Former Government Office chairman Mai Tien Dung detained

Mai Tien Dung, former head of the Government Office, has been arrested for violations related to an eco-resort and urban project in Lam Dong province.

At the government's regular press meeting on Saturday, Lieutenant General To An Xo, spokesman for the Ministry of Public Security, said that the investigative agency had launched legal proceedings against and detained Dung.

Dung is subject to legal proceedings for abusing his positions and power while on duty.

Dung, 64, holds a doctorate in economics and a bachelor's degree in law. He was a former Party Central Committee member for the 11th and 12th tenures; former chairman of the Ha Nam People's Committee; and former chief of the provincial Party Committee.

He was also a member of the Government's Party Committee, and minister-chairman of the Government Office for the 2016-2021 tenure before retiring.

In March 2023, Dung was warned by the Prime Minister for his violations and shortcomings. An administrative disciplinary decision was signed by Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang on behalf of the PM on March 9. The disciplinary starting time for Dung was January 14, 2023.

Previously, in mid-January, Dung had been warned by the Secretariat of the Party Central Committee for lack of responsibility in a scam related to the flights that brought Vietnamese people home from overseas during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Secretariat determined that Dung, as minister-chairman of the Government Office, was irresponsible in organizing the flights, allowing some Government Office officials to make proposals not in line with the PM's conclusions. This led to some lower-level officials accepting bribes and being detained, the Secretariat added.

Dung's violations "have caused serious consequences, bad public opinion in society, and undermined the reputation of Party organizations and State administrative agencies".

On April 19, Tran Duc Quan, former Party chief of Lam Dong, and Tran Van Hiep, chairman of the Central Highlands province, were ousted for violations related to the $1.03 billion Dai Ninh eco-resort, trade and urban area project.

Quan, 57, was arrested by the Ministry of Public Security's investigative agency (C03) on January 24 for further investigation into his alleged abuse of positions while on duty.

Authorities accused him of abusing his positions and violating the law in directing and resolving issues related to the Dai Ninh eco-resort, trade and urban area project, “causing very serious consequences”.

C03 had also detained chairman Tran Van Hiep, 58, and Nguyen Ngoc Anh, chief inspector of the province, for accepting bribes.