Hanoi - Vietnam on Thursday launched a special website for citizens to report cases of corruption with the click of a mouse, an official said. The site at www.chongthamnhung.thanhtra.gov.vn is part of the government's avowed campaign to fight rampant corruption that the Communist Party views as a threat to its very survival.
"The website is one of the efforts to push the anti-corruption movement ahead," said Ha Trong Cong, office director of the Government Inspection Agency.
"The website provides information related to corruption and is also a portal for people, businesses and agencies to exchange legal information on corruption and to denounce activities of corruption to relevant agencies," he said.
The site has sections explaining what constitutes corruption and provides a form to send complaints to specific agencies, including major municipalities, the National Assembly and even the Communist Party Central Committee.
Complainants must provide their names, email address and telephone numbers - anonymous complaints are not accepted, Cong said.
The website also reports on cases of graft uncovered: So far this year, there have been 3,589 inspections that found violations worth 92.2 million dollars and 513 hectares of illegally confiscated land.
Corruption is rampant in Vietnam as the country in transition from a command economy to free-market reforms has been showered with investment money.
The Communist Party itself listed fighting corruption as one of the most serious threats to its continued rule during last year's party congress, and Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, installed by the party last year, has promoted anti-graft campaigns as one of his signature issues.
A survey in late 2005 showed up to 80 per cent of Vietnamese people believe the government is corrupt and 30 per cent of officials themselves admitted that they would take a bribe if offered.
