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Officials warned: Watch what you eat
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OFFICIALS will have to be careful about what they eat and where they go over the two upcoming holidays to make sure they don’t break frugality rules, China’s anti-graft watchdog said yesterday. Regret after the fact will not be accepted as an excuse, it said.
The flaunting of personal and often illicit wealth and wasteful public spending have led to widespread criticism of some Party officials and the government has been cracking down on corruption and extravagance since late 2012.
Gift giving is particularly popular over holidays, such as mooncakes at the Mid-Autumn Festival later this month. The first week of October is the National Day holiday.
In a letter to more than 300,000 officials at central government departments and state-owned industries, the Central Ccommission for Discipline Inspection said they should be aware they represented the Party.
“Having a ‘clean’ holiday starts with you; steadfastly do not eat what you are not supposed to eat, steadfastly decline gifts you’re not supposed to accept and steadfastly don’t go to places you’re not supposed to,” reads the letter, excerpts of which were released by the graft watchdog.
Since the corruption crackdown began, there have been a number of stories about officials downing expensive liquor, carousing with prostitutes at private clubs, or playing golf at exclusive courses, often using public money. Serious cases are prosecuted, but less serious ones generally result in a slap on the wrist, a demotion for example.
The Party is using such a novel and “homely” way as the letter to drive home its point to make sure officials understand potential corruption problems must be nipped in the bud before they become more serious, the watchdog said.
“Everyone feels regret when we see officials expressing penitence during the course of an investigation, but there is no drug to cure regret in this world. Once something has happened, it’s too late for regrets,” an official was quoted as saying.
The anti-graft campaign has over the past two years or so dragged down sales of high-end products, including baijiu and mooncakes, both popular gifts for smoothing business and official ties.
Meanwhile, the former chairman of state-owned conglomerate Cchina Resources Holding Co Lltd is facing prosecution on charges that include embezzlement, the anti-graft watchdog said yesterday.
Song Lin was sacked last year after he was investigated for suspected “serious violation
of discipline.”
Song is alleged to have taken bribes and used public funds for personal expenses, including golf, the commission said on its website.
Wang Shuaiting, a former vice chairman of the company, is also facing charges after being accused of similar crimes.
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