The Transport Ministry has ordered 10 of its officials to present written accounts of their involvement in the early stages of the Hanoi city urban railway construction project (Line 1), which has become mired in controversy and bribery allegations.
The figures under investigation include seven working officials and three retirees, according to a ministry statement issued on March 26.
Among them are acting General Director of the Vietnam Road Administration Nguyen Duc Thang and former Transport Deputy Minister Le Manh Hung.
The move came after a Japanese newspaper reported an investigation into a Tokyo-based railway consultant firm that admitted to paying 80 million JPY (about 780,000 USD) to win a 41 million USD contract in Vietnam, funded by the Japanese Government's official development assistance (ODA).
The accused company, the Japan Transportation Consultants, Inc (JTC), was selected to work on the project, the ministry confirmed.
In the March 20 article, JTC President Tamio Kakinuma admitted to paying "kickbacks" to foreign civil servants in Vietnam, Indonesia and Uzbekistan in return for orders for five ODA projects.
Starting in 2008, the nine-year project is to build the Ngoc Hoi – Yen Vien sky train system at a cost of over 19.4 trillion VND (920 million USD), nearly 14 trillion (660 million USD) of which is sourced from the Japan International Cooperation Agency.
Other News
- Hanoi digitizes public transport ticketing
- A new lease on life for Hanoi's community library system
- Gen-Z workers driven by career advancement and work environment
- Wide range of World Water Day 2024 activities in Vietnam
- Hanoi police fine street vendors for overcharging foreign tourists
- USAID launches US$3 million project to protect Vietnam's natural habitat
- Hanoi to improve children's legal knowledge
- Hanoi celebrates Vietnam Book and Reading Culture Day 2024
- Hanoi's gift and flower market gets a boost on International Women's Day
- Hanoi outlines plan for consumer demand stimulus program
Trending
-
Where do Vietnamese prefer to go for their next holiday?
-
Vietnam news in brief - April 18
-
Vietnam win first match of Asian U23 tournament
-
Colorful stage shows in Hoan Kiem Lake pedestrian area
-
It happened as it had to happen
-
Hanoi street where dead appliances come back to life
-
Vietnam’s economy urged to rely on internal strengths to weather global uncertainties: ADB
-
Vietnam, Thailand advance realization of “Three Connections” strategy
-
MICHELIN Guide sets its sights on Vietnam’s central region