Six officials in the Communist Party of China in Shanghai have been caught abusing their posts for personal profit, the Party's discipline watchdog said yesterday.

The announcement followed a one-month grace period in which cadres could confess corruption and receive more lenient treatment than if they were caught later.

One of the six officials has been referred to judicial authorities for prosecution on undisclosed corruption charges, and two remain under investigation.

The other three, who were linked to Shanghai's social security fund scandal, were given "lenient treatment" after receiving earlier, unspecified punishments, the Discipline Inspection Commission of the CPC Shanghai Committee said.

Authorities also said that Wang Weigong, deputy general manager of the Shanghai-listed Shenergy Group, is under investigation for alleged "serious violations of Party discipline."

Details on Wang's case will not be available until after the investigation is complete. It was not immediately clear if he was among the six.

"We are learning lessons from last year's social security fund scandal and (former Shanghai Party chief) Chen Liangyu's corruption case and are trying every means to discover possible loophole in the discipline and management system," said Cheng Zhiqiang, deputy secretary of the city's Party discipline commission.

Chen, the highest-level official to be deprived of all his Party and government posts in the past decade, is now in jail awaiting trial on corruption charges. He allegedly misused his power to help private companies obtain illegal loans from the Shanghai social security fund.

A total 3.7 billion yuan (US$483 million) was reportedly misappropriated from the pension fund to invest in risky real estate, road and other projects, with scores of government and party officials involved.

In the latest effort to root out corruption, the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection on May 31 issued a statement that spelled out rules prohibiting CPC members, especially officials, from taking advantage of their posts to obtain profits for themselves, their relatives or friends.

Crooked officials were urged to report their wrongdoing within 30-days.

Local discipline inspection officials said that 14 people turned themselves in by June 30. It wasn't clear what happened to the other eight.

The commission also talked to 595 senior cadres in the city, including eight bureau-level officials, about their personal situations within the one-month period in the attempt to clean house.

In the continuing effort to increase honesty, the CPC Shanghai Committee issued two regulations yesterday on bureau-level management, decision making and the use of power.

The rules stipulate that important decisions like restructuring of state-owned assets, budget planning and management of large funds shall be made collectively.

Bureau-level officials are required to report on their work and anti-corruption efforts at least twice during their tenure.

The discipline watchdog will also talk with cadres about their work and life situations on a regular basis.

(Shanghai Daily August 8, 2007)