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Vietnam votes in landmark polls

The Vietnamese Communist Party chief, Nong Duc Manh, speaks at a campaign meeting in Hanoi recently seated next to a bust of the revolutionary hero, Ho Chi Minh. - AP

HANOI (Vietnam) MAY 19. Prodded by hours of loudspeaker appeals, Vietnamese voted on Sunday for a new National Assembly that will complete a sweeping revamp of the communist nation's legal system.

A total of 759 candidates — all approved by the Fatherland Front, a party-controlled group — vied for the Assembly's 498 seats.

Red banners and flags decorated Hanoi's streets, as loudspeakers relentlessly replayed a song urging citizens to honour the 112th birthday on Sunday of the late revolutionary hero, Ho Chi Minh, by casting their ballots.

By law, all citizens over age 18 are required to vote.

The new Assembly is to complete a sweeping revamp of the country's legal system, shifting Vietnam from a closed communist state governed by a web of decrees to one the Government says will be ruled by transparent laws. ``We need to build a strong and transparent Government system, fighting against corruption and bureaucracy,'' the Prime Minister, Phan Van Khai, said after casting his ballot. ``We must bring our Government close to our people to serve them and serve business. By doing so, we will be able to develop our country in a rapid and sustainable way.''

Officials have identified thousands of laws and regulations that must be revised to achieve ``rule by law,'' and to bring the legal system into compliance with a historic trade pact with the United States that took effect in December.

This year, 135 candidates are non-party members, up from 112 in the last election five years ago. Thirteen candidates are ``self-nominated'' — Vietnam refuses to use the term ``independent'' — up from the previous 11. Just two self-nominated candidates won seats in the previous Assembly.

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