Chinese lawmakers have proposed making drunk driving a criminal offense in China, no matter the degree of damage caused. But some members of the National People's Congress Standing Committee argue that criminalizing drunk driving would be unfair to public servants, because if they committed such a crime, they would not only face criminal punishment but also lose their jobs. They argue that the consequence is too severe.
Zhao Yong, a commentator at the "Youth Times," calls the argument as groundless and argues that public servants should set good examples for others. He goes on to say that it is reasonable to impose higher requirements on them than on non-public servants. If public servants violate the law, they will tarnish the government's image, and the public's confidence in government will also be eroded. Therefore, it is quite natural to tighten the management of public servants.
He Xiaojing, a commentator for the "Chongqing Times" also believes the argument does not hold water. If drunk driving is criminalized, non-public servants also would face severe consequences if they are caught driving while drunk. They also probably would be fired from their positions and face discrimination when trying to land a job. And what's most important is that their actions may take a life. Therefore, He says, it does not make much sense to say that the criminalization of drunk driving would be unfair to public servants.
He further explains that the reason why some people voice what he calls such a ridiculous argument is that being privileged is deeply ingrained among social elites. Some members of this group abuse their power by ignoring the rule of law and public security. Once this long-standing mindset of being privileged is removed, many public servants and China's legislators may come to realize that criminalizing drunk driving would protect the interests of all citizens and respect life.
|
