Transparency lesson for local officials

ON FRIDAY, a video was spread online, showing two SUVs chasing wild antelopes in the Tibet autonomous region. Two days later, the local authorities said they had found those involved and fined them 105,000 yuan ($15,900). Beijing Youth Daily comments:

Actually, before announcing their final decision, the local authorities responded to public concerns by saying the suspects had already received their deserved penalty, without giving any details.

That response aroused fiercer public discussion, with many criticizing the authorities for not making a full disclosure of what punishments they had meted out. Antelopes are protected species, and the two SUVs that chased them had already driven into a protected area. They violated public interests and people have the right to know what penalties they received for doing so.