Editorials

Tougher fight assured

(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-05-10 07:53

The battle to curb corruption in official appointments promises to be tougher this time round.

The Communist Party of China's overseer of organizational affairs has vowed to "fight with the utmost resolve" to root out the trade in official positions, especially at the highest levels.

Dishonest gains from such activity have become rampant and all pervasive. Key appointments carry unofficial price tags and are being doled out to those topping the bids.

Together with nepotism, this has eroded the Party's, as well as the government's credibility. It has also undermined efforts to deliver the kind of clean governance that they had always promised.

This is good news for the CPC - top leaders are now concerned enough to take note of the worrisome development. The brewing issue has the potential to affect the legitimacy and credibility of its leadership.

The CPC Minister of Organization Li Yuanchao was right to highlight this scourge, calling it a "persistent sense of crisis."

As he pointed out, public confidence is "fragile" - easy to lose, but tougher to regain.

The authorities have pledged tighter supervision over such appointments. They have also promised to keep the public informed, let them participate in, and support such oversight.

Severe punishment will be meted out to those found hawking as well as those currying favor for such public positions, they have said.

The authorities seem to be aware that the problem lies in the system. That is the reason why they have assured that the practice would be stamped out from the system itself.

And, that is precisely how the rectification process should begin. A fundamental change in the manner in which officials are selected is the only way out of the morass.

(China Daily 05/10/2010 page8)