4.
a) to check that officials were carrying out laws and policies correctly and properly (but they had no authority over the activities of the People's Congress, Courts, Procuratorates or Party organisations);
b)
to take action in cases where breach of regulations or policies had occurred (they could report to the State Council or take disciplinary action themselves according to the eight grade system which ranged from 'warning' to dismissal');
c) to act as a place of appeal for officials and others who felt that disciplinary action taken against them in the course of their work was too harsh;
d)
to educate officials into better behaviour, by for example publicising on television and radio the activities of the Ministry and representative cases that have been investigated;
e) to draw up administrative regulations (eg against corruption) to guide the conduct of officials;
According to the Constitution (article 41) no reprisal should be taken against anyone who makes a complaint against an administrative organisation. Anyone can make a complaint and it must be investigated. In recent years, with the opening to the outside world, administration has become much more complex and needs to have a close watch kept on it. A citizen may make an appeal or complaint by writing a letter to or visiting the
These complaints can be of several types, such as:
Ministry.
a) a complaint against administrative malpractice (eg bureaucracy) by a government organ;
b) an appeal against a disciplinary measure taken by superiors;
c)
a suggestion for improving some department's work;
a) a general opinion on some matter of state policy or administration.
Cases also reach the Ministry through the press or through reporters who would report cases of malpractice that they come across. Another method is for personnel actually to go out among the people (as was experimented with in a county in Heilongjiang) to seek their opinions. The minor political parties and mass organ- isations (eg Trade Unions, Women's Federation) were a further source of information as they had close connections with the people and could present cases on their behalf.
15 December 1987
CODE 18-77
Rrugo
Rod Wye
First Secretary