After the Covid 19 pandemic broke out globally, in the first time – 2020 – Vietnam is one of the countries that are internationally appreciated in the control and prevention of Covid. At that time, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, in a speech at the National Assembly, was still delusional when he said that “If an electric pole in the US can walk, it would also return to Vietnam.”
After that, the Covid pandemic raged, the Vietnamese state almost lost control. And ironically, at the same time, officials in Vietnam, at all levels, in all branches, from the central to local levels, discovered the chance to steal from the state budget, with the policy of fighting the epidemic at all costs to corrupt.
The problem is, the Covid test kit of Viet A Company caused the number of deaths increased during the pandemic, the number of more than 43,000 victims who died unjustly for many reasons. The policy of “wide-scale and rapid testing” has helped Viet A earn a lot of money to benefit and bribe officials. To date, no one has accepted responsibility and apologized to the people.
In July 2021, during the first session of the 15th National Assembly, the Chairman of the National Assembly, Mr. Vuong Dinh Hue, issued a warning about the health sector showing signs of corruption. Even at the questioning session of the second session of the 15th National Assembly, on November 10, 2021, when the National Assembly members raised the issue of violations in bidding and buying and selling anti-epidemic materials, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Long, then Minister of Health, said: “These are very heartbreaking cases. Although regulations on bidding are in place, there are still violations, embezzlement and corruption. We condemn it, the authorities will handle it according to the law.”
That statement of Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long is similar to the statement of former Hanoi President Nguyen Duc Chung, saying that “for corruption, the death penalty must be imposed.”
The latest, the conclusion of the investigation of the Ministry of Public Security C03 on the Viet A case, confirmed that Minister Long received bribery of more than VND51 billion ($2.25 million) from Viet A Company, out of a total of VND106 billion the director of Viet A Company claimed to have used it to bribe. (Perhaps not counting the amount of bribes of VND42.6 billion the Minister shared in the rescue flight case, which Pham Trung Kien, Secretary of Deputy Health Minister Do Xuan Tuyen was the recipient).
Just like Nguyen Duc Chung, who is currently serving a decade in prison for corruption, as well as Minister Long’s “getting money” case, which casts doubt on the morality of current Vietnamese leaders in receiving bribery.
The serious problem is that, in the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, not only Minister Long and Chairman Chung, but the investigation conclusion of the Ministry of Public Security has clearly shown, the amount of bribes of Viet A is divided among officials, specifically as follows:
“In order for Viet A Company to participate in the research and development of a test kit product, it will be granted a circulation registration number for a product that is not owned by Viet A Company, facilitating price negotiation and price checking. At the price that was raised by Phan Quoc Viet, Phan Quoc Viet gave a total amount of $3.45 million and VND4 billion to a number of defendants such as Nguyen Van Trinh, an officer of the Government Office $200,000; Chu Ngoc Anh, former Minister of Science and Technology- $200,000; Pham Cong Tac, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology- $50,000; Trinh Thanh Hung, Deputy Director of the Department of Science and Technology of Economic and Technical Sectors of the Ministry of Science and Technology- $350,000; Nguyen Thanh Long, Minister of Health- $2.25 million; Nguyen Huynh, former secretary Nguyen Thanh Long- VND4 billion, Nguyen Minh Tuan, former director of the Department of Medical Equipment & Constructions Department of the Ministry of Health- $300,000; Nguyen Nam Lien, Director of the Planning Department Finance Ministry of Health- $100,000.”
However, a more important issue, which is avoidance, is related to a very simple issue: “Who is the final boss, who holds 80% of the shares of Viet A Company, why does the Ministry of Public Security has no answer?”
What does that have to do with General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s policy of “internal division” of corrupt officials, according to which the prosecution can be reduced or exempted for some “unintentionally corrupt” officials? However, this certainly goes against the “Anti-corruption has no forbidden zone” policy but has a dodge zone.
Public opinion is also interested in the issue, who nominated Nguyen Thanh Long (former deputy head of the Central Commission for Propaganda and Education) and a series of corrupt officials under the management of the Central Government? And the person who nominated as well as approved the personnel plans of the Central Committee, has carried out self-criticism, approval and self-criticism, on the responsibility of the nominee in introducing personnel to join the Party Committee at the Party committees at all levels, as specified in the Instruction No. 03-HD/TW, dated March 20, 2020 of the Central Secretariat?
Don’t forget, the party has to answer for the public clearly and it should not avoid responsibility.
Vu Anh – Thoibao.de (Translated)
