A video filmed by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper, showing the deputy chairman of District 1 directly instruct members of his ‘sidewalk reclamation’ team to remove improperly built constructions on several streets in downtown Ho Chi Minh City on Friday is going viral online.

Doan Ngoc Hai is the leader behind the headline-grabbing campaign meant to ensure sidewalks throughout the district remain clear from construction, street food vendors, and illegally-parked cars.

The District 1 deputy chief and has been winning support and trust from city-dwellers for his unalterable determination to get things done.

On Friday, Hai and his team members continued to examine Nguyen Trung Truc, Le Thanh Ton and Nguyen Trai Streets, where the leader insisted that booths, stalls and even an office of a quarter-level administration in Ben Thanh Ward be completely removed from the pavements.

As seen in the Tuoi Tre footage, the owners of a eyewear store angrily protested to the ‘sidewalk clearing’ officials, saying they should have been told of the campaign in advance to have time to prepare.

Such an excuse obviously did not please Hai and he insisted his men to go on to take the store’s glass booth away from the sidewalk.

The district leader said he had kept such information as when and where the team would run a crackdown confidential.

On Nguyen Trung Truc Street, Hai noticed that authorities of the Quarter 6 of Ben Thanh Ward, District 1 had erected a well furnished office right on the pavement and immediately asked his men to tear the construction apart.

Right from the beginning of his campaign, Hai asserted that no one stands above the law and has since pulled no punches with any violators, be it state servants or citizens.

On Friday, he insisted that a state-owned car, carrying a blue license plate starting with ‘80B’, be towed away for illegal parking.

“No one stands above the law and I will never make any exception for anyone and by any reason,” Hai asserted.

“Only when every individual fully respects the law will the ‘sidewalk reclamation’ be a success.”

Officials remove furniture from a sidewalk eatery

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