Prominent parliamentary self-nominee shares thoughts on failure

By Doan Loan, Kim Thuy   April 17, 2016 | 04:26 pm PT
Prominent parliamentary self-nominee shares thoughts on failure
Tran Dang Tuan. Photo: Nhat Minh
Tran Dang Tuan, a prominent parliamentary self-nominee, talked to VnExpress about his failure to reach the final list to become a National Assembly deputy, saying that he was not surprised and did not mind that much about the result.

Tuan realized early that the majority of self-nominees were out of the race, and he would not pass the third consultation round. “I do not have any comment and I do not mind about the reasons why a majority of 83 attendant voters at the consultation did not vote for me,” Tuan said.

According to the current election law, they have the right to do that, he added.

Tuan is among 46 self-nomindated NA candidates who failed to pass the third consultation round held by the Vietnam Fatherland Front, the organization that oversees the selection process

95 percent of self-nominated candidates from Hanoi have failed to reach the final list of candidates to become National Assembly deputies as over half of them couldn’t get over 50 percent in vote of confidence from local voters. The pool of 48 self-nominated NA candidates in Hanoi dwindled to two nominees left as the majority couldn’t get past all three consultation rounds held by the Vietnam Fatherland Front.

Four out of 25 parliamentary self-nominees were included in the final list of 175 qualified candidates in HCM City bidding to become National Assembly deputies.

Vietnam is in the process of selecting 500 members for its NA for the 2016–2021 term. The final list of official candidates is expected to be announced later this month and the general election is scheduled to be held on May 22. Results of the election are expected to be released on June 11.

Talking about the next election, Tuan said whether he would continue to run as indpendent candidate would depend on his health and voter confidence in the future.

Tuan revealed on his Facebook page that he had prepared a plan to contribute to the development of the country if elected, focusing on food safety, efficient support for poor regions, protecting vulnerable groups in this period of economic development and promoting a bigger role for newspapers.

He said he felt a little disappointed that he could not “have the opportunity that a NA member could have” to complete just a small part of his plan.

However, he believes that he can still contribute to society as a good citizen. “If I were a National Assembly member, I could be in a better setting to do rightful and useful activities for the public in a more efficient way."

Tran Dang Tuan, 59, comes from the northern province of Nam Dinh. He holds a PhD in Television. He worked for Vietnam Television for 20 years, where he was deputy general director.

In 2010, he was one of the few people to ever resign from the position, which is considered equal to a deputy minister in Vietnam. At that time, Tuan told VnExpress: “At my age, money and power are not attractive anymore. The thing I want is to experience what I have missed for the past decades.”

Tuan went on to become a director of a private television company.

In recent years, Tuan has become known to the public as founder of a popular charity program named: “Meals have meat”, that has helped hundreds of children from mountainous areas.

 
 
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