Officials on tenterhooks before cameras
(Beijing Today)
Updated: 2004-07-12 10:52

A program called "Building An Honest Government" produced by the local TV station of Hengshan, Hunan Province, made headlines around the country after it uncovere rather more than expected.

The program "Building An Honest Government"

On the program, which was broadcast every evening from April 1 to May 9 on Hengshan TV, around 40 top officials of the town talked about their determination and measures to guard against corruption.

Officials in the TV Hotseat

For the first time, the officials were asked about things like the monthly income of their families, what cars they drive, where their spouses work, where their children go to school, and even which brand of cigarettes they smoke.

Wen Wuqing, designer of the program

The program was thproduced by e Disciplin and Supervision secretary of the Committee of Hengshan. CCTV interviewed Wen Wuqing, vice ittee.

"People are interested in those details of officials' lives, such as whether they arranged for their spouses and children to get high positions or whether they live luxuriously," said Wen, and corruption can easily happen in these areasHe also told CCTV that after the program was broadcast, two officials were reported as being corrupt by local people, and the committee is now investigating into the cases.

Some of those officials told CCTV that it was fine to have their private life opened to the public, while others were less happy and said it was a violation of their privacy.

Wen Wuqing, vice secretary of the Discipline and Supervision Committee, Hengshan

We made the program to try to combine supervision from the media, people and administrative departments. I believe people have the right to know more about our officials. This is not just some kind of publicity stunt.

If people think that those officials were lying on TV, they can tell us, and if we do not respond, they can complain about us to superior administration departments.

Wang Xinguo, President of the Finance Bureau, Hengshan, who was interviewed by Hengshan TV on April 19

I could talk about my private life freely on TV, since I had nothing to hide. However, to be frank, I was not that willing to do so. If our officials held such a meeting, I would be more willing to talk about my life. But I really felt embarrassed to talk about it on TV and to the public, and people might think that you were not telling the truth.

Dong Weigang, a retired engineer

I think this kind of program can not have much practical effect. If those officials are honest, they would not be afraid of talking about their life, and it would be useless for people to know those things. If they are corrupt, how could anyone expect them to tell the truth?

Li Peide, a retired official

I know in some foreign countries, as a measure of preventing corruption, officials must reveal their incomes and salaries. However, in China, other than salary and allowances, many officials have undeclared incomes.

Some are legal, some are illegal, and some take advantage of the law and policies. It is hard to be defined even by professional supervision and auditing departments; how can we expect such a program to reveal real and serious corruption. The program is childish.

Zhang Guoqing, president of the School of Public Administration, Peking University

We know that there is a lot of bluffing in the apparent course of fighting against corruption in China. But I think this program is a genuine attempt. Maybe people can tell if those officials are hiding something. Anyway, facing the camera, they are sure to feel a certain kind of pressure.

Gao, an official of the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League of China

It is a tendency for officials to publicize some of their private things such as their income, and they have the responsibility to do so. However, doing that properly is a problem in China. I think it requires a more formal method, following a legal process. Maybe this kind of TV program is needed, but it should not be the only method.

Liu Yuyu, middle school student

I think the program is good, but it is not enough. It would be better to make it a kind of hotline program, so people can ask the officials questions directly. And if the TV station strapped a lie detector on the officials, the effect would be even better.

Li Kun, Dean of the School of Journalism and Communication, Peking University

Officials are in a high position, so they have the responsibility to tell the public their income and sacrifice some of their privacy. But there should be a regular method for this. Regulations should be made, and different classes of officials should have different kinds of supervision and different rights of privacy.

Also, I don't think supervision from the media should work in this way. It is better to let local supervision committees or audit bureaus check officials' balance sheets, and then for the media to report on it. People would be more convinced by that.

Zhang, a college lecturer on media law

As an official, the more power you have, the less privacy you should have. It is fair. And this program is not a violation of the officials' privacy. However, now China does not have a specific regulation on "right of privacy" in its civil law, and does not have specific law for news and media. The law lags behind the reality and therefore influences the ability of the media to fulfill its right of supervision of public affairs.

Mamun Mamirul Hossain, editor of Bangladesh, a Dhaka-based journal

The media in Bangladesh is quite free, so you can read almost everything about the government officials in newspapers. We are quite proud of this. The problem here is that the ruling parties and opposition attack each other so violently, and some journalists or newspapers or TV programs become so partisan that sometimes the readers find it hard to tell if the allegations are true or just rumors.

I do appreciate the freedom of speech of the media in our country, but look forward to a more accountable description of those officials, instead of misleading reports. Of course I believe the accountable stories and programs will help a lot to improve the transparency in Bangladesh.

Maria Michalczyk-Lillich, associate professor of Art and Design at Southwest Missouri State University, US

I think public officials should be as transparent as possible about their income and "gifts." If the official is elected to office by the people, and paid their salary by taxes from the people, then the people should know exactly how their money is being spent.

Being "public" official means knowingly taking a position where ons income and benefits will be scrutinized by the public. Those working for the public and being paid with public funds must expect that those they serve will expect to know how they are performing their duties, and if their income and benefits are in step with the majority of the population they represent.

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