Vietnam Politburo disciplines Deputy PM Khai, Lam Dong province Party Committee

The Politburo, Vietnam’s supreme decision-making body, has issued warnings against Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai and the Standing Board of Lam Dong province's Party Committee in the 2015-2020 and 2020-2025 tenures over wrongdoings related to an urban area project.

The decision was made during a meeting by the Party Central Committee's (PCC) Politburo and Secretariat in Hanoi on Tuesday to consider disciplinary measures against several Party organizations and members, following Central Inspection Commission proposals.

The Politburo and Secretariat determined that the Standing Board of Lam Dong province's Party Committee in the 2015-2020 tenure violated the principle of democratic centralism and working regulations, and failed to report to and ask for directions from the provincial Party Committee on the planning of three types of forests in the locality.

Such violations, lack of responsibility, and lax leadership led to the switching of using purposes of forest and housing land, the implementation of financial obligations, project management and construction order of three projects without legal foundations, causing a risk of loss of revenue and state budget.

The highest Party leaders also concluded that the Standing Board of the Lam Dong provincial Party Committee in the 2020-2025 tenure violated the principle of democratic centralism and working regulations, did not meet to discuss the policy of continuing to change the use purposes of forest land to housing land at the Dai Ninh eco-resort, trade and urban area project in Lam Dong’s Duc Trong district.

Saigon Dai Ninh Tourist Investment JSC, aka Saigon Dai Ninh Corp, was the sole investor of the project, which had an investment of VND25,243 billion ($1 billion at the current exchange rate) and covered an area of 3,595 hectares.

Saigon Dai Ninh Corp had a charter capital of VND2 trillion ($79.6 million). Its CEO Nguyen Cao Tri was arrested in January 2023. Tran Van Hiep, former Chairman of Lam Dong was arrested in January pending investigation into bribery taking related to the project. Tran Duc Quan, former secretary of Lam Dong's Party Committee, was also detained in the same month on charges of abusing his position while on duty.

Police investigations found that Tri owned a 58% stake in Saigon Dai Ninh Corp. Tri reached an agreement with Truong My Lan, chairwoman of Van Thinh Phat Group, to sell the whole company to the latter at VND3 trillion ($119.4 million). The deal then collapsed, and Lan switched to buying a 10% stake of Van Lang Group with the deposits she had paid to Tri.

The project has stalled 13 years after having land allocated by Lam Dong authorities, with just 10% implemented.

At the Tuesday meeting, the Politburo and Secretariat also determined that the Party Civil Affairs Committee of the Government Inspectorate in the 2016-2021 tenure showed a lack of responsibility and relaxed leadership and direction, allowing the Government Inspectorate to settle the petition from Saigon Dai Ninh Corp in contrary to regulations of the Inspection Law; proposed the project extension against the law.

Many officials and Party members have been disciplined and faced criminal charges for their involvement.

Le Minh Khai, former member of the PCC’s Secretariat, former member of the Party Central Committee, former Secretary of the Party Civil Affairs Committee, and former Inspector General of the Government Inspectorate, violated Party regulations and State laws in performing his duties and assigned tasks, and infringed the Party’s Code of Conduct, causing severe consequences and bad public opinion, the meeting heard.

At the meeting, the Politburo and Secretariat also found violations committed by the Party organizations and members in the Party organizations of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the provinces of Lang Son, Yen Bai, Phu Tho, Bac Ninh, Binh Thuan, and Ca Mau.

The PCC’s Secretariat also decided to give a warning to the Party Civil Affairs Committee of the Government Inspectorate in the 2016-2021 tenure.

Ten party members of the Party organizations of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the abovementioned provinces were expelled from the Party.

The Politburo and Secretariat asked relevant agencies to impose disciplinary measures on the abovementioned officials and Party organizations in a timely manner, ensuring that they are in line with the Party's disciplinary measures.