Former HCMC chairman dismissed from Party Central Committee

The 13^th Party Central Committee voted to dismiss the senior officials at its sixth plenum that opened Monday.

Apart from Nguyen Thanh Phong, the other members are Bui Nhat Quang, President of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, and Huynh Tan Viet, Secretary of the Party Committee of the Central Committee of Agencies.

The Party Politburo had on July 8 issued an official warning to Phong and the Party Committee of the HCMC People’s Committee for the 2016-2021 term.

It said that as Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee, Secretary of the Party Personnel Committee and Chairman of the HCMC People’s Committee, Phong had to take direct responsibility for violations and shortcomings of the Party Personnel Committee and the People’s Committee of HCMC for the 2016-2021 term,

He also had to take personal responsibility for violations and shortcomings in the performance of assigned responsibilities and missions, the Politburo said.

The Politburo assessed that the violations and shortcomings of the Party Committee of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee for the 2016-2021 term had caused very serious consequences that were difficult to overcome.

The violations resulted in a huge loss of state property, triggered negative public opinion and anger among cadres and adversely affected the prestige of the Party Committee, the government and socio-economic development of the city.

Phong, 60, a native of the southern province of Ben Tre, holds a doctorate in economics and was a member of the Party Central Committee for many terms.

He was HCMC People’s Committee Chairman from 2018 to August 2021, following which he was made Deputy Head of the Central Economic Commission.

The Politburo had issued an official warning to Quang on September 30, saying he bears primary responsibility for deficiencies displayed and violations committed by the Standing Board of the Party Committee of the Vietnam Academy of Social Science from November 2019 to August 2020 as well as the 2020-2025 term.

It said Quang’s violations caused disunity within the Standing Committee of the Party Committee and the leadership of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences. He and several affiliated units committed long-standing violations in the use of funds, property public investment, scientific research management, training and resolving complaints. They failed to follow strictly the instructions and conclusions of higher party organizations, the Politburo said.

Bui Nhat Quang, President of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences. Photo by VnExpress/Viet Tuan

It said Quang’s violations and shortcomings caused serious consequences, internal disunity and frustration among cadres and party members, adversely affecting his own reputation and that of the party organization and the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences.

Quang, 47, has a Ph.D. in economics. Since 1995, he has held different positions at the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences. In 2014, he was appointed vice chairman of Ninh Thuan Province. He became president of the academy in November 2019.

Viet had received a Politburo warning on July 22. As Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, and Chairman of the People’s Council of Phu Yen Province, he was responsible for violations and shortcomings in several committees including: the Standing Board of the Provincial Party Committee; Standing Provincial Party Committee for the 2015-2020 term; and Party Committee of the Provincial People’s Council for the 2016-2021 term.

Huynh Tan Viet, Secretary of the Party Committee of the Central Committee of Agencies. Photo by Vietnam News Agency

Viet has to take direct and personal responsibility for the performance of assigned duties and tasks, the Politburo said.

It said his violations and shortcomings have caused serious consequences including great damage to the state budget, the prestige of the Party Committee and the local government. This, in turn, had negatively affected public opinion and triggered public outrage.