Celebrities Should Know Better

Several Central Government agencies, including the State Administration of Radio Film and Television, the Ministry of Health and State Food and Drug Administration, recently issued a ban on entertainment stars and celebrities endorsing drugs in commercials. This is not the first time that the state has issued such bans, which are aimed at preventing celebrities from advertising fake products and therefore duping the public. It is felt that a ban alone cannot tackle the problem.

WHO BENEFITS: Strict and transparent recipient qualification examinations are believed to ensure that government relief reaches the needy (LI ZIHENG)

There are many cases of big-name celebrities being found to speak for fake products in commercials. But they are seldom punished, and few of them ever express regret for their actions.

It's understandable that celebrities hope to make big money. At the same time, they should also take into account interests of consumers. Businesses prefer celebrities starring in their commercials because these people are influential in society. If celebrities have no basic moral standards, their glamor as stars won't endure. This could lead to them being renounced by both consumers and their adoring fans.

Besides celebrities' self-discipline, there must be legal restrictions. Otherwise, some immoral stars may continue to promote fake or substandard products and never feel they are doing anything wrong. Loopholes in the legal system make this possible. If China's laws and regulations, like their counterparts in Western countries, allow consumers to claim for compensation from celebrities if the latter's commercials incur losses to the former, maybe no star would dare to speak for commodities that they do not know well.

Beijing Daily

Stamp out Welfare Fraud

Since mid-2007, the Chinese Govern-ment has offered basic living allowances to low-income rural residents. In some regions, however, local officials are taking advantage of the funds to line their own pockets.

During a recent inspection tour, members of the Shandong Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the local advisory body, found that some impoverished farmers were excluded from the welfare program while some recipients actually led a well-off life.

Why is this policy abused? The key is a lack of transparency in distributing the funds. Some grassroots-level officials have exchanged the recipient status for bribes or give it to their relatives, resulting in more suffering of the families in real need of help.

There must be a rational and scientific mechanism to select people really eligible for the state relief. The public must also monitor this process.

Without public involvement, fairness can never be achieved.

Dazhong Daily

Stop Abusing Workers' Rights

Over 40 cleaners working for a logistics company in southwest China's Chongqing were refused payment of overtime money after having worked during the Chinese New Year holiday. The company said that local labor authorities had given it special permission to do so because of the current financial turmoil, though it failed to show any evidence justifying its claims.

Is it true that labor authorities gave the company special permission to dodge workers' overtime wages? If they did not do so, officials must ask this company to take accountability. Otherwise, it's quite possible that even after the crisis ends, the company will continue to violate workers' rights.

The more difficult the economic situation becomes, the more important it is to safeguard workers' rights. It is one thing for the government to help businesses out of the economic plight, but businesses should also strengthen their sense of social responsibility. Otherwise, the cases of disregarding labor laws will increase, which will make it more difficult to protect workers.

Qilu Evening News

Govt. Spending Spree Shameful

When the Guangzhou Municipal Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) held its annual session last month, a local five-star hotel was designated to accommodate all committee members. However, one member refused the offer of a hotel room, suggesting that his colleagues stay at home during the four-and-a-half-day meeting. He also criticized meeting organizers for not cutting back on expenses during the current economic crisis.

When it comes to government expenses, it seems that there is never a shortage of money. Actually, this phenomenon reflects a big loophole in the budget system. For example, if the current year's budget is not fully utilized, officials are aware that the following year's budget will be reduced accordingly. As a result, all efforts are made to spend allocations before the deadline for fear of future cuts.

The Guangzhou CPPCC member should be commended for refusing the comfort of a five-star hotel. However, he is alone in the campaign to reduce spending among officials. If we want to see the government improve its budget system, there must be a rigid restrictive mechanism in place. It's hoped the hotel stay refusal will prod related departments to consider cutting high government expenses not only during this special period but permanently.

Huashang Daily