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Monday, 30 November 2009
Curbs on officials with family overseas
Shenzhen cadres will be barred from powerful positions if their spouses and children live outside the mainland under a groundbreaking regulation aimed at curbing rampant government corruption.
Shenzhen cadres will be barred from powerful positions if their spouses and children live outside the mainland under a groundbreaking regulation aimed at curbing rampant government corruption.
Officials whose families had emigrated - nicknamed “nude” officials by the mainland media - would not be promoted to department head or more senior posts, the Southern Metropolis News reported yesterday. Those whose spouses moved for legitimate employment purposes would be exempted.
The regulation, the first of its type, was one of several announced on Wednesday aimed at checking the behaviour of the special economic zone’s officials.
Officials already at department head level and above would not be allowed to take direct charge of audit, finance, legal and human resource functions if their spouses and children live abroad - an attempt to prevent them from using their power for financial gain.
Furthermore, such senior officials would not be allowed to make the first comments at important decision-making meetings, to stop them deterring other officials from airing views contrary to their own.
Under a separate regulation, Shenzhen will follow a national effort to force officials to declare income, investment and properties under their own names. Their spouses and children must also declare their assets, but these will not be made public.
The move follows several high-profile corruption cases involving cadres whose family members lived overseas.
Cadres often conduct private business through wives and children while keeping their own names clean to ensure political protection. Having family overseas makes it easier for them to flee the country and makes the recovery of funds harder.
In February, Pang Jiayu, former vice-chairman of the Shaanxi provincial Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, was jailed for 12 years for accepting bribes, and for dereliction of duty. His wife and children emigrated to Canada shortly after he took the post in 2002.
Wang Yukai, a political scientist at the National School of Administration, said Shenzhen’s approach was a practical way to supervise leaders. “It will help to curb power abuse by separating officials’ roles, and it will monitor their spouses and children,” he said.
But Hong Kong political commentator Poon Siu-to said it would be easy to get round the regulation.
“How about corrupt officials who make their mistresses or other relatives migrate and transfer money?” Poon said.
“How about senior leaders who intervene in projects by dropping a hint to their subordinates?”
Shenzhen was gripped by political turmoil in June, when mayor Xu Zongheng was investigated by the party’s corruption watchdog. Mainland media reported that the authorities had to rush to arrest Xu as he planned to flee overseas.
Yu Weiliang, the party chief of Longgang district, was sacked last month for violating party discipline. Under his leadership, more than 270 billion yuan (HK$306 billion) was spent preparing for the Universiade, a university sports event Shenzhen will host in 2011.
While Yu’s removal has not been linked to Universiade construction, the Beijing-friendly Wen Wei Po reported that corruption in the project contributed to Xu’s downfall.
1 comment:
Curbs on officials with family overseas
Shenzhen regulations target corrupt cadres
He Huifeng
27 November 2009
Shenzhen cadres will be barred from powerful positions if their spouses and children live outside the mainland under a groundbreaking regulation aimed at curbing rampant government corruption.
Officials whose families had emigrated - nicknamed “nude” officials by the mainland media - would not be promoted to department head or more senior posts, the Southern Metropolis News reported yesterday. Those whose spouses moved for legitimate employment purposes would be exempted.
The regulation, the first of its type, was one of several announced on Wednesday aimed at checking the behaviour of the special economic zone’s officials.
Officials already at department head level and above would not be allowed to take direct charge of audit, finance, legal and human resource functions if their spouses and children live abroad - an attempt to prevent them from using their power for financial gain.
Furthermore, such senior officials would not be allowed to make the first comments at important decision-making meetings, to stop them deterring other officials from airing views contrary to their own.
Under a separate regulation, Shenzhen will follow a national effort to force officials to declare income, investment and properties under their own names. Their spouses and children must also declare their assets, but these will not be made public.
The move follows several high-profile corruption cases involving cadres whose family members lived overseas.
Cadres often conduct private business through wives and children while keeping their own names clean to ensure political protection. Having family overseas makes it easier for them to flee the country and makes the recovery of funds harder.
In February, Pang Jiayu, former vice-chairman of the Shaanxi provincial Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, was jailed for 12 years for accepting bribes, and for dereliction of duty. His wife and children emigrated to Canada shortly after he took the post in 2002.
Wang Yukai, a political scientist at the National School of Administration, said Shenzhen’s approach was a practical way to supervise leaders. “It will help to curb power abuse by separating officials’ roles, and it will monitor their spouses and children,” he said.
But Hong Kong political commentator Poon Siu-to said it would be easy to get round the regulation.
“How about corrupt officials who make their mistresses or other relatives migrate and transfer money?” Poon said.
“How about senior leaders who intervene in projects by dropping a hint to their subordinates?”
Shenzhen was gripped by political turmoil in June, when mayor Xu Zongheng was investigated by the party’s corruption watchdog. Mainland media reported that the authorities had to rush to arrest Xu as he planned to flee overseas.
Yu Weiliang, the party chief of Longgang district, was sacked last month for violating party discipline. Under his leadership, more than 270 billion yuan (HK$306 billion) was spent preparing for the Universiade, a university sports event Shenzhen will host in 2011.
While Yu’s removal has not been linked to Universiade construction, the Beijing-friendly Wen Wei Po reported that corruption in the project contributed to Xu’s downfall.
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