Vietnamese official encourages citizens, media to film traffic offenses committed by law enforcers   A traffic police officer is seen investigating a road accident that happened in Dong Nai Province.Tuoi Tre Authorities in the southern province of Dong Nai have urged local people and media to record and submit video footage of traffic offenses committed by officials in order to support the penalization of violating individuals. Tran Van Tu, chairman of the Dong Nai People’s Council, told Tuoi Tre(Youth) newspaper on Saturday that he had recommended journalists, newspapers and citizens to report all activities against traffic regulations conducted by law enforcement officers as it is unacceptable for them to commit such acts. People are also encouraged to record footage of all members of the community who violate the law to create fairness and consistency in the implementation of traffic rules, Chairman Tu added. Besides being praised for setting good examples for the public, officials – especially traffic cops and inspectors – should also be criticized for their wrongdoing in order to improve the entire society, he asserted. He also directed his questions toward leaders of the Dong Nai People’s Committee about why they did not impose any punishment on law-breaking officials who had been denounced, and ordered that individuals responsible for the wrong appraisal of the officials be disciplined. Colonel Duong Thanh Hai, head of traffic police under the Dong Nai Department of Police, expressed his support for the chairman’s decision. “Our unit has always focused on improving and disciplining officers, as well as received the people’s feedback on those officers taking unlawful actions to penalize and set good examples in the community,” Col. Hai said. The decision was also backed by journalist Bui Phu, head of Giao Thong (Traffic) newspaper’s representative office in southern Vietnam, who has exposed several wrongdoings of traffic police. However, there is still concern over how punishment will be inflicted upon individuals responsible and whether the decisions will be publicized, according to Phu. As long as the press and people fairly and accurately report all illegal cases, competent agencies will use the evidence as the foundation for sternly penalizing the offenders in accordance with the law, Chairman Tu underlined. TUOI TRE NEWS