The steering committee of Vietnam’s southwestern region has been discovered violating multiple regulations, with several leaders and officials held responsible.

The Central Inspection Committee of the Party Central Committee announced the result of theirinspection of the Southwest Steering Committee during a press conference on Monday afternoon.

The Southwest Steering Committee is authorized to supervise all activities in the Mekong Delta. The agency is part of the Vietnamese Party and monitored by the Politburo.

Several serious violations were disclosed within the Southwest Steering Committee during the 2011-16 period.

Nguyen Phong Quang, former standing vice-chairman of the committee, is responsible for the management oversight and lackluster performance of the agency during the time.

Quang recruited a total of 32 officials without sufficient requirements to do so in the Southwest Steering Committee, which is a violation of regulations.

Vu Minh Hoang, 26, deputy head of the Economic Department of the Southwest Steering Committee, was among Quang’s recruits.

Hoang was accepted as a researcher in the agency in 2014 without having to pass any mandatory examination.

In January 2016, Hoang was promoted to his current position while he was studying in Japan. He is still studying overseas at present.

Under Quang’s leadership, many of his subordinates produced false documents to draw over VND100 billion (US$4.4 million) from the state budget, among other financial violations.

Nguyen Phong Quang (R), former standing vice-chairman, and Nguyen Quoc Viet, vice-chairman of the Southwest Steering Committee. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Aside from Quang, the Central Inspection Committee said that Nguyen Quoc Viet, vice-chairman of the Southwest Steering Committee, must also be responsible for the series of offenses.

Violations by other members who worked as heads of office and department, chief accountants and treasurers between 2011and 2016 were also revealed.

Inspectors concluded that their wrongdoings had led to serious consequences and affected the credibility of the agency and the Party in general, asserting that those responsible should be sternly punished.

Reporters from Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper were able to reach Quang on Monday evening for a brief phone interview.

The ex-official said he had not directly received the result of the inspection, and thus refused to give any comment.

The correspondents were given a similar response from Viet.

“It is a lesson for all officials at the agency,” Son Minh Thang, standing vice-chairman of the Southwest Steering Committee, told Tuoi Tre.

“We will be more careful in our recruitment and financial management to prevent similar mistakes in the future,” Son said.

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