Official deserves stricter penalty

The administrative punishment given to the head of a local power station in Henan province for ordering his subordinate to sever electricity supply to a KTV bar with whose manager he had a quarrel and thus caused a blackout in the entire area, is not enough for the abuse of power. A thorough probe should be launched to determine the proper extent of the punishment he deserves, says an article on www.huanqiu.com. Excerpts:

Yang Shusen, the head of a power station in Qixian county in Henan had gone to the KTV bar with some friends during working hours to have some drinks and had a quarrel with the bar manager. After threatening the manager that he would demonstrate the "power of the 'power tiger'", he called a subordinate at the power station and ordered him to cut off the electricity supply to the area for "emergency overhaul".

After an investigation into the incident was completed, officials declared that Yang had been removed from his post, his bonus for six months scrapped, and serious demerit points were registered in his personal file.

But the punitive measures are not enough for the blatant abuse of power by Yang, because the investigation didn't take into consideration his violation of State laws. By starting a brawl in a KTV bar, a public place, during working hours, Yang not only disturbed the normal social order, but also seriously compromised public interest by ordering the severing of power supply to the bar and its neighboring households.

By abusing his powers for personal vengeance, Yang violated the internal management norms of the power station as well as broke State laws, for which he should receive stricter punishment. After the investigation by a higher department, the relevant judicial authorities should also start procedures for a judicial probe into the case.