President Truong Tan Sang has emphasised the necessity to change the “backward” national salary policy for public employees, welfare beneficiaries and pensioners to suit the current economic climate.

President Sang made the remark while meeting with voters in Ho Chi Minh City’s districts 3 and 4 on Oct. 18.

Voters raised concerns over issues about wages, policy for grass-root cadres, educational reform, anti-corruption measures, climate change and territorial sovereignty.

They said worsening traffic safety, with a greater number of traffic accidents, traffic jams and frequent congestion, and the increasing incidence of illegal motorbike races are caused by lax traffic rules and punishments.

The President said in the context of a difficult economic situation, inflation and wages are the two important issues that need to be settled, with a focus on curbing inflation to 17-18 percent by the end of the year and to a single digit number in 2012.

Sang said the salary policy needs to be reformed at the same time to match people’s basic living expenses and changes should be made to a number of regulations for welfare beneficiaries and pensioners.

He took the occasion to affirm that anti-corruption is an important issue of great concern of the Party and State and tactics for the fight against corruption will be renewed./.