Late State President Tran Dai Quang’s ending is a valuable lesson for To Lam. Being Minister of Public Security means having to be evil, even, extremely evil. The advantage of being Minister of Public Security is becoming a member of the Politburo, with the right to act outside the law with the people and even with comrades. However, once they break the law, they must know how to throw stones and hide their hands. If you are cruel to the people, you do not fear retaliation, but if you are cruel to your comrades, especially the top comrades, you will easily be retaliated when your power is no longer there.
Tran Dai Quang, when holding the position of Minister of Public Security, caused too many resentments with his comrades, so when he left the cocoon of the Ministry of Public Security, he was tragically defeated. Even though he was still powerful at that time, the power of the State President] was not enough to protect him.
Tran Dai Quang’s mistake when leaving the Ministry of Public Security in 2015 was not building a strong enough wing to take over this ministry for him. Especially letting his younger brother Tran Quoc To leave the Ministry of Public Security, also in 2015, to become Secretary of the Thai Nguyen Provincial Party Committee, was a big mistake. Ninh Binh’s power at the Ministry of Public Security was vacant after Tran Dai Quang left. Taking advantage of this opportunity, To Lam rose up and built Hung Yen’s power in this ministry.
When Tran Dai Quang was minister, there was a big case of Mobifone buying AVG. At that time, To Lam – Permanent Deputy Minister of Public Security was involved in this case. If Tran Quoc To was still at the Ministry of Public Security, Tran Dai Quang could absolutely take advantage of this opportunity to take down To Lam, and bring up Tran Quoc To. However, because Tran Quoc To had left the Ministry of Public Security,. Quang could not push his brother up.
In fact, Tran Quoc To could not stand on his own in an environment outside the Ministry of Public Security, so in 2021 he returned to this ministry. At this time, Tran Dai Quang died and the Ministry of Public Security was dominated by To Lam, Hung Yen’s forces became powerful here.
Currently, there are 3 candidates for the position of Minister of Public Security: Tran Quoc To – Member of the Party Central Committee, Senior Lieutenant General, Permanent Deputy Minister; Luong Tam Quang – Member of the Party Central Committee, Lieutenant General, Deputy Minister; and Nguyen Duy Ngoc – Member of the Party Central Committee, Lieutenant General, Deputy Minister. According to experts, although Tran Quoc To is a Permanent Deputy Minister, he is weaker than Mr. Luong Tam Quang and Mr. Nguyen Duy Ngoc, because both of them are being supported by To Lam and have support from Hung Yen’s fraction.
Currently, To Lam is hitting hard against those related to State President Vo Van Thuong, including the arrest of Dang Trung Hoanh – Chief of the District Party Committee Office of Mang Thit district, Vinh Long province. He was charged with “Abusing influence over people with positions and powers to seek personal gain” stipulated in Clause 3, Article 366, Criminal Code. There is information that Hoanh is the right-hand man of Vo Van Thuong, and is said to have received VND60 billion from Hau Phao (ie Nguyen Van Hau – Chairman of Phuc Son Group) to build a temple for Thuong’s ancestors. In addition, To Lam also arrested Cao Khoa, who was the Chairman of Quang Ngai province, during the time when Vo Van Thuong was Secretary of this province.
Currently, it shows that To Lam is targeting Vo Van Thuong. What To Lam did was a blow to Thuong’s reputation in the Politburo. There is information that To Lam is planning to choose Luong Tam Quang to replace him, and option 2 is Nguyen Duy Ngoc. At all costs, To Lam must block Tran Quoc To from becoming Minister.
Thus, it can be said that compared to Tran Dai Quang, To Lam is preparing more carefully for his withdrawal from the Ministry of Public Security. If To Lam can defeat Vo Van Thuong to enter the four pillars, and the replacement is Luong Tam Quang or Nguyen Duy Ngoc, that is the best scenario. However, whether it will be successful or not remains to be seen. In the near future, the Ministry of Public Security and the Four Pillars will have many “good plays.”
