Vol. 11, No. 493, Wednesday, 31.1.2007
“The first meeting on investment agreements between Cambodia and Japan was held on 26-27 January 2007 with the participation of Japanese legal experts and Khmer legal officials, to discuss agreements between the two countries.
“The Khmer negotiators were led by Mr. Sok Chenda, the Secretary General of the Council for the Development of Cambodia [CDC], accompanied by many officials of relevant ministries, and the Japanese side was led by the Director General of the Southeast Asia Department of Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, accompanied by officials of the [Cambodian] Ministry of Commerce and officials of the Japanese Embassy in Cambodia.
“An unidentified source from among the officials of the Council for the Development of Cambodia said that during the discussions between Cambodia and Japan last week on investments, which was a first step, the Japanese legal and economic experts set conditions to the [Cambodian] government, which asks for donations from foreign countries, that it must have the will to create an anti-corruption law soon, conforming to international standards, and to eliminate a bureaucracy which is the source of corruption among Khmer officials in every institution.
“The source added that the Japanese legal officials stressed the necessity during the bilateral discussions on investments of billions of dollars in Cambodia by the Japanese Government, that the Khmer Government should create laws and other conditions in accordance with World Trade Organization regulations, and to create a Commercial Court and a Labor Court etc. in order to protect the interest of Japanese investors who may invest in Cambodia.
“A source from among the officials of the CDC added that the Cambodian side – i.e. the Council for the Development of Cambodia with Prime Minister Hun Sen chairing; Mr. Cham Prasidh, the Minister of the Ministry of Commerce; and Mr. Keat Chhon, the Minister of the Ministry of Economy and Finance participating, held a confidential meeting on 30 January 2007 to discuss and adjust the draft anti-corruption law which is at the Council of Ministers, so that it shold comply with international standards and is in accordance with the World Trade Organization.
“The Khmer Government is being pushed to make laws to protect the interest of Japanese investors who plan to invest in Cambodia; this happens because Cambodia, led by Prime Minister Hun Sen, is notorious worldwide for the skillful corruption of Mr. Hun Sen’s officials.
“According to reports from the US Agency for International Development and from the Economic Institute of Cambodia of Mr. Sok Hach, US$300 million to US$500 million are lost per year through corruption. So corruption by officials in the institutions of Mr. Hun Sen’s government amounts to approximately $1 million per day, or more.
“Because the government, which asks for donatioins from foreign countries, has an ill-famed history of corruption as stated, the Japanese legal officials and investors oblige the Khmer Government to create an anti-corruption law soon, and to eliminate bureaucracy in state institutions as well as in the customs administration, in the Ministry of Commerce, and in the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and to strengthen the judicial system so that it is independent, fair, and acceptable.
“At present, some high ranking officials in Cambodia use their influence and power, and use even the courts, which are also notorious for corruption – therefore people do not trust them – to protect some companies that seldom respect the laws while doing business; which is therefore called ‘to do business like parachuting or sword fighting’ [i.e. doing business in a dishonest way]. They make a lot of profit and spend also some money on officials who compete with each other to get this money and put it into their pockets. However, Japanese investors do not intend to do business in ‘sword fighting manner’ and they do not want to seek special protection from high ranking officials, but they require laws and really independent courts to protect their interest, in case they may have commercial disputes.
“Yesterday evening, Reach Seima reporters did not succeed in asking for explanations from Mr. Sok Chenda, the Secretary General of the Council for the Development of Cambodia; a second round of negotiations with Japan has not yet been scheduled.” Reach Seima, Vol.2, #142, 31.1.2007
Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Wednesday, 31 January 2007
Areyathor, Vol.13, #1211, 31.1-1.2.2007
- H.E. Chan Sarun [Minister of Agriculture]: Oil from Mreah Prov [large softwood tree] Can Be Transformed into Addictive Drug
Cheat, Vol.9, #221, 31.1-1.2.2007
- More Than US$56 Million Are Likely to Be Used to Try Ghosts [former KR leaders who will have died before the trial starts – ironic]
- People Are Poor Because the State Collects Too Much Tax on Fuel and Fertilizers
Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.6, #1257, 31.1.2007
- Mr. Chea Vichea [head of Cambodian Free Trade Union of Workers – assassinated 22.1.2004] Becomes Case of Competition for the Benefit of Civil Society Organizations
- 1000 Khmer Rouge Regime Victim Families in Batheay District Receive Gifts from Dr. Handa Foundation [Kompong Cham]
- A Parliamentarian [Khuon Sodary, CPP from Kandal] Lost More Than $10,000 during a Meeting in a 5-Star Hotel [Inter-Continental, Phnom Penh – she left her purse on a chair while going away briefly]
- Malaysia Arrests 173 Illegal Burmese Immigrants
- Indonesia May Lose 2,000 Islands by 2030 [because water level is going up]
Koh Santepheap, Vol.40, #5954, 31.1.2007
- Nearly 500 Children Are in Prison [nationwide]; They Have No Opportunity for Improvement
- Construction of [New] National Assembly Building; Logs [felled under the pretext for construction of the National Assembly] Are Everywhere in the Forest in Ratanakiri
- 440 Unexploded Ordnance and Mine Casualties in 2006
Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.15, #4199, 31.1.2007
- Samdech Heng Samrin Urges Royal Ambassadors to Attract Investors and Tourists to Cambodia
Reach Seima, Vol.2, #142, 31.1.2007
- Japan Tells Khmer Government to Create Anti-Corruption Law and Combat Bureaucracy so that Japan Dares to Invest
Sralanh Khmer, Vol.3, #319, 31.1.2007
- Sam Rainsy Supports Demand for Court to Hold Hearing of Born Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun [accused of murder of Chea Vichea]
- Pictures of Samdech Euv [Father King] and Samdech Mae [former Queen] Are Removed and Replaced by Pictures of Hun Sen and His Wife [in Chub Hun Sen-Bun Rany Lower Secondary School – Kompong Cham]
- Statute of Judges and Anti-Corruption Law Are Stuck at Council of Ministers
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