Corruption is once again in the spotlight after a chief
discipline inspector in central China's Hunan
Province was linked to economic crimes.
The case involving Luo Ziguang, secretary of the Loudi Municipal
Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Communist Party of
China (CPC), is a signal that corruption has tainted even the
corruption watchdogs.
Shao Daosheng, a special researcher of the Central Commission
for Discipline Inspection of the CPC, said that the country's
anti-corruption departments and the Party's discipline inspection
branches have become major targets.
Luo was put under disciplinary detention in April, according to
the Beijing weekly Oriental Outlook.
According to the report, Luo "revealed municipal Party committee
secrets, took part in activities organized by illegal groups and
viciously assaulted provincial leaders."
Last week, the Hunan Provincial Commission for Discipline
Inspection of the CPC declared Luo was connected to "economic
irregularities involving huge amounts of money.?" It said that
the provincial People's Procuratorate has taken "tough measures"
against him.
Judicial departments have also begun to investigate the
case.
A low-key official, Luo was once regarded as upright by many,
reported China Youth Daily. He held the position of
secretary at a supervisory department and a concurrent post on the
Loudi Party Committee as deputy secretary.
Many officials in Loudi were shocked to learn Luo was in
custody. His driver reportedly said, "Luo is the cleanest leader
that I have ever seen."
But an anonymous official who was a coworker of Luo's was quoted
as saying that Luo just kept up a spotless public image. The
official said that Luo formed political cliques and faked
achievements.
According to Oriental Outlook, Luo once accepted a huge
bribe from a factory leader to send his child to study
overseas.
Meanwhile, Peng Jinyong, former secretary of the Changde City
Commission for Discipline Inspection of the CPC in Hunan, was
sentenced to 16 years in jail by the Yueyang Intermediate People's
Court earlier this month.
Peng, who was also deputy head of the city Party committee, was
accused of taking bribes, embezzlement and failure to account for
his personal wealth, said People's Daily.
The 58-year-old Peng, who also impressed many with his clean
image, was found to have accepted bribes and gifts on 18 occasions
between 1998 and 2003, totaling 615,600 yuan (US$74,400).
He also embezzled 155,000 yuan (US$19,000) using fake account
bills, according to People's Daily.
Peng told China Youth Daily that he will appeal to a
higher court.
Shao, a former researcher with the Chinese Academy of Social
Sciences, has been researching corruption for two decades. In an
article posted on the website of the People's Daily, he
suggested the government curb corruption through reforms.
"The leading official in a department is too powerful, and a
considerable number of them 'have problems,'"he wrote.
Public supervision should be strengthened, Shao believes, as
effective supervision can deter officials from corruption.
(China Daily July 22, 2004)