In recent times, our Party and State of Vietnam have intensified comprehensive and robust measures to combat wastefulness, which have led to positive results. However, shortcomings still exist in certain public-funded projects, which is often utilised by hostile and reactionary forces to spread their distorted narratives to sow distrust and division among the people and Party members towards the Party and the State's political determination. This problem must be resolved and rejected.
By citing certain cases of wastefulness currently under investigation and on trial as a pretext, hostile, reactionary, and politically opportunistic forces have intensified their efforts to distort and deny the Party and State’s achievements in combating wastefulness. On platforms, such as BBC Vietnamese, Chan Troi Moi (New Horizon) Media, Viet Tan (Vietnam Reform), and others, they have propagated the claim that the Party and State’s efforts to fight wastefulness are merely “empty slogans”, lacking practicality and feasibility as all State-financed projects and investments are allegedly plagued by corruption and wastefulness. Furthermore, they allege that all causes of wastefulness stem from poor management by authorities at all levels under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam. According to them, a one-party system has led to a lack of democracy, public oversight, and social criticism from domestic and international socio-political organisations, thereby exacerbating wastefulness. They claim that the Party has been stricken by severe political, ideological, moral, and lifestyle degradation, and is incapable of leading the country. Based on these assertions, they advocate that “only political freedom can help Vietnam combat wastefulness”. They also promote the idea that combating wastefulness requires opposing the Communist Party’s monopoly on leadership, calling for political pluralism and multiparty democracy to ensure “freedom and democracy”. Through propaganda, fabrications, and manipulation of public opinion, they attempt to depict the Party and State’s ongoing anti-wastefulness initiatives as a cover for bureaucratic practices, corruption, and shortcomings of the administrative apparatus at various levels.
However, these distortions can easily be refuted by theoretical and practical evidences. Throughout their leadership of the Vietnamese revolution, the Party and President Ho Chi Minh have consistently regarded wastefulness as a social evil and a dangerous “disease” that hampers the nation’s development. As such, alongside the commitment to eliminate “internal enemies,” the fight against wastefulness has always been prioritised by the Party and State. President Ho Chi Minh once pointed out: “Although wastefulness is different from embezzlement… its consequences are just as severely damaging to the State and the people”. He emphasised that wastefulness occurs everywhere - within families, agencies, units, and society as a whole - and manifests itself in various forms, including the wasting of time, labour, and financial resources. Moreover, he identified the causes of and measures for combating wastefulness within the Party, the political system, and every agency, unit, and locality.
Remaining faithful to and creatively applying Ho Chi Minh's ideology, the Party has consistently affirmed throughout its leadership that: “The fight against wastefulness is a challenging and complex task, but it is a vital and ongoing responsibility of the Party, the State, and the people in the cause of building and safeguarding the Fatherland”.
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| Conference to announce Decision on establishing Hanoi Municipal People’s Committee’s Steering Board for wastefulness prevention (photo: VNA) |
From a legal perspective, the Party, the National Assembly, and the Government have issued numerous directives and resolutions to establish a legal framework for combating wastefulness. Among these, the National Assembly enacted the Law on Practising Thrift and Combating Wastefulness in 2005 and amended it in 2013. Most recently, on 29 October 2024, the Politburo (13th tenure) issued Regulation 191-QĐ/TW regarding the functions, tasks, authority, working mechanisms, and operational relationships of the Central Steering Committee for Prevention and Control of Corruption, Wastefulness, and Negative Phenomena (replacing Regulation 32-QĐ/TW, dated 16 September 2021).
In addition, Decision 192-QĐ/TW was issued to restructure the Central Steering Committee for Prevention and Control of Corruption, Wastefulness, and Negative Phenomena with an additional focus on managing and using public finance and assets efficiently. Notably, with a strong political commitment, General Secretary To Lam, Head of the Central Steering Committee for Prevention and Control of Corruption, Wastefulness, and Negative Phenomena, emphasised the need for in-depth research and robust leadership to implement breakthrough measures in wastefulness prevention. This is intended to generate new momentum and significant progress in the fight against corruption, wastefulness, and other negative practices. He further stressed that combating wastefulness holds equal importance to the fight against corruption and negative phenomena. Additionally, he called for a thorough review of and amendments to Party regulations and State laws on wastefulness prevention to ensure the consistency, synchronisation, and effectiveness of this work.
Alongside these efforts, the Government has also taken decisive actions to combat wastefulness. In its report assessing the implementation of the 2024 Socio-Economic Development Plan and outlining the projected plan for 2025, the Government highlighted "intensified efforts to combat corruption, negative phenomena, and wastefulness, with a focus on improving institutional frameworks for controlling power, preventing corruption and negative practices, monitoring the assets and incomes of individuals in positions of power, and processing evidences and assets seized, frozen, or confiscated during corruption investigations, prosecutions, and trials”. In Official Telegram 125/CĐ-TTg, dated 1 December 2024, the Prime Minister instructed ministries, sectors, and localities to further practise thrift and combat wastefulness. The document underscored that despite numerous challenges in 2024, the Government, ministries, sectors, and localities implemented the Law on Practising Thrift and Combating Wastefulness decisively and effectively. Significant progress was made, contributing to remarkable achievements in the Doi Moi (Renovation) process, enabling the country to achieve and surpass most socio-economic development goals, even amidst unprecedented challenges, such as epidemics and natural disasters. In addition, the Government successfully mobilised, managed, and utilised human, material, and financial resources efficiently while ensuring national defence, security, foreign affairs, social welfare, and public well-being. Notably, the ongoing restructuring and streamlining of the political system’s organisational apparatus, in line with the 12th Party Central Committee's Resolution 18-NQ/TW, dated 25 October 2017, on “Some Issues Regarding Continued Reform and Organisation for a Compact, Efficient Political System”, have proven crucial in addressing the root causes of wastefulness in public assets and natural resources, enhancing the nation’s governance and management capacity, mobilising all available resources towards national development and improving the people’s living standards.
In practice, following the resolute direction of the Party’s top leader - particularly after the 26th session of the Central Steering Committee for Prevention and Control of Corruption, Wastefulness, and Negative Phenomena on 14 August 2024 - the fight against corruption, wastefulness, and other negative phenomena has been furthered with no "restricted areas" or exception, and national interests being put first, thereby best serving the overarching goals of socio-economic development. Accordingly, the Central Inspection Commission has focused on inspecting and directing inspections of Party organisations and members linked to high-profile cases, such as those involving Phuc Son Group, Thuan An Group or the International Advanced Joint Stock Company (AIC). Such efforts have led to disciplinary actions or recommended disciplinary actions against 247 Party organisations and 441 Party members, and referred 26 cases to investigative agencies for prosecution. Furthermore, the Politburo, Secretariat, and Central Inspection Commission have disciplined numerous senior officials under the management of the Politburo and Secretariat. Nationwide, judicial authorities have investigated 734 cases involving 1,681 individuals, prosecuted 591 cases involving 1,479 individuals, and conducted first-instance trials for 1,002 cases involving 2,703 defendants. At the local level, authorities have prosecuted 656 cases involving 1,367 individuals. Since the beginning of 2024, localities have initiated legal proceedings against a total of 613 cases involving 1,350 individuals. On 31 October 2024, the Ministry of Public Security’s investigative agency launched a criminal case regarding “Violations of bidding regulations causing serious consequences” related to the Ban Mong Reservoir Project in Nghe An Province. This project, managed by the Irrigation Investment and Construction Management Board No. 4 under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, suffered delays and required repeated budget adjustments, leading to significant waste of state funds. Subsequently, on 3 November 2024, the Ministry of Public Security initiated a criminal case regarding massive losses and wastefulness, “Violations of accounting regulations causing serious consequences” and “Violations in the research, exploration, and exploitation of natural resources” at Hung Thinh Company and related entities.
Thus, in a relatively short period of time, the campaign against wastefulness has been carried out decisively and comprehensively by the entire political system across all levels, sectors, and fields. This has brought about a positive transformation in awareness and action among cadres, Party members, and the public. Despite ongoing challenges in combating wastefulness, the unwavering political will of the entire political system and the results achieved are irrefutable. These outcomes clearly affirm that the Party and the State's efforts to fight wastefulness are neither mere “empty slogans” nor instances of “being all talk and no action”. Instead, they serve as solid evidence refuting malicious narratives that the fight against wastefulness is merely a superficial response to public opinion or an attempt to mask bureaucracy and corruption within the political hierarchy.
Our country is now entering a new era - the era of the nation’s rise - marked by the collective efforts, unity, and determination of the entire Party, people, and armed forces. Together, we are vigorously implementing breakthrough measures in the fight against wastefulness, fostering tangible changes and generating positive momentum throughout society. We firmly believe that the Party and State’s efforts in combating wastefulness will achieve even greater success, further reinforcing the trust and unity of cadres, Party members, and the public in this critical endeavour.
Sr. Col. PHAM VAN THUAN, PhD
Political Officer College