**Controversial “Monster” Project**
Previously, the C03 (Vietnam’s Central Investigation Agency) arrested Tran Duc Quận, Secretary of the Lam Dong Provincial Party Committee, Lam Dong Provincial People’s Committee Chairman Tran Van Hiep, and Nguyen Ngoc Anh, Chief Inspector of the province. Mr. Quận was investigated for abusing his position while performing official duties, while the others were accused of accepting bribes.
Regarding the “mega” project of the Dai Ninh Commercial Resort Urban Area (Dai Ninh Urban Area), the land area of the project is 3,595.45 hectares (of which the water surface area is 1,959.87 hectares). The project is located in Phu Hoi, Ninh Gia, Ta Hine, and Ninh Loan communes, Duc Trong district, Lam Dong province.
The total investment capital is VND 25,243 billion. The project’s duration is 50 years, from the date of issuance of the investment certificate. The investment progress is from 2010 to 2018.
The Dai Ninh urban project has ‘drowned’ many leaders of Lam Dong province in legal trouble. Photo: Hoang Giam
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The investor of the Dai Ninh Urban Area project is Saigon Dai Ninh Tourism Investment Joint Stock Company (Saigon Dai Ninh Company). The Chairman of the Board of Directors and the legal representative of the company is Ms. Phan Thi Hoa.
Established in 2010, Saigon Dai Ninh Company had a charter capital of VND 300 billion. In 2017, the company increased its charter capital to VND 2,000 billion.
The Dai Ninh Urban Area is the only project of Saigon Dai Ninh Company, a company that was agreed to be sold by Mr. Nguyen Cao Tri to Ms. Truong My Lan, Chairman of Vạn Thịnh Phát Group, for VND 3,000 billion.
However, later on, tycoon Nguyen Cao Tri (53 years old, residing in Ho Chi Minh City) used Capella Hospitality Co., Ltd. (a subsidiary of Capella Company) to replace Ben Thanh Company to acquire 51% of Saigon Dai Ninh Company’s charter capital for VND 1,530 billion. From January 2021, Mr. Nguyen Cao Tri became the legal representative of the company.
Subsequently, in September 2022, Mr. Tri asked his younger brother, Nguyen Cao Duc, to buy 7% of Ms. Phan Thi Hoa’s personal charter capital in Saigon Dai Ninh Company for VND 700 billion. In total, Mr. Tri has acquired 58% of Saigon Dai Ninh Company’s charter capital and has paid Ms. Hoa VND 2,230 billion.
After 13 years of being allocated land, the project has still not been fully invested and has been “inactive” for many years. To date, the project implementation progress has only reached nearly 10%.
**Extension After Revising Inspection Conclusion**
Early in 2022, the Lam Dong Provincial People’s Committee decided to extend the progress by 24 months for the Dai Ninh Urban Area project. At the same time, the investor was requested to focus resources on implementing the project.
After 13 years of being allocated land, the Dai Ninh urban project has still not been fully invested and has been “inactive” for many years. Photo: Hoang Giam
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According to a report in March 2023, Duc Trong District People’s Committee is still coordinating with related units to support Saigon Dai Ninh Company in completing the project’s legal procedures. This move came after the Provincial People’s Committee approved project adjustments and extended the land use time.
Until October 2023, the Lam Dong Provincial People’s Committee instructed relevant departments, agencies, and units to provide legal documents for the Dai Ninh Urban Area project. The plan for the project’s investment and construction was not mentioned in the progress report.
From June 2021 to September 2023, four forest destruction incidents with a total area of 3,522m2 and 20 cases of illegal forest land encroachment with an area of 37,620m2 occurred at the Dai Ninh Urban Area project.
Over the past 10 years, 257 hectares of forest have been illegally destroyed and 111 hectares of forest land have been encroached upon at the Dai Ninh Urban Area project. Saigon Dai Ninh Company has paid nearly VND 19 billion in compensation.
In 2020, in Conclusion No. 929/KL-TTCP, the Government Inspectorate pointed out a series of violations at the Dai Ninh Urban Area project and proposed that the Lam Dong Provincial People’s Committee terminate the operation and withdraw the Nam Da Lat Urban Area project from Saigon Dai Ninh Company.
However, on July 8, 2021, the Government Inspectorate issued a Notice to revise some contents of Inspection Conclusion No. 929/KL-TTCP dated June 12, 2020, regarding land management, use, and construction investment in Lam Dong province, signed by Mr. Tran Van Minh, Deputy Inspector General of the Government.
In this revised and supplemented conclusion, the Government Inspectorate proposed: “Based on its authority, the Lam Dong Provincial People’s Committee should guide the company in carrying out procedures for extending the progress, adjusting the project in accordance with the Investment Law 2014, extending land use in accordance with the Land Law 2013, requesting completion of the project as per the commitment, and urgently implementing investment according to the approved scale…”
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Regarding Lam Dong, at the regular Government press conference on the evening of May 4, Lieutenant General To An Xo, spokesman of the Ministry of Public Security, said that the investigation into the case of giving bribes, receiving bribes, and abusing positions and powers while performing official duties in Lam Dong province and a number of related localities had been expanded. On April 30, the Ministry of Public Security’s Investigation Police Agency issued a decision to initiate prosecution and detention of Mr. Mai Tien Dung, former Minister and Head of the Government Office. Accordingly, Mr. Mai Tien Dung was arrested for investigation into the crime of “abusing position and power while performing official duties.” |
Nguyen Le
