VietNamNet Bridge – The Sub-commission for Publicity an Education under HCM City's Party Committee yesterday (Sept 12) announced punishments for the eight officials who awarded themselves excessive payments while heading four State-owned enterprises last year.

Le Thanh Son, Director of the HCM City Urban Drainage Co. Ltd.; and Tran Trong Hue, both a member of the Party Committee of HCM City's Department of Transport and Chairman of HCM City Public Lighting Co. Ltd., were forced to leave their posts.— Photo nld

Le Thanh Son, Director of the HCM City Urban Drainage Co. Ltd.; and Tran Trong Hue, both a member of the Party Committee of HCM City's Department of Transport and Chairman of HCM City Public Lighting Co. Ltd., were forced to leave their posts.

Six others including Nguyen Trong Luyen, Chairman of the HCM City Urban Drainage Co. Ltd.'s Board; Tran Minh Hung, Director of the HCM City Public Lighting Co. Ltd.; Nguyen Nhat Tan, Chairman of Sai Gon Traffic Works Co. Ltd.; Pham Van Vinh, Director of the Sai Gon Traffic Works Co.; Pham Van Hieu, Chairman of the HCM City Public Parks and Greenery Co's Board; and Tran Thien Ha, Director of the HCM City Public Parks and Greener; were also relieved of their posts for the wrongdoing.

All eight leaders, who had also been members of their companies' Party committee, were also expelled from the Party.

The executives were said to have received billions from their activities, well above limits set by the State. The activities were found to be in breach of the Labour Code and Regulation 181-QD/TW issued in March, pertaining to rule-breaking Party members.

The average salary for the executives at the four companies reportedly reached VND220 million (approx. US$10,000) a month, compared with the average salary of VND7.3 million ($350) at other State-owned companies in HCM City.

One director at the HCM City Urban Drainage Co Ltd had reportedly received a VND2.6 billion ($123,000) salary in 2012, while its chief accountant had been paid VND1.67 billion ($80,200).

The illegal activities have cost the Government billions in public funds and have caused a blow to public confidence in Party organisations.

Meanwhile, the Corporate Finance Management division under the municipal Department of Finance; the Division of Salary and Labour Management under the Department of Labours, Invalids and Social Affairs; and their respective Party committees have been asked to investigate the wrongdoings and submit findings to the city's Party Committee by the end of this month.

Source: VNS