The excellent student of President Ho Chi Minh

Knowing comrade Do Muoi was at an elderly age and weak, when I heard the news of his passing, I couldn’t halt mourning the senior leader who dedicated his whole life for the nation and the people.

As the deputy head of the Political Department of the Military 320th Division under the 3rd Corp, I had the opportunity to meet comrade Do Muoi when he came to visit the unit as Chairman of the Council of Ministers (now Prime Minister). After visiting the units in the corp, he talked with our officials, clearly and frankly pointing out the situation in the world and in the country in the context of the collapse of the Soviet Union and Eastern European countries.

In that spirit, he asked them to effectively perform the task of training, ready to defend the country in the context of international changes. In addition, the comrade required them to pay more attention to the lives of soldiers as he guided us to increase agricultural production, inspect and arrange food and accommodation, while paying attention to health examinations for soldiers.

As the head of the Government, who had to deal with many key issues for national development, the comrade was still close to the lives of the soldiers, making us truly impressed. His exemplary model of working closely with the reality of life, close with people of all classes, is an example for us to study. Comrade Do Muoi was indeed an outstanding student of President Ho Chi Minh, who strictly implemented the teaching of Uncle Ho: the official must practice industriousness, thrift, integrity, uprightness, public-spiritedness and selflessness.

Major General Tran Dinh Hang, Vice President of Ho Chi Minh City Veterans’ Association

The outstanding son of Dong My homeland

Former General Secretary Do Muoi was born and raised in Dong My commune, a locality with a revolutionary tradition, where the first Party Committee branch was established in the suburbs of Hanoi. The Dong Phu hamlet Party Committee was also the place for the training and admission of comrade Do Muoi to the Party. While in charge of the Party's highest position, although very busy, he always paid a warm sentiment towards his hometown. On visits to his native land, the comrade was always close with the local people, kindly encouraging them to improve their lives, and making friendly conversation with people who had participated in revolutionary activities with him.

Every time he met with the commune leaders, he paid close attention to the situation of the local people's lives, especially economic development and helping local households to escape from poverty. The comrade also paid special attention to the education cause of the locality. He donated ten computers to Dong My Secondary School and offered money to the Commune Study Encouragement Fund to facilitate the poor students to overcome difficulties to achieve high results in their study.

In recent years, despite his old age, the comrade still cared about the local situation. He instructed the local authorities and people to promote their advantages of the land to renovate the economic structure, develop modern countryside and follow the tradition of a revolutionary base.

Le Manh Chien, Standing Deputy Secretary of Dong My commune Party Committee, Thanh Tri district, Hanoi

A simple but close leader to the villagers

Until now, I still remember the first time I met General Secretary Do Muoi when he visited my village. It was May 27, 1992, when the comrade inspected the construction site of the Ya Ly hydropower plant and he visited the village then. At that time, comrade Do Muoi dressed in a silk white shirt. He was a simple man with a loud and clear voice but was very close to the local people.

In Prong village, with a sincere sentiment and open manner, the comrade kindly wished the elderly good health and gave gifts to children. Together with the village elders, he drankruou can(wine drunk out of a jar through pipes) and participated in the cultural activities of the village.

Party General Secretary Do Muoi (C) and delegates to the 7th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam in June 1991.

He reminded us and expressed his desire to see the local people to follow the Party and Uncle Ho’s teachings to continue to consolidate and stabilise their lives and be active in production, especially to promote domestic business development to increase the quality of life and enrich themselves, as well as enriching the village, the province and the whole society.

An impression left in the hearts of local people was that, although his work was very urgent, having to travel to many places, and contacting many objects, Secretary General Do Muoi did not forget to present candies to local children on the occasion of the– the Mid-Autumn Festival!

Ro Mah Sanh, 60, Prong village, Ia Sao commune, Ia Grai district, Gia Lai province

Comrade Do Muoi with the Kim Bang people

As the Party chief, comrade Do Muoi made two visits to work with the Party Committee and people of Kim Bang district, Ha Nam province. In Kim Bang, around the 1950s, he was Secretary of the Ha Nam Provincial Party Committee and was directly in charge of the Kim Bang Party Committee for a period of seven months, while rotating the district Party Committee’s Secretary to work as Party Secretary of Duy Tien district.

On the first visit to the district, when visiting the families of policy beneficiaries, comrade Do Muoi recognised comrade Tam Cau, who previously served in liaison work for him during his resistant period. Shortly thereafter, he asked the local authorities to complete the dossier to recognise the title of revolutionary official for comrade Tam Cau.

The second time he visited and worked with Kim Bang district was in 1996, when I was Deputy Secretary of the district Party Committee. Working with the key staff, comrade Do Muoi suggested that we strive to build Kim Bang district into a comprehensively developed district of the province, as Kim Bang is a revolutionary district and the people have always followed the revolution.

He asked us to promote the potential and strength of Kim Bang district as a semi-mountainous locale. It was necessary to pay attention to mountainous economic development, especially tourism and industry, in order to develop the local economy sustainably, while investing in irrigation infrastructure to tackle the flood situation in the area and improve crop productivity, contributing to improving the lives of local people. Comrade Do Muoi pointed out the potential and strength for us to develop in the right direction.

Having the luck to work with comrade Do Muoi, we were impressed with his understandable but highly profound words. He was a man of action, as he always spoke in parallel with his acts. I remember when he visited locals in Manh Tien village, Kim Binh commune, he did not follow the family addresses that were selected in advance. On his way, he turned to visit several random disadvantaged families. He came to ask about each meal of the locals, from which, he showed them the way to raise livestock and cultivate that is suitable to improving their life.

Pham Van Lam, Former Secretary of Phu Ly town Party Committee and Secretary of Kim Bang district Party Committee

A simple, close official to the people

Former General Secretary Do Muoi was an exemplary official, who had a very simple life but had a firm heart for the nation and for the people. He was a dynamic, creative and responsible leader who led the country through many difficult and challenging periods. His simple lifestyle and contributions in the cause of building and developing the country is a good example for the next generations of Vietnamese officials and youth to follow.

Our generation has known former Party General Secretary Do Muoi from his time as Minister of Construction, until later, when he held the highest position of the country, the image that is laid deep in our minds is that of a simple official in khaki clothes, with a smile always on his lips. He was very close to the people and had deep sympathy for their situation, especially the lives of disadvantaged labourers.

His kind attention to each case has created a special impression in the hearts of local people. From the heroic land of Quang Nam - Da Nang, I and many local people deeply mourn but are very proud of him, a steadfast revolutionary soldier, who lived a complete dedicated life for the nation, for the people.