Society
He's honest about being honest
By Yu Ran (China Daily)
Updated: 2011-03-24 08:03
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 Zhang Xifei showing receipts of returned money, on March 18. [Zhang Yongfeng / for China Daily] |
SHANGHAI - One zealous government official in East China was so determined to show how clean he was, in a high-profile sort of way, that he made a show of returning bribes - on a local website.
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Zhang posted three receipts of money that had been mailed back to three companies, on a website he started and used as the commission's official one, on March 17.
Previously he posted three postal receipts of returned bribes, which he received earlier, on the website, along with an "honest declaration" letter, on Oct 17, 2010.
The returned money amounted to about 9,000 yuan ($1,370). The 42-year-old Zhang maintained he would continue to do this and that it had become a habit.
"I just want to tell those companies that tried to or will try to bribe me that I don't accept any money or gifts for handling their affairs. Hopefully, it will show other civil servants the right direction, as cases of corruption continue to be exposed," he said.
"Posting the receipts online is a good way to make bribers and other people understand that there are honest officials in China and there will be more of us to improve society and morality."
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Zhang did, however, draw the line in his actions: instead of exposing the names of the companies or people involved, he wrote things like "I don't accept bribes at work" or "I've sent the money back, please don't do this again" in the space where the name or address would appear on a receipt.
Zhang set up the website on his own in 2003 as an online way for local officials to release statements to the public. After that it served as the commission's official website until 2009, when the commission, which had changed its official name, opened a new website.
The homepage had a letter that let Zhang explain why he had opened the website and how he wanted to set an example for other officials.
"Although I am not a senior official, I meet with representatives of local companies in different industries and sometimes get money in a plain envelop along with official documents," said Zhang, who has been at his current post for only one year.
He also set up an online discussion group, called the "honest civil service officers", on an instant messaging service so people could share their experiences in dealing with corruption.
"Being honest, without a suggestion of corruption, is essential for government officials and I want to spread this positive message far and wide and publicly to other officials in the country," Zhang said.
Zhang's act has raised some eyebrows and some people have wondered whether Zhang was trying to make himself famous by showing off his honesty.
When he saw these doubts, Zhang said he did not give them any thought: "I have my own purpose in trying to attract the public's attention with the positive example of an honest official, and I've been successful in doing that."
He did say that some colleagues had offered their support during private talks but declined to make any comment on what he had done in public.
To some analysts, Zhang's behavior is one way to catch the public's attention, if there is a good purpose.
"We could see Zhang's behavior as one way to prove his honesty, but we can't know the actual purpose from his actions, which could be just showing off or getting other officials to do the right thing," was how Gu Xiaoming, a Fudan University sociologist, put it.
Gu went on to say that using the Internet to spread information should be thought out and done very carefully, especially in Zhang's case, because he needs to thoroughly consider the possible consequences of his behavior.
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