Hanoi: The Central Steering Committee for Prevention and Control of Corruption and Negative Phenomena convened its 25th meeting in Hanoi on February 1. The committee acknowledged the drastic efforts in combating corruption and negative phenomena throughout the previous year. Comprehensive results were achieved at both central and local levels, contributing significantly to Party building and rectification, political stability, socio-economic development, and strengthening public trust. Party committees and inspection commissions at all levels imposed disciplinary measures against 606 Party organisations and 24,162 Party members, up 12% from 2022. The Party Central Committee and its Inspection Commission, the Politburo and the Secretariat disciplined 19 officials under the management of the Politburo and the Secretariat, of whom six were disciplined for violations related to asset and income declaration for the first time. Since the term-beginning of the 13th National Party Congress, disciplinary actions ha ve been taken against 105 officials under the management of the Party Central Committee, including 22 members and former members of the Party Central Committee. Two-thirds of the disciplined Party members were penalised for misconduct during the previous term. Inspections and audits led to recommendations for handling financial matters amounting to nearly 219 trillion VND (1.2 billion USD), nearly tripling the figure from 2022. Administrative fines were proposed on 7,524 collectives and 7,944 individuals. Moreover, 660 cases showing signs of criminal offenses were transferred to investigation police agencies for legal proceedings, marking an annual increase compared to 2022. Throughout the year, legal proceedings were initiated against 4,523 cases involving 9,373 defendants nationwide, reflecting a yearly rise of 46% in cases related to corruption, economic crimes, and abuse of power. Notably, 13 new cases involving 54 defendants fell under the oversight of the steering committee. Assets worth over 234 tril lion VND were confiscated, sealed and reclaimed. Looking ahead, the steering committee will promulgate and enforce regulations concerning the moral standards of officials and Party members in the new period. Party committees, organisations, and competent agencies will continue refining institutions and laws related to socio-economic management, prevention and control of corruption and negative phenomena. A review of the five-year implementation of the Anti-Corruption Law 2018 and the Politburo's Directive on strengthening the Party leadership in protecting whistleblowers and those combating corruption, wastefulness and negative phenomena will also be conducted. They were assigned to adopt more concerted and effective measures in the inspection, supervision and auditing of sectors prone to corruption and negative phenomena. Conclusions related to wrongdoings at 34 cases under the purview of the steering committee, especially at Viet A and AIC companies, Van Thinh Phat Group and SCB Bank must be promptly iss ued. At the meeting, the steering committee decided to add two cases to its watch list. The first involves violations of regulations on research, exploration and exploitation of resources, accounting irregularities leading to severe consequences, and smuggling at Thai Duong Group JSC and Rare Earth Vietnam JSC, and related units. The second pertains to abuse of positions and power while performing official duties at the Ministry of Industry and Trade and in various localities./. Source: Vietnam News Agency