People’s Daily: Government Officials Should Be Both Active and Fearful

The article said, “Nowadays there are two types of phenomenon worthy of attention. Some Party members and cadres, under the new situation of the strong anti-corruption [campaign] and the new policy that cadres can either move up or down in their positions, feel they are ‘not accustomed’ to and cannot adapt to the current political environment. The feeling is so much so, that these people are very timid and are afraid to take any action in their work. Some other Party members and cadres go to the other extreme. With the overall tightening of discipline requirements, these people are still fearless, reckless, and lawless, and they ignore the bottom line.

“Being active at work is one’s responsibility. ‘Not taking action as an official’ is dereliction of duty. Given the situation of high pressure from anti-corruption, some of the party members and cadres appear, on the surface, as if they do not dare to be corrupt.  However, being “afraid and not doing anything’ is, in fact, opposing the Central Government’s strong anti-corruption policy. It is a kind of soft opposition, using ‘fear’ as an excuse for ‘not taking action.’”