Vietnam deputy PM orders inquiry into bribes for government jobs claimLast Updated: Tuesday, December 18, 2012 05:50:00

A public service recruitment test in the Mekong Delta province of Ben Tre

Deputy Prime MinisterNguyen Xuan Phuchas ordered Hanoi authorities to look into an officials claim that to get a government job a candidate has to pay at least VND100 million (US$4,755) in bribes.Speaking at a ceremony in the city Monday, he said the statement by Tran Trong Duc, chairman of the city Party units Inspection Committee, needs to be investigated immediately since itcausedpublic and media consternation.At a Peoples Council session on December 7, Duc had said that it was impossible to pass a public service recruitment test in the capital without paying off people in charge of hiring.After that he refused to provide any further information for 10 days until he spoke toNguoi Lao Dongnewspaper and said he had evidence.Without providing details, he said heads of internal affairs at districts, who received applications, were involved in the bribery and would possibly come up against the might of the law if their wrongdoing was exposed.Hanoi authorities should start investigating to uncover corruption in the recruitment process, he said.He has denied facing any pressure since revealing the information.RELATED CONTENT

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Phan Dang Long, deputy chief of the Hanoi Party units propaganda department, told online newspaper Vietnamnet that Duc must have some basis for saying what he did since, beingin his position, he is unlikely to make unreasonable statements.The accusation will be investigatedas ordered by the deputy PM, he said.