Directive No. 03/2005/CT-BBCVT on intensifying efforts to combat crime and corruption in the postal, telecommunications, and information technology sectors.

DIRECTIVE
On intensifying efforts to combat crime and corruption in
the fields ofpostal services, telecommunications, and information technology

In recent years, the postal and telecommunications sector has actively implemented Resolution No. 09/1998/NQ-CP dated July 31, 1998 of the Government on strengthening preventive measures against crime in new circumstances and has achieved certain results. Many violations in the postal, telecommunications, and Internet sectors have been detected, prevented, and dealt with. The number of crimes and acts of corruption in the postal, telecommunications, and information technology sectors over the past few years has significantly decreased. However, the situation of crime and corruption remains complex, with some organizations and individuals exploiting postal, telecommunications, and information technology services to commit increasingly sophisticated violations; a portion of staff members have degenerated and taken advantage of loopholes in management to commit acts of corruption, affecting the reputation of the industry, such as cases of embezzlement of public funds at some enterprises, illegal trading of Internet phone cards, and corruption through inflating printing costs for telephone directories and promotional flyers at some provincial post offices at the end of 2004, which were discovered and investigated by the police.

To strengthen efforts to combat crime and corruption in the fields of postal services, telecommunications, and information technology, implementing Directive No. 37/2004/CT-TTg dated November 8, 2004 of the Prime Minister on continuing to implement Resolution No. 09/1998/NQ-CP and the Government's anti-crime program until 2010, the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications requests subordinate agencies and units under the Ministry, Provincial Postal and Telecommunications Departments, and enterprises operating in the postal, telecommunications, and information technology sectors to focus on implementing the following contents:

1. Strengthening direct and comprehensive leadership by Party committees at all levels in the work of preventing and combating crime and corruption; making the prevention and suppression of crime and corruption one of the regular tasks of their agencies and units.

2. Continuing to implement Directive No. 09/2003/CT-BBCVT dated October 23, 2003 of the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications on enhancing efforts to combat smuggling and commercial fraud in the postal, telecommunications, and information technology sectors.

3. Agencies and units under the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications within the scope of their functions, duties, and authorities:

- Enhancing propaganda and dissemination of state regulatory legal documents on crime prevention and suppression, anti-corruption laws, and laws on postal services, telecommunications, and information technology among the general public.

- Reviewing and inspecting legal documents on postal services, telecommunications, and information technology that have been issued, identifying any loopholes or deficiencies to promptly abolish, amend, or supplement them or to propose competent authorities to do so; drafting regulatory legal documents to regulate new social relations arising in the postal, telecommunications, and information technology sectors to create a complete, tight, coherent, and always up-to-date legal system with the development of society.

- Enhancing inspections and supervision of the implementation of laws on postal services, telecommunications, and information technology, and laws related to crime prevention and suppression and anti-corruption by organizations and individuals.

4. Provincial Postal and Telecommunications Departments:

- Enhancing state management capacity regarding postal services, telecommunications, Internet, and information technology at the local level.

- Cooperating with relevant agencies at the local level to enhance inspections and supervision to detect, handle, or propose competent state authorities to handle violations of laws on postal services, telecommunications, and information technology within their jurisdiction.

5. Postal, telecommunications, and information technology enterprises:

- Mobilizing employees in their units to participate in mass movements to discover and report crimes, contributing to maintaining social security; closely coordinating with local authorities, local police forces, and mass organizations to build and expand exemplary models in crime prevention and suppression in the postal, telecommunications, and information technology sectors.

- Improving management capabilities, strictly controlling each stage in the basic construction investment, import-export, equipment procurement, financial-accounting management processes; enhancing self-inspection and supervision to correct any deviations in the implementation of economic and social management mechanisms to minimize corrupt and wasteful behaviors, while identifying any loopholes or unreasonable aspects in regulatory legal documents to promptly propose adjustments and rectifications to prevent criminals from taking advantage.

- Enhancing political education, ideological guidance, moral training, and lifestyle promotion for employees in their units; imposing strict and timely disciplinary actions on collectives and individuals who engage in negative behaviors and corruption but do not warrant criminal prosecution; combining anti-corruption efforts with thrift and waste reduction campaigns.

- Enterprises operating in the postal and courier delivery sectors should enhance inspection and control of goods sent in postal items and packages when received from customers.

- Enterprises operating in the telecommunications, Internet, and information technology sectors should organize reviews and report suspicious phenomena to competent state authorities for prompt inspection and handling of international telecommunications service theft, illegal exploitation of Internet services, Internet phone services, especially in major cities and border areas.

6. Organization of implementation:

- Agencies and units under the Ministry, Provincial Postal and Telecommunications Departments, and enterprises operating in the postal, telecommunications, and information technology sectors within the scope of their duties and authorities should develop specific plans to implement the contents of this Directive.

Conduct an evaluation and draw lessons from the work on preventing and combating criminal offenses and corruption of their units in the last month of each quarter and summarize at the end of the year. Report the results periodically every quarter to the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications for consolidation and reporting to the Government.

The heads of agencies and units under the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, the Directors of Provincial Posts and Telecommunications Departments, the General Directors, and the Directors of enterprises operating in the postal, telecommunications, and information technology sectors must clearly recognize and strictly and effectively implement this Directive.