Vietnam land scandal involved government leaders, former minister says

By RFA Vietnamese2024.11.06

Read more on this topic in Vietnamese.

A former politician in Vietnam facing bribery charges says top government leaders were behind a decision to grant land to a company at the center of a scandal being investigated as part of the ruling party’s “blazing furnace” graft crackdown.

The anti-corruption campaign has already forced a president from power, though some critics say it is being used by Communist Party leaders to get rid of rivals.

State media recently reported that the Ministry of Public Security was prosecuting Mai Tien Dung, 64, former minister and head of the Cabinet Office, for “giving bribes, receiving bribes, taking advantage of position and power while performing official duties” in Lam Dong province.

Ten people face prosecution, including former Lam Dong provincial officials such as provincial secretary Tran Duc Quan and the chairman of its Provincial People’s Committee Tran Van Hiep.

In 2010, the company at the center of the scandal, Saigon Dai Ninh Company, was given an investment certificate from the Provincial People’s Committee to build and operate an ecotourism resort covering about 3,595 hectares (8,883 acres) with investment capital equivalent to US$1 billion.

The resort was expected to be completed by 2018. However, according to domestic media, “the project is still just a desolate area, with weeds growing as high as a person’s head.”

During the investigation, Dung talked of a “close” relationship between Saigon Dai Ninh Director Nguyen Cao Tri and “government leaders at the time,” according to The State newspaper on Nov. 2. Dung said he had no choice but to sign agreements with Tri because he had the support of top leaders.

The newspaper did not identify the leaders but Nguyen Xuan Phuc was prime minister from 2016 to April 2021, when he was elected president. He was allowed to “resign”, at his request in January 2023, state media reported at the time.

Several high-profile scandals took place during Phuc’s terms as prime minister, including the case of the Viet A company winning government approval to sell COVID-19 test kits at inflated prices.

Two deputy prime ministers were forced to resign in connection with COVID scandals. Former health minister Nguyen Thanh Long and former science and technology minister Chu Ngoc Anh and many government officials were among the 38 people prosecuted in connection with the Viet A case.

“My family, my wife, and my children have no personal gain or corruption related to Viet A. We have never met the director of Viet A. This has been clearly concluded by the Central Committee’s Inspection Committee.” Phuc said on Feb. 4, 2023 during the ceremony to hand over the presidency.

Communist Party General Secretary To Lam has vowed to carry on the “blazing furnace” anti-corruption campaign implemented by his predecessor Nguyen Phu Trong, which has precipitated the downfall of many senior party members.

Translated by RFA Vietnamese. Edited by Mike Firn.