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MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING

MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

NATIONAL ACADEMY OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

NGUYỄN THỊ MAI THOA

SUPERVISORY ACITIVITY
OF NATIONAL ASSEMBLY DEPUTIES IN VIETNAM
Major: Public management
Code: 62 34 04 03

PHD THESIS ON PUBLIC MANAGEMENT SUMMARY

HA NOI, 2017
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INTRODUCTION
1. The thesis’s urgency.
The National Assembly is the highest-level representative organ of the
People, organ of the highest state power of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
At the present, the National Assembly is acting in three areas, including:
legislation, supreme supervision andfundermental decision on the country’s
issue in manner of increasingly democratic, practical and more effective.

5.1. Methodology: The thesis’s methodology is Marxism-Leninism and Ho
Chi Minh Thought; economic, politic, state managementtheories; the Party's
viewpoints and plan on socio-economic development and the renewal of
political system in the transitional period to socialism; Renovation of
organization and operation of the National Assembly, organs of the National
Assembly and the National Assembly deputies.
5.2. Research method
- Document study: collect, gather, analyze information and data on research
objects and within scope of research. The method is conducted when Chapter 1,
Chapter 2, Chapter 3 of the thesis are studied.
- Practical survey method: PhD student has combined qualitative and
quantitative research with sociological investigations to collect necessary
information on study issues. Opinions of National Assembly deputies (tenure
XIII) on the contents has been got. The methodology is mainly presented in
Chapter 3, as a practical basis for assessing the strengths, limitations and causes
of the current situation on supervisory activities of National Assembly Deputies.
- Typical case study: some cases, specific practice on supervisory activities
of National Assembly Deputies, for instance.
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- Predictive research method: is presented in Chapter 4 of the thesis to
propose viewpoints and solutions to enhance supervisory activities of National
Assembly deputies in coming time.
5. New contributions
Theorically, the thesis has systematically discussed theoretical issues of
supervisory activities of National Assembly Deputies, in which concepts,

assess practice and proposed recommendations for the thesis.
In our nation, previous researches have highlighted and clarified some issues
that the Ph.D. Student can inherit, namely, the legal status of supervisory
activities, role of National Assembly deputies, the general concept of
supervisory activity of National Assembly, legislative mechanism of supervisory
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activity, some comments, and evaluation on the questionnaires to National
Assembly Deputy; solution for completing, enhancing specialized activities of
National Assembly Deputy and improving guarantee condition of supervisory
activities of National Assembly deputy in the field. However, regarding
supervisory activities of National Assembly deputy, these previous study,
authors didn’t concern capacity of National Assembly deputy such as:
qualification, prestige, skill, motivation of the supervisory activities; didn’t
analyze basic political background to create the political will for National
Assembly Deputy in the supervisory activity; didn’t compare achievements and
limitations in supervisory activities of different deputies and not propose
comprehensive solutions for the most important things to ensure the supervisory
activities of National Assembly Deputy: legal foundation- politic willsubjective capacity so that National Assembly Deputy could supervise
effectively.
1.2. Research issues
Firstly, the dissertation is studying in depth, analyze the concept and
characteristics of supervisory activities of NA Deputies; purpose, significance of
supervisory activities in public administration, state power control and
representative role of the NA Deputies.
Secondly, the dissertation is going to study and assess the actual situation of

interests of citizens and ensure the feasibility of policies, law issued by the
National Assembly. The supervisionright of the NA Deputy is concretized by
supervisory activities. It is the National Assembly Deputies that raise question,
supervise law document, execution of law in the locality and settlement of
complaints, denunciations and petitions of citizens to follow up, review,
assesment of those duties for supervised subjects.
2.1.2. Characteristics of supervisory activities of National Assembly
deputies
The supervisory activity of NA Deputies has some following
characteristics: it is implemented by only competent individual subjects under
National Assembly’s structure; be powerful activity of the State; with large
scope and supervision subjects and the supervisory activities of National
Assembly Deputy is reaching to politic duty other than legal duty.
2.1.3. Meaning of supervisory activity of National Assembly Deputy.
- Supervision to excercise representative role: National Assembly Deputy
conducts supervision activities because of request, pressure from voters' will and
desire to protect their legitimate rights and interests of voters, as well as meet
requirements of voter who elects us.
- Supervision to contribute State power control: as a supervising subject,
National Assembly Deputy attends to monitor, review and check excercising
power of State agencies to ensure that the agencies’authority are controlled
within the constitutional framework.
- Supervision to contribute to public administration:National Assemby
Deputy monitors, reviews, assesses activities of administrative individual,
organizations to detect, prevent adverse action againts Law ofState
administrative agencies, State officials and civil servants aiming at perfecting
the State administration, legal control, guarantee and discipline in public
administration.
- Supervision to supplement the legislature: Through the supervisory
activity, National Assembly Deputy collects support information for legislative

-Parliamentarians' supervisory activity in some countries in the world:
Questioning and supervising settlement of complaints and denunciations of
voters are main supervision of parliamentarians in countries. In particular,
supervising settlement of complaints and denouncement of voters is often
regarded as an activity to exercise representative role of parliamentarians and
they seriously concern, spend their own time and energy to perform.
Interpellation acitivity is divided into a number of specific forms: interpellation,
question-and-answer, pre-set question, surprising question, hearing, written
questions...
- As a reference for Vietnam: diversify forms of contact with voters to
collect voters' opinions and aspirations, help voters exercise their rights to make
complaints and denunciations; Parliamentarians will be staffed with great help
and effective use of the media in the supervisory activity; In order to avoid
conflict of interest in the supervisory activity, countries don't let parliamentarian
in cum of positions in the executive or judicial apparatus or state budget owned
enterprises.
Chapter 3:
STATUS OF SUPERVISORY ACTIVITY AND GUARANTEE FOR
SUPERSIORY ACTIVITIES OF NA DEPUTIES.
3.1. Status of supervisory activity of National Assembly Deputies.
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3.1.1. Interpellation activity
Interpellation is a key supervisory activity exercised by the National
Assembly's Deputy as the name of independent supervisory subjects. At present,
number of questions from National Assembly deputy is increasing in meeting

meeting of National Assembly Standing Committee.
3.1.2. Supervisory activity in law document
Supervisory activity in law document of National Assembly Deputy is
considered to be separate supervisory activity in law (such as: interpellation
activity, supervise settlement of complaints, denunciations of voters etc.), is
rarely organized independently and regularly but rather together with another
supervisory activities or connect to other supervisory activity. Even when
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National Assembly deputies participate in supervising law document with other
subjects (members of the delegation of NA Deputy, NA's committees, the
National Assembly Standing Committee), which is also not a regular and
effective activity.
3.1.3. Supervisory activity in law implementation
NA's Deputies have not been active in developing and deploying the
supervisory activity program forlaw implementation in the locality. When it is
implemented, this activity coincides with the supervisory scope, contents, forms
with those by delegation of NA Deputies, People's Councils and Deputy of
People's Councils at all levels. In addition, Law just stipulates its jurisdiction but
no measures to help National Assembly Deputy exercise their powers more
effectively and favorably.
3.1.4. Supervisory activity in settlement of complaints, denunciations and
petitions of citizens
At present, majority of National Assembly Deputy has only forwarded the
application and sent the letter to urge the settlement, while the following up at
the end of that issue is less done. In addition, the way to carry out the

National Assembly Deputies: Firstly, election regime has had a great impact on
establishment of political positions of National Assembly Deputies. By
establishing a "hard" structure, the National Assembly component, the electoral
campaign is kind of procedures, making elected deputies depend much on
voters, which fails to create social motivation and pressure to the supervisory
activity for the sake of voters; voters also aren’t in condition to understand and
select talented deputies as their representative. Even election administration unit
-based classification has some certain benefits for election, NA Deputies seem to
represent for locality’s benefit instead of nation’s in supervisory activities.
Secondly, leadership of the Party sometimes isn’t still flexible with issues
related to senior personnel after supervisory and interpellation activity. National
Assembly is organized unprofessionally (about 70% of National Assembly’s
Deputies is concurrent ones and many of them are working for administrative
agencies, specialized and justice bodies, so they are facing to many difficulties
in exercising their full right in supervisory activity). “Duality” position which is
both supervisory subject and supervisory object, restrict independent position of
Deputies, making National Assembly Deputies not be in political position
corresponding to legal position under law in supervisory activity. Thirdly,
National Assembly Deputies have not yet recognized privilege of their speeches,
so they still hesitate to express their opinions in protecting voters’ interest in
case of minority opinions.
3.2.2. Guarantee on legality:
Current provisions on supervisory activities of National Assembly Deputies
are basically institutionalized the Party’s views on the promotion of
representative democracy, organization renovation and mode of operation of the
National Assembly in the process of developing and finishing rule of law based
country, in particular Constitution 2013 which inherited advanced, superior
provisions in previous ones,its contents on supervisory authority and supervisory
procedures of National Assembly’s deputies are quite sufficient. The document
system is presented in relatively consistent and uniform manner in

National Assembly, including the supervisory procedure. Many National
Assembly Deputies lack supervision skills, especially the first half of the term
for Deputies who join the National Assembly in the first time. Besides, many
NA Deputies have not built their image and prestige in the front of voters
because their supervisory activities are not effective, because of breach of
dismissal law... Only qualification and skill for effective supervision, the NA
Deputies can have the trust, authorization from the People to communicate their
wills and desires.
Chapter 4: POINT OF VIEW AND SOLUTION TO ENHANCE
SUPERVISORY ACTIVITES OF NA DEPUTIES.
4.1. Point of view of NA Deputies in supervisory activity
- Improving supervisory activities of NA Deputies is complied with the
Party’s point of view which is completing the socialist rule-of-law state and Ho
Chi Minh's thought in building the state of the people, by the people and for the
people. Specially point of view “completing NA election regime to select and
vote really typical persons joining to NA; “improving operation quality of NA
Deputies” and building NA of Vietnam to gather great power of the great
national unity block which is the constitutional and legislative body the country
to exercise democracy so that all levels of People can participate in the country
management.
- Improving supervisory activities of NA Deputies must be complied with
international point of view in building a democracy and effective supervision
National Assembly. Our National Assembly of Vietnam is increasingly
improved in line with the general principle, norms of parliaments in countries to
operate more and more democratically and effectively. In the general context,
the supervisory activities of NA Deputies need to be more scientifically,
professionally exercised, and more substantive to transparency and
democratization of all activities of state agencies.
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needs to lead from internal National Assembly. The National Assembly party
delegation should be given absolute authority to act the Party to direct
organization and operation of the National Assembly. At the same time, number
of Party members in the National Assembly should be considers for more
reasonable numbers, number of non-party members in National Assembly
should be increased in order that number of deputies who are party members
always occupy the majority to institutionalize the party’s policy and path into
the State law and highly supervise all activities of state agencies, but not
necessarily the absolute majority.
4.2.1.2. Renovate election mechanism of the National Assembly’s deputiesIt
is necessary to change concept of representative ability to have more appropriate
policy for determining the component and structure of NA Deputies and to
select qualified Deputies who are passionate for NA’s activities; increase the
number of delegates introduced by the central government in order to solve
interest conflict between the central and local in the supervisory activity.
Improve dependence on voters in elections as to create motivation and social
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pressure on the NA's deputies in the supervisory activities, thus helping the NA
Deputies to better understand their role of representation and clearer orientation
of supervision for the purpose of voter interest.
4.2.1.3. Reform concurrent regime of National Assembly: the concurrent
regime of NA’s Deputies need to solve interest conflictsof overlapping
relationships between the supervisory subjects and supervisory objects. It is not
appropriate to letparliamentarians in cum positions in the administrative and
judicial apparatus, state budget owned enterprises, encourage specialists to work

citizens: It is necessary to diversify forms to contact with voters in order to
collect their opinions and proposals; strictly adhere to the process of receiving,
handling and responding to petitions, letters of people; accompany with people
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until the case is resolved properly under law; effectively use public opinion,
media, television and social networks for the supervisory activity.
- Supervising law enforcement in locality: it is proposed that supervising
law enforcement in locality shouldn’t be considered as independent supervision
that NA Deputies only combine with implementation of other supervisory
activity.
4.2.3. Solutions on improving capacity of NA Deputies.
4.2.3.1. Improving qualification of NA Deputies:qualification of NA
Deputies, including the educational qualification (professional qualifications)
and knowledge of parliament, institutional principles… should be improved
from input source of NA Deputy and trained by training and communication
programs suitable for different subjects.
4.2.3.2. Improving the prestige of the NA Deputies: In addition to
improving the deputies’ qualification, NA Deputies must do very well the
things that people have trusted and sent to Deputies. At the same time, the NA
Deputies should have a strategy to build image of the NA Deputies in the
performance process of the Deputies.
4.2.3.3. Improving supervision skills of National Assembly Deputies: It is
necessary to pay attention to increase number of deputies to be re-elected, at
the same time, to enhance the skill training for the NA Deputies and to foster
general skills such as skill of communication, negotiation; skills of contact

great achievements in implementing legislative functions, making decision
onvital issues of the country and supreme supervision. At the end of term XIII,
the supervisory activity was assessed as being "focused, main point, democratic,
open and accountableon the pressing issues of life, reflecting thoughts and
aspirations of the people, promoting implementation of the Constitution, laws
and resolutions of the National Assembly, strengthening the socialist
legislation”. It can be said that, in past time, the National Assembly is the
leading institution in the process of innovation and democratization of our
country. The achievements are tremendous while challenges faced by NA are
not small. One of challenges from operation quality of the most fundamental
component of NA is NA Deputies.
In the context, the research topic is aimed at developing a new scientific
basis, new thinking and approach to the activities of National Assembly deputies
in general and supervisory activities of National Assembly deputies in
particular, contributing to enhancement of the central role of National Assembly
deputies in implementing the functions of the National Assembly; Studying and
proposing solutions to enhance the supervisory activities of the National
Assembly deputies in the context of building a country of rule of law and
international integration, step by step introducing the National Assembly
deputies and the National Assembly of Vietnam to step into specialized
activities.
The thesis has made certain contributions to theory and practice, namely:
firstly, the concept, characteristics, purpose and classification of supervisory
activities of National Assembly Deputies have been built and interpreted;
Concept and role of guaranteefactors for the supervisory activities of National
Assembly deputies are necessary and sufficient conditions, which are an
important basis to improve quality and efficiency of the National Assembly
deputies' supervision; secondly, analyze and evaluate the practice, including
positive impacts on supervision objects and its limitations and shortcomings in
implementation of specific supervisions by National Assembly deputies such as

Assembly with more effective and professional activities.
LIST OF THE PUBLICATIONS
1. Nguyen Thi Mai Thoa, Authoriy and responsibilites of National
Assembly Deputies in supervisory activity,Journal of Political Science, Ho Chi
Minh National Political Academy No. 7/2016
2. Nguyen Thi Mai Thoa, completing legislation on supervisory activities
of National Assembly Deputies, (Chairperson) Scientific research thesis at basic
level, Office of the National Assembly, August 2016.
3. Nguyen Thi Mai Thoa, Supervisory activity of parliamentarian in
settlement of complaints and denunciations of citizens in some contries, Journal
of Legislative Studies Review, Legislature Studies Institute No. 23, session 1,
December 2016.
4. Book: National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,
inheritance, innovation and development - published by National Political Truth,
2016 (participating in the compilation).
5.Book: Introductions on Japanese Parliament and its assistance
apparatus - Office of the National Assembly, 2017 (co-editor).

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