliance with legal regulations on vehicle load limits. If violations are found, they will be strictly dealt with according to the law...
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| The "monster" tree was transported on the highway. |
This means that the origin of these ancient trees must also be clearly explained, in order to prevent the exploitation of ornamental tree cultivation for the purpose of deforestation, as has existed for a long time.
More importantly, it will clarify the responsibility of local authorities in Dak Lak and the central provinces from Khanh Hoa to Ha Tinh for allowing vehicles carrying oversized, overloaded, and oversized giant trees—which the press has dubbed "monster" trees—to roam freely on National Highway 1A, violating traffic safety regulations.
Failing to clarify these irregularities is tantamount to openly defying the law and the authority of public agencies, leaving the public suspicious of some hidden force that has neutralized the activities of traffic police, forest rangers, transport inspectors, etc.
People were pleased to see that the Deputy Prime Minister's directive was very timely, aiming to resolve the matter definitively and prevent a prolonged period of buck-passing, where claims were made to this general and that temple to evade responsibility, creating negative public opinion and weakening the law enforcement power of state management agencies.
However, many people have expressed concerns that something is amiss in the operation of the government apparatus, especially since dealing with oversized and overloaded vehicles is just one of countless normal operational activities of traffic safety checkpoints and inspectors on the roads.
This could easily be handled at the ministerial level; why wait for instructions from the Deputy Prime Minister?
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While traffic police in Dak Lak and other central provinces offered various explanations for this "giant that slipped through the eye of a needle" – such as the perpetrator transporting goods at night and officers failing to detect it during patrols – the public expressed dissatisfaction, noting that overloaded and bulky motorcycles and light trucks are regularly apprehended and dealt with by authorities every day.
Therefore, the fact that trucks carrying these "monster" trees passed through numerous checkpoints shows that the sense of public responsibility among many officials and civil servants in the government apparatus is "problematic"!
To save government leaders from wasting time on a tree.
Historical records once praised a soldier who dared to stop Empress Tran Thi Dung (wife of Grand Tutor Tran Thu Do) from passing through the forbidden steps in her palanquin, demonstrating his adherence to the law. With such loyal subordinates, a founding national hero like Tran Thu Do could wholeheartedly assist the king in governing, the Tran dynasty maintained order, and the country enjoyed peace and prosperity.
If only the traffic police, forest rangers, and transport inspectors in the Central and Central Highlands provinces had been aware of their authority and responsibilities and had done their best to stop those trucks carrying "monster" trees from the start, then the media wouldn't have wasted so much ink these past few days, and the relevant authorities wouldn't have had to hold so many meetings. Especially, the government leaders wouldn't have wasted so much time because of one tree.
Greed, recklessness, and disregard for the law, when aided by negligence, irresponsibility, deference, and reluctance to confront issues (not to mention corruption) on the part of some public officials, will create a mess of problems, not only wasting time and money to resolve but also eroding public trust in the Party and the State.
Don't let the government have to deal with trivial matters. The fact that Da Nang residents no longer have access to the beach, the ancient Trang An tourist route has to be dismantled, and now giant trees are left exposed to the sun by the roadside… these problems would never have happened if every official in government agencies had fulfilled their responsibilities!
