Bund officials broke rules

Shanghai police officers stand guard at Nanjing East Road in the Bund on Saturday night, site of the tragic stampede on New Year's Eve that claimed 36 lives. The accident occurred Wednesday night as tens of thousands of revellers assembled in Shanghai's historic riverfront walk to watch a New Year skyline show in the Pudong financial area opposite of Huangpu River.[Photo/IC]

At the time of the deadly stampede on the Bund in Shanghai which killed 36 and injured another 49, on New Year's Eve, several bureaucrats in charge of the zone were reportedly dining in a luxurious restaurant where they could pay the bills with public money. Comments:

Several bureaucrats have blamed the media for reporting their dining, saying it had nothing to do with the stampede. The bureaucrats forget that such luxurious dining at public expense is also a severe violation of the Party and government's rules and they should be held accountable for their misbehavior.

northnews.cn, Jan 14

The luxurious dining might not have been the direct cause of the stampede, but when officials spend their time and public money on luxurious personal consumption, how can they bear the people's safety in mind? The public's request for deeper probe into the incident shows people want a more transparent public spending system and local authorities should respond to the call.

cnhubei.com, Jan 14

Two probes, one into the possible negligence of the officials concerned and the other into luxurious spending using public funds, are taking place. The investigators should bear in mind that the two should be conducted separately, and any officials found to have broken any rules in either case should be held accountable.

Changsha Evening News, Jan 14