Resign, find more suitable jobs: Party chief to corrupt, inefficient officials

The Party Central Committee encourages officials who make mistakes and lack ability to resign or find more suitable jobs, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong told voters Saturday.

Trong said that this approach was a major anti-corruption development - encouraging officials to "punish themselves instead of being punished."

Trong was speaking at a meeting with voters of some districts in Hanoi prior to the National Assembly’s October 20-November 18 session.

In fact, at the 13th Party Central Committee’s recent sixth plenum, some officials asked to resign and the Party Central Committee welcomed and greenlighted the move, he said.

On September 8, the Politburo had announced its policy of encouraging cadres under the management of the Politburo and the Party Central Committee's Secretariat who face disciplinary action or those who have been warned for their violations and lacked the ability to resign voluntarily.

If they do not resign voluntarily, relevant authorities would consider removing them from their positions in line with regulations.

Trong affirmed that the anti-corruption campaign would continue and even those with backing cannot escape as the authorities would handle forces providing the backing as well.

“In the near future, authorities will handle some long-standing cases, with people fleeing, but I said they can't escape,” the Party chief said.

“The main goal is to warn and educate officials as punishing comrades is not comfortable. But for common progress, to educate others not to follow the same path, the Party Central Committee has to do so and require lower levels to do so,” he added.

Early this month, on October 3, the 13th Party Central Committee voted to remove three of its members: Nguyen Thanh Phong, deputy head of Central Economic Commission; Bui Nhat Quang, head of Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences; and Huynh Tan Viet, Secretary of Party Committee of Central Agencies' Bloc.

Trong said the move was based on opinions of relevant agencies, the Politburo's policy on personnel arrangement for cadres after being disciplined and on the wish of the cadres being disciplined.