General To Lam (standing), Politburo member and Minister of Public Security, speaks at the conference. (Photo: VNA)Dak Lak (VNA) – Agencies in the Central Highlandsprovince of Dak Lak have conducted investigations into 114 corruption and fraudcases involving 188 people in its fight to tackle economic crime.
The provincial Party Committee’s Standing Board reported thesefigures to a delegation of the Central Steering Committee for Anti-Corruptionled by General To Lam, Politburo member and Minister of Public Security, duringa working session in Buon Ma Thuot city on December 18.
The Standing Board has instructed all-level Party committees andagencies in the province to take synchronous measures against corruption, andkeep a close watch on serious and complex corruption and fraud cases of publicconcern.
The board has asked for guidance from central agencies for these, whilerevamping local agencies.
Special attention has been paid to administrative procedures, withthe one-stop-shop model rolled out at all agencies from communal to provincial levels.
In light of recent cases, the board has reprimanded a Partyorganisation and relieved an official from his Party positions.
However, only 6 billion VND (259,018 USD) out of more than 180.9billion VND appropriated has been recovered so far.
The public security sector alone has busted 10 cases with 15people and over 97.1 billion VND involved, of which only around 1.2 billion VND(or 1.2 percent) was recovered.
There remain limitations and shortcomings in the fight against corruptionwithin agencies, while some all-level Party committees, authorities and headsof agencies have yet to show their determination in this regard.
Wrongdoings have lingered in the management of agricultural andforestry land for years as investigation and verification work has met a rangeof difficulties.
In his remarks, General To Lam, who is also deputy head of theCentral Steering Committee for Anti-Corruption, lauded the efforts of theprovincial Party Committee’s Standing Board to tackle corruption, which hasbeen identified as a key task in the locality.
The board has realised relevant policies from the Party and theState, synchronously employed solutions to fight corruption, and given timelyinstructions for the investigation, prosecution and judgment of corruptioncases.
To improve these efforts, Lam asked the board to overcomelimitations, pay more attention to asset recovery, and instruct localities andagencies at all levels to conclude prolonged cases in 2019.
Reminding the board of the organisation of all-level Partycongresses in 2020, towards the 13th National Party Congress, the ministerurged it to review personnel and collect public opinions in this regard inorder to elect qualified officials to all-level Party committees.
In 2018, the Central Steering Committee onAnti-Corruption concluded its investigations into 23 cases with 222 suspects,commencing proceedings in 20 cases with 251 individuals, a rise of 43.75percent and 66.7 percent, respectively. Meanwhile, first hearings were held for23 cases with 304 defendants, five times higher than in 2017. In particular, 10major corruption cases that attracted special attention from the public werebrought to court.
According to the committee, therecovery of assets lost in corruption and economic crimes has not met expectations, with only 17.26 percent of lost moneyin Vietnam dong and 59.48 percent of lost money in foreign currencies reclaimedfrom 2013 to September 2018.
Between 2013 and September 2018, creditorganisations lost nearly 62 trillion VND (2.65 billion USD) and 18.52 millionUSD as a result of corruption and economic crime. Credit organisations havecoordinated with relevant agencies to recover more than 10.8 trillion VND(17.26 percent) and 10.09 million USD (59.48 percent).
Problems hindering the recovery of stolenassets included limited supervision and inspection, the prolonged settlement ofcomplicated cases, and the passive role played by credit organisations./.
VNA
