Only one line of registrar is currently working in Vehicle Registration Centre 2906V. — Photo laodong.vn

HÀ NỘI — After the recent indictment and detainment of several vehicle registrars in Hà Nội, those still working are now facing intense scrutiny and public backlash. Negative perceptions still linger over their alleged wrongdoings.

A staff shortage has left the remaining registrars to shoulder an immense burden as they work tirelessly to address the mounting backlog of vehicles awaiting registration.

With so much pressure to perform, these registrars are working hard to restore confidence in the system and meet the demands of their constituents, Lao Động (Labour) reports.

At 6am, Nguyễn Tuấn Anh - an inspector at the Vehicle Registration Centre 2906V (Thanh Trì District, Hà Nội), issued a waiting ticket for a customer's vehicle inspection. 

Tuấn Anh is one of the suspects recently charged by the Ministry of Public Security's investigative agency concerning irregularities at this registration centre but was allowed to work while on bail.

As he inspected the vehicle's underside and entered data into the system with one hand, Tuấn Anh was under considerable stress due to the severe staffing crisis at the centre.

According to Tuấn Anh, the centre previously had 27 employees, including registrars and office staff, working across four production lines.

Seventeen people have been charged recently, including six who have been detained and 11 who have been banned from leaving their residences. Some registrars have been sent to support other centres, leaving only eight inspectors working there.

The registrars have been encouraging each other to work hard, making the most of their time to meet the needs of people, and ensuring technical safety and environmental protection in traffic.

"When the police searched the centre on January 9, myself and all the other registrars were worried because we had never encountered this situation before," Tuấn Anh said. "Even though I was allowed to work remotely, I still felt pressure from my family and sad for myself."

He also said that compared to sitting at home worrying, returning to work and serving people made him feel better and happier.

Given the negative news surrounding registrars across the country, Tuấn Anh has encouraged himself and his family to be selective with the news they read and to continue cooperating closely with the investigative agency to clarify the situation.

"I hope to be understood and empathised with the pressures we are currently facing," he said. "I also hope to support the registrars conducting vehicle inspections at the centre. In this regard, I advise vehicle owners to maintain and repair their vehicles properly and follow the registrars' instructions while queuing to avoid overcrowding and pushing, which can irritate vehicle owners.

"From a technical standpoint, the registrars are trying to perform inspections as quickly as possible according to regulations to serve the people in the current context of traffic congestion," he said.

A vehicle registrar from Inspection Centre 2906V opened up about his profession amidst the "tsunami" of charges sweeping through the industry.

He described the difficulties of working in a polluted, dusty environment with a meagre income and the pressure of public opinion.

Despite earning only VNĐ8 million (US$337), he has to work hard to support his family. The inspector also suffers from insomnia since being charged and avoids answering the phone or going online to avoid negative news about his profession.

He hopes people can empathise with the hardships faced by registrars.

"We can't justify our mistakes, but we hope people can have more empathy," said the registrar.

Nguyễn Xuân Trường, Deputy Director of Inspection Centre 2901V, said that he received words such as "Oh, you haven't been arrested yet?" as well as ill-tempered looks from his neighbours.

According to Trường, his centre resumed operations on February 15 with 17 staff members. After that, three people quit, leaving only four registrars to maintain one inspection line.

Since the centre resumed operations, it has encountered many difficulties regarding personnel and facilities.

Among them, four important computers were sealed by the police for investigation. The registrars are tired and stressed. However, they still try their best to complete their work.

Every day, they inspect about 70 vehicles by issuing paper tickets. The centre does not accept registrations by phone or app because priority is given to those who line up in person.

Nguyễn Đức Trung was also detained on January 9, but was released on bail after ten days. After contributing to the investigation, he was allowed to return to work at Inspection Center 2901V in Hà Nội.

Trung's family has been a great source of encouragement for him, and he said he was "fortunate to have his family by his side".

He wants to receive the lightest possible sentence because he asserted that he had done his job correctly and professionally in inspecting vehicles.

Trung said that although the vehicle inspection industry had gone through a crisis, if given a choice, he would still choose to work in this field. — VNS