With nearly 20% of population actively participate in the Internet, I'd say this is quite a change. By the way, the NA also discussed about law of extradiction and law about duel/multiple citizenship, at the time the U.S. can't deport any Vietnamese American back to Vietnam because Vietnam doesn't accept for many reasons like Vietnamese language fluency, and many other ambiguous barriers etc. So be warned to any Vietnamese who just have PR card (green?) commit petty crimes. Better apply for U.S. citizenship because it may change in the future.

New law to allow public vetting of draft laws, regulations

The public can appraise and suggest changes to almost all bills and draft administrative regulations before they are passed, according to a bill discussed in the National Assembly yesterday.

Justice Minister Ha Hung Cuong told the media later, “The government has asked the NA to legalize [the public's participation in drafting laws and regulations],” adding that just a few laws involving “national secrets” would remain out of the law's purview.

After the bill on the promulgation of laws and regulations was approved, people would be able to provide inputs to “99 percent of bills and regulations,” he said.

In fact, he said, many bills and draft regulations had already been offered for public scrutiny.

Cuong also admitted that many laws had been drafted and passed in a rush and were thus not up to scratch.

“Some legislators think of making laws as a trial-and-error process. I think this viewpoint has undermined the quality of our laws.

Lawmakers must be able to look at least five years ahead so that laws remain valid with-out the need for revisions.”

http://www.thanhniennews.com/politics/?cat...mp;newsid=33293

I don't quite understand what you meant by vetting ? do you mean vetoing ?

No, not vetoing, vetting instead. For example, there is a draft law about PIT (personal income tax), which formula is most effective for at least 5 year time (what variables and such, blah, blah), or maybe law about amnesty, which criteria the law will be based on so it will be the least burdensome to the society. At the moment, it looks like only legislators in the NA are aware of all draft laws but not the public, thus if the public are fully aware, they can contribute their part into shaping the law and regulation as well.

OK, I see. And how can they, the public, contribute their part into shaping the law and regulation in given framework at the moment ?

I don't know about the mechanism or roadmap for that. For the moment, it will provide a larger base of opinions. In the past, Vietnam has experienced some stupid "attempts" like "xe biển số lẻ đi ngày lẻ, xe biển số chẵn đi ngày chẵn" . Simply put, once a draft law and regulation are open to the public, people will flood their voices to many channels, print media, online media, etc.

If their voices are channeled through the media, then it is imperative that the government should have no
or very minimal control on the media, yes? is that in the work or being considered?

This is why democracy would not suit Vietnam at least not right now...silly ideas like this would come out