Duong Van Tung, from southern An Giang Province, couldn’t claim the VND100 million (US$4,821) he had recently won from a lottery ticket as it was accidentally ripped in half during a celebration.

Tung, a poor laborer in his 50s, sadly recalled that on Feb 3, three days prior to the traditional Tet holiday, he was exhilarated to learn that he won the huge prize from his lottery ticket, which was issued by a state-owned company.

As Tung’s family is poor and can’t pay off their debt of almost VND50 million ($2,410), his relatives and neighbors crowded into his home to see the ticket.

Elated, L.M.K, Tung’s nephew, accidentally pulled the ticket too hard, ripping it into two pieces, and leaving Tung unable to claim the prize.

“Tung, K. and other family members were stunned with shock then. We were really sorry for them,” Lam Van Phong, a witness, said.

K., a junior at a local university, was overwhelmed with guilt and has been severely depressed since.

He quit school and planned to earn money as a worker in another province to make up for the whopping sum.

K. only dropped that plan and felt a little better about the incident after Tung and his relatives tried to persuade him that the whole thing was just bad luck, and that he wasn’t to blame.

Pleas for reconsideration

Since the incident, Nguyen Van Hoa, a close friend of Tung’s son, took several days off work and repeatedly brought Tung to the Kien Giang Lottery Co., which created the winning ticket, where Tung pleaded with them to allow him to claim the prize.

Tung’s desperate efforts were futile, however, as the company repeatedly declined to recognize his winning ticket.

Hoa then reported the story to Tuoi Tre, hoping the newspaper could help.

“We know the pitiful situation of Tung’s family too well,” Hoa explained.

According to Duong Thi Tham, a local official, several locals who witnessed the incident signed a testifying paper. The local government also attested to it. They unanimously agreed that Tung should be allowed to claim the prize.

Pham Quang De, another local official, said that though poor, Tung’s family is an exemplary, righteous one.

De noted that, apart from gaining profits, state-owned lottery companies are also meant to take care of people’s social welfare. They have always been active in various social, charitable causes.

“I think Kien Giang Lottery Co. will finally let Tung pick up the prize he deserves,” De hopefully added.

Local lawyer Tong Van Thi pointed out that according to lottery company regulations, a torn ticket isn’t eligible for a prize.

However, Thi added that the Kien Giang Lottery Co. should be flexible in handling this case.

Vo Van Tuan, the company’s director and head of its management board, confirmed that Tung’s winning ticket is quite new, with series of small numbers intact on one half.

However, Tuan asserted that his company couldn’t recognize Tung’s win, as according to the rules noted on the back side of each ticket, the winning ticket must be in one piece, with no exception.

Tuan added that his company is sometimes faced with similarly awkward situations.

Those whose winning ticket is crumpled are still eligible winners, he noted.

“Considering Tung’s financial difficulties, I’m really sorry for him. If the prize were small, I would pay him with my own money,” Tuan said.