Survey shows corruption is commonplace in Vietnam

In a recent survey conducted jointly by the Government Inspectorate, the Central Steering Committee for anti-corruption and the World Bank in Vietnam, the extent of corruption among traffic police, in schools, within the health system, and land management offices was glaring and very apparent.

In a recent survey conducted jointly by the Government Inspectorate, the Central Steering Committee for anti-corruption and the World Bank in Vietnam, the extent of corruption among traffic police, in schools, within the health system, and land management offices was glaring and very apparent. 

The report of the survey titled ‘Corruption from the Perspective of Citizens, Enterprises and Public Officials’, was announced on November 20. 

This all important sociological survey involved about 2600 citizens, 1000 businesses, and 1800 public servants. The findings will help policy makers prevent corruption in Vietnam.

The survey showed that 44 percent of employees in state-run companies are involved in corrupt practices and 44 percent enterprises and 28 percent citizens pay an unofficial fee to the traffic police, schools, health system, and land management offices.

Corruption among traffic police and land management offices was seen as commonplace.

The survey also stated that enterprises and residents have to offer bribes because state-employees create barriers and obstacles like delay in work or projects. More than 63 percent enterprises said that the unofficial fee helps in achieving results.

Victoria Kwakwa, Country Director of the World Bank in Vietnam, said the report that the Government Inspectorate and the World Bank are presenting shines a light on the existing corruption in the country. 

Trying to address challenges such as traffic safety, education, health, and environmental degradation--all of which cause much concern in people--without also addressing issues of corruption that undermine the efficiency of these systems is like trying to grow trees while ignoring that disease can destroy the very roots of the trees, she said.

Ms. Kwakwa concluded by saying that districts and provinces that fully implement policies such as entitlements, transfer of officials, and better administrative reforms, also have lower levels of corruption. 

Therefore establishing mechanisms to ensure that these policies are all fully implemented and applied would certainly help in reducing corruption nationwide, she added.

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