Guangdong official falls foul of latest corruption crackdown
Staff Reporter 2012-11-30 09:11
Lu Yingming. (Photo/Xinhua)
Guangdong province's Commission for Discipline Inspection has announced on its official website that Lu Yingming, deputy director of Guangdong's Department of Land and Resources, has been placed under investigation for "discipline violations," usually understood to mean corruption. Lu is allegedly the first department-level head in the province to be investigated since the Communist Party's 18th National Congress earlier this month, reports our sister newspaper China Times.
Reports circulating on the internet said Lu s downfall has come about because he and another official were chasing the same actress. Lu is reportedly notorious for his liaisons with many performers who visited Guangdong, amassing illicit wealth of 2.8 billion yuan (US$449 million), owning 63 properties and keeping 47 mistresses. Lu is alleged to have said, "I've had a good life. I have transferred all my property (overseas) and had many pretty women."
Lu was transferred to his current position from being the deputy director of the Water Resources Department in October. As the province responds to outgoing party general secretary Hu Jintao's call to crack down on corruption, there have been six officials at department level and 126 officials at division level punished in the latest cull.
Author Qi Shiming commented on Lu's case on Sina Weibo, China's equivalent of Twitter, saying Lu does not live up to is given name "yingming," which means wise or brilliant, since all "naked officials" — those who have transferred all their assets and family overseas and left nothing in the country — are corrupt.
