Corruption in other countries around the world is quite simple, just secretly siphoning off the budget, secretly extorting from people and businesses. In these countries, corruption of up to hundreds of thousands of dollars is dangerous corruption, but in Vietnam, a few hundred thousand dollars is just “petty” corruption. There are corruption cases of up to hundreds of millions of dollars, but the law cannot touch corrupt officials in these cases.
More terrible, policy corruption is a common form in Vietnam. Senior officials do not need to extort money from people or businesses, because this method is easy to expose and the amount of money earned is very little. Usually only local officials take such small amounts of corruption. As for high-ranking officials, those who can make policies, there are ways to earn more money and much easier.
The form of setting up a backyard to seize business advantages through policy making is the most common corruption method today. At the central level, there is no official who does not have a backyard to receive benefits from the policies they create. Most of these businesses grow very quickly without much effort. They operate like legitimate businesses, until they are attacked and their “fox tails” are exposed. Former top legister Vuong Dinh Hue has Thuan An Group, former State President Vo Van Thuong has Phuc Son Group, incumbent party chief To Lam has Xuan Cau Group, etc.
At a higher level is power corruption. Officials capable of power corruption are with almost absolute power, like To Lam now and Nguyen Phu Trong before.
In all 3 terms of Trong, he only cared about fighting with political opponents to seize power. Once he had power in his hands, he attacked those outside his power ecosystem to fool the people that he was an “honest” person. Those who did not respect him were weakened, which meant that those under his command became stronger and more tyrannical. And from under his strong umbrella, many policy corruptors were free to plunder.
A typical example was the Mobifone AVG purchase case, where To Lam was at risk of having his violations exposed, along with former Ministers Truong Minh Tuan and Nguyen Bac Son. However, thanks to Trong’s care, To Lam was able to magically keep himself out of the game by keeping secrets in his files. Some people said that, as a Deputy Minister of Public Security, To Lam did not have enough power to protect himself from a major case that could have blown up two ministers. Therefore, in this case, he certainly escaped because he was under a big umbrella.
Thanks to the protection of absolute power above, the policy makers who take advantage of the situation will be more daring, more arbitrary and more reckless. It can be said that power corruption is the mother of corruption, while policy corruption is just the offspring.
Now, thanks to the power umbrella of To Lam, the Ministry of Public Security is also corrupting through the “red light” policy, causing social misery, causing confusion among the people, and causing great damage to the country’s economy. The only beneficiaries are the police.
In addition, under To Lam’s power, Xuan Cau Company operates as the “king” in the business world, enjoying many benefits brought by political power.
Also under To Lam’s power, Luong Tam Quang is not only corrupt through “red lights” but can also make money through billion-dollar projects, such as the theater or the private airport of the Ministry of Public Security. That’s not to mention the huge benefits in making money from those who run for office, caused by To Lam’s streamlining policy…
Having only been in power for half a year, To Lam has created a suffocating, chaotic and bewildering society. Compared to Trong, To Lam uses his power to create more profiteering policies.
To Lam’s time in power creates a miserable period for the people.
Hoang Phuc – Thoibao.de
