The case of Hoang Thi Thuy Lan, former Secretary of Vinh Phuc provincial Party Committee, once again shows the seriousness of corruption in Vietnam’s public sector. But what makes public opinion “hotter” is not simply the amount of tens of billions of dong received in bribes, but her shocking statement in court: “I used that money to do charity, help the poor, support the sick, etc.”
In any legal system in any country, the act of accepting bribes is a serious crime, directly infringing on the integrity of the government, causing loss of people’s trust. The fact that the offender declared that he/she had used part of the illegal money for charity does not reduce the danger of the act. The law does not accept “laundering” the source of illegal money for humanitarian purposes. There can be no leniency for corrupt criminals
If we consider “doing good deeds with bribes” as a factor to ask for a lighter sentence, it will create a dangerous precedent: criminals can justify or mitigate criminal responsibility with activities that appear “humane.” Kindness cannot be built on lies. The saying “poor but remain clean” has long portrayed the moral standards of the Vietnamese people. Poverty cannot be a reason to justify wrongdoing.
Using “dirty money” to do charity does not make the act cleaner, on the contrary, it creates irony and satire: the poor must be skeptical about the origin of the gifts they receive? Lan cited “doing good deeds” as a way to ask for a lighter sentence, but this only further shows the lack of sincerity in facing legal and ethical consequences.
The incident makes people more concerned that current charity activities can be manipulated and exploited to cover up wrongdoing. It raises the urgent need for transparency in charity and a strict monitoring system to ensure that kindness is not exploited by those who borrow the name. Social trust is seriously damaged.
Our ancestors taught us “poor but remain clean.” The poor always need help with their hearts, with clean money, even a penny is precious but say No to bribery and dirty money. It is true that this comedy can only happen under the socialist regime of Vietnam.
Thanh Nam
