HCMC project management board director arrested for accepting bribes

Bui Thanh Tan, director of the Ho Chi Minh City Urban Infrastructure Construction Investment Project Management Board, has been detained for receiving bribes.

Le Thanh Tung, head of the Project 4 executive team under the board, was also arrested for the same charge, the Ministry of Public Security’s investigative agency stated on Tuesday.

The HCMC Urban Infrastructure Construction Investment Project Management Board is the investor of many projects in the fields of urban infrastructure (urban water supply and drainage; parks and urban greenery; urban lighting) and others using state capital.

The Project 4 executive team directly manages the investment in phase 2 of the VND8,200 billion ($327.87 million) Tham Luong-Ben Cat -Nuoc Len Canal environmental improvement and infrastructure construction project.

On the same day, the Quang Ninh province police's investigative agency initiated legal proceedings against the criminal case of “violating bidding regulations causing serious consequences” that occurred at Ha Long Cement JSC.

The police also launched legal proceedings against and arrested Vu Van Tang, deputy general director of the company, for “violating bidding regulations causing consequences” per the Penal Code.

Ha Long Cement, located in the northern province, has a charter capital of VND1,942 billion ($77.68 million), of which the state holds an 82.69% stake.

In the period 2018-2023, Ha Long Cement incurred accumulated losses of nearly VND5,000 billion ($200 million) and operated sluggishly.

An investigation by local police showed that the loss was derived from poor corporate governance and group interests in investment activities and bidding for procurement of production materials by the company’s board of directors.