Graft-buster rights wrongs at age 92

One-man campaign against corruption led to probe of provincial Party chief by CCDI

Yang Weijun is 92, yet he is as tough as nails when it comes to fighting corruption.

The former deputy head of Yunnan province's top political advisory body gained nationwide attention when a report he prepared eventually led to Bai Enpei, a former Party chief of the province, being placed under investigation.

The report was submitted to the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, the country's top anti-graft body.

Yang retired in 1993, but he kept a keen eye on Yunnan's development and often made suggestions to the provincial authorities.

In 2001, when Bai was appointed to serve as the provincial Party chief, Yang urged him to meet academics and experts to exchange ideas and information about the province.

"Bai gave me a nod, but there was no meeting," Yang said. "I reminded him twice later, he just said 'OK' and never made it happen."

In the years that followed, Yang publicly opposed the "speedy development" strategy implemented by Bai, but his suggestions were again ignored.

In 2008, Yang learned that lead-zinc ore reserves in the province worth an estimated 500 billion yuan ($81 billion) were sold cheaply to a tycoon, who acquired 60 percent of the equity by paying just 1 billion yuan. Bai gave the green light to the deal.

Yang compiled a report about the transaction and handed it to a visiting inspection team from the CCDI. The inspectors urged the provincial government to step up its supervision of the development of mining resources.

After the incident, Bai called Yang "a guy who will bite anyone".

In 2010, Yang made headlines by using his government-issued car to head a convoy of villagers' vans, allowing the villagers to drive to the provincial government building to present a petition over a disputed land acquisition.

Several journalists who interviewed Yang suggested that he should set up a blog to let more people know about the case.

Yang, who knew nothing about the Internet, had to write out what he wanted to say on a piece of paper and ask staff at a local print store to help him publish it online.

The blog, called Speak Straightforwardly, soon attracted a large number of followers.

In August 2013, Yang posted an article titled "An open letter to Wang Qishan" (the CCDI chief) in which he raised a string of issues, including the lead-zinc ore deal and the land acquisition concerns.

In August, the CCDI announced that Bai had been placed under investigation for alleged corruption.

Yang said he was under tremendous pressure throughout his fight with Bai. He once received an anonymous letter telling him to be careful, and a provincial government official asked Yang to keep his mouth shut when it became known that he had contacted the CCDI.

"My nature is that I cannot tolerate injustice," he said. "Wrongs, no matter who has committed them, must be righted.

"The battle against corruption has become more complicated because corrupt officials sometimes form cliques. I work single-handedly, but I'm expecting more people to join the fight."

Liu Wenwen and Sun Li contributed to this story.

liyingqing@chinadaily.com.cn