The fire of a 9-storey mini apartment building in Khuong Dinh ward, Thanh Xuan district, Hanoi, on the night of September 13, resulted in the tragic deaths of 56 people, including families with no survivors. That deeply moved communities across the country.
Immediately, many people, including all different backgrounds, joined together to donate to the support fund for the victims’ families. In just a short time, the whole country’s community has contributed more than VND110 billion ($4.8 million), with the hope that this money will quickly be transferred to the victims’ families, to contribute to reducing losses.
Yet, until now, at the end of October 2023, social networks were “startled” to learn that the above amount of more than VND110 billion was still “unmoved” sleeping in the bank. And of course, bank deposits will earn interest.
It is worth mentioning that the incident only “broke” when one of the fire victims became upset and spoke up on social networks, and immediately, the press got involved.
Dan Tri newspaper on October 27 reported “Hanoi will have a plan with VND110 billion to support victims of mini apartment fire.” Specifically, informing the press on October 27, Chairwoman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee in Hanoi Nguyen Lan Huong said that as of the end of September, the total amount of money received by the Fatherland Front All levels of the city was VND112 billion from organizations, groups and individuals to support victims of the mini apartment fire. Of which, the units paid about VND6 billion for emergency support activities, helping victims initially stabilize.
According to the representative of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee in Hanoi, “Thanh Xuan District Fatherland Front is planning to ask for opinions from the city’s departments on the allocation of this money.”
Obviously, the amount of more than VND100 billion is money donated by the community to the victims, not money from the Fatherland Front. Why do they have to ask for advice from superiors and then “soak the money” in the bank? Then they used the excuse that they were still “making plans” which was not only too late, but also a sign of profiteering.
Social networks see that the so-called Vietnam Fatherland Front at all levels is a place that regularly calls and mobilizes people to donate money and support. But this is also an organization that specializes in soaking up and then “sucking up” donated money when given the opportunity, at least the interest is deposited in the bank. Funds donated to victims of the mini apartment fire in Thanh Xuan district, Hanoi, once again prove that.
The idiom, “don’t tie your shoelaces when walking through a melon field“, means that whatever you do must be open, transparent and auditable. Why, after more than a month, the Hanoi Fatherland Front still does not inform the community about the amount of money supporting the fire victims that has not been paid, with specific reasons for the community to know? But we have to wait until the press investigates to explain?
As a reminder, this amount of more than VND100 billion comes from benefactors helping the victims of the mini apartment fire in Hanoi, not from the Hanoi government.
Public opinion also questions that if that amount of more than VND100 billion is deposited in the bank, how much interest will it receive each month, and will that amount of interest be included in the amount of money donated by benefactors? or not?
The lesson of donors’ donations in the 2020 flood relief case is still there, when comedian Hoai Linh “forgot” VND14 billion and was discovered after many months. I wonder if the Hanoi Fatherland Front will follow Hoai Linh’s mistakes or not?
Most recently, state media reported that the Vietnam Fatherland Front said that this organization currently has VND932 billion left in the COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control fund, mobilized from social resources, and requested the Central Government gives opinions on the use of this fund.
Immediately, public opinion asked the question, why did the Vietnam Fatherland Front “soak” nearly a trillion of dong in support during the Covid-19 epidemic for so long, for what purpose? Is it because the scandal of donating money to the victims of the mini apartment fire was revealed, and they were afraid of causing trouble, so they quickly confessed?
Public opinion also wants to ask about the amount of money that the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front raised during the Covid-19 pandemic, up to VND15 trillion, how it was collected and spent, why hasn’t been publicized?
Thoibao.de (Translated)
