Major General Lê Văn Cương speaks to the Hải Quan (Customs) newspaper about the role of social media in Việt Nam.

Do you have any comments on why many “hot issues” that have attracted attention from State management agencies often come from the social media?

Though we have not got any official statistics, most of major cases which have been handled by government agencies came from social media.

In my opinion, this reflects two messages. First, the State management agencies, like those of environment, construction, transport and people’s daily life, are rather bureaucratic in their operation. That’s why up to 70-80 per cent of corruption cases were uncovered by the media.

For the case of the 8B Lê Trực highrise which is close to the historic Ba Đình Square with one floor more than what it had been approved. But ironically speaking, the adding floor has a height of 15m (it is equal to the height five floors).  

It only came to light when the story appeared in the social media. And finally, the owner of the 8B Lê Trực building had to remove the adding floor.

The second message that I want to say is the important role played by the social media in informing their readership of what is happening in the society. In addition, the social media is a good channel for the government agencies to consult with.

Don’t you think that the social media is a good source for government agencies to consult with in their daily management affairs?

I can’t agree more! What has been reflected in the social media is a mirror for concerned government officers and officials to look at themselves on their job performance.

In other words, the social media has placed an objective demand for government agencies to improve their professional skills and serve as “the true people’s servants”.

Everyone agrees that the social media has some positive impacts on the work performance of Government officers and officials. But what should Government agencies utilise and manage the social media for their day to day assigned missions?

Generally speaking, comments or suggestions carried in the social media outlets are aimed to add more voices to make our society to develop healthily. In my opinion, Government agencies should consider the social media as useful channels to receive positive/negative inputs from the general public.

The social media is just like a coin that has two faces. The social media itself has no negative phenomena. But people using it may abuse it for their own intention. That’s why, in my own opinion, a certain functional agency should be assigned to oversee its operation. This has been practice in many countries already.

It is undeniable that the social media has played a role of connecting people from all the continents and provided its readers with information to their wanting. However, certain people have missed use it for their own purposes.

In Việt Nam, the social media is an effective information screening. It helps the Government improve its performance and know what policies have been effective or not effective.

In addition, the social media has contributed to making the society more healthy and helping the Government to perform their functions better. — VNS