Opinion
Incompetent policy-makers still live outside the law
  • By Bui Hoang Tam | dtinews.vn | May 05, 2017 02:06 PM
Officials have got away without taking responsibility or punishment for poorly thought-out policies.

The Ministry of Justice recently had to address this issue after the failed attempt to exchange paper driving licences for plastic alternatives.

The regulation issued by the Ministry of Transport forced drivers to change their paper car driving licences for plastic. Anyone that disobeyed the regulation was to have taken a test to get the licence reissued.

The Ministry of Justice said this precondition was unsuitable and affected people’s rights. The Ministry of Transport actually decided to scrap the plan but didn't bother to mention anything about their officials even though the Ministry of Justice did write in an official document to "review and punish individual or groups that consulted and issued the regulation."

  

Plan to exchange paper driving licences for plastic alternatives scrapped

In April, the Department of Performing Arts suddenly banned five extremely well-known songs that were written before 1975. The public strongly reacted to the decision and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism demanded the Department of Performing Arts to lift the ban.

There are opinions that the ban not only insulted the songwriters and the public but also badly marred that mood of Reunification Day on April 30.

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam said, "Songs that are familiar to the public and don't have any offensive content or violate the people's and state's interests shouldn't be banned. Decisions must be made in accordance with the law."

But Vietnam still lacks punishments for incompetent regulation makers. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism only suggested self-criticism. If self-criticism is a form of punishment then it's better to not exist at all.

It's time to stop ridiculous and illegal regulations that make citizens' lives more difficult, prevent the country's development and irritate and anger people for little reason. But it will be no use if no one is punished or when the punishments are only so-called reprimands and self-criticism.

It's necessary for the Ministry of Justice to ask the Ministry of Transport to review and punish individual or groups that consulted and issued the regulation. Maybe the Ministry of Justice should remind the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism too. Creators of many of these unreasonable regulations are still living carefree despite the difficulties they caused for other people.

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