Blackout calls for grassroots anti-graft drive

After assuming office in late 2012, the Party leadership launched a strict anti-corruption and anti-extravagance campaign to build a clean and thrifty Party and government.

The campaign has succeeded in bringing down quite a few "tigers" (high-ranking corrupt officials) along with many "flies" (lower-ranking corrupt officials). The downfall of one senior official after another for violating Party discipline or the country's laws not only reflects the top leadership's determination to promote clean governance, but also has enhanced public confidence in the Party and government.

However, many believe that along with the efforts to combat corruption at the higher and middle levels, the authorities should also launch a crackdown on grassroots corruption and malpractices, which are more directly related to public welfare and the image of the Party and government.

By drinking during working hours and abusing his power to "teach a lesson" to the KTV bar employees, Wang has violated Party discipline and State laws. And there is reason to believe he is not the only grassroots official to do so; there are many other officials of his ilk.

Therefore, to ensure an end to such practices, the authorities have to launch a campaign to cleanse the bureaucracy at the grassroots level.

The author is a senior writer with China Daily. wuyixue@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 11/08/2014 page4)