Monday, 15.10.2007: American Newspaper Shows Corruption in Cambodia

The Mirror, Vol. 11, No. 530

“After Cambodia had received aid of over US$689 million, at the Cambodia Development Cooperation Forum (CDCF) [formerly known as the Consultative Group – CG] which was held on 19-20 June 2007, corruption and bureaucracy in the country spread gradually. As a result, Cambodia is ranked 162 among 180 countries in a classification that a group of international observers had researched [Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index]. It means that now Cambodia is so entirely corrupt that even international development aid, such as from the World Bank, is also vanishing due to corruption.

“On Thursday, 11 October 2007, an American newspaper published an article based on the World Bank report on corruption, concerning seven development projects in Cambodia funded by the World Bank. Besides highlighting the corruption in Khmer society at the present time, the article also blames the World Bank under the leadership of its new president, Mr. Robert Zoellick.

“According to the report by the World Bank’s Institutional Integrity Department [INT] which the newspaper refers to, a number of World Bank officials allowed Cambodian officials, who are related to corruption, to get away free of being charged. The report by the World Bank’s ITN, which mentions some ministries and departments, includes in the report programs on Land Management and Administration, Provincial Rural Infrastructure, and Flood Emergency Rehabilitation; 75% of the contract companies admitted that they offered bribes to Royal Government officials, between thousands or tens of thousands of dollars.

“The American newspaper wrote clearly that bidding for 17 or 18 buildings were organized by some officials in a deceptive way in order to permit only one company to be successful]; at the end, the company constructed the buildings by using substandard materials, and some were not constructed at all. This scandal happened in May 2006; the former World Bank president, Mr. Paul Wolfowitz, wanted to cut off all aid, and he required Cambodia to refund US$12 million. The publication in The Wall Street Journal makes national and international circles see clearly that Cambodia has at present a man addicted to power as prime minister, who has no real policy to fight against corruption.

“Economic observers in the country said that the publication of The Wall Street Journal related to corruption in Cambodia is right, and that such corruption happened is partly also a mistake of the World Bank, because they do no proper follow-up on the use of funds. Actually, until now, the World Bank has not revealed the names of the corrupt officials of the Royal Government of Cambodia, who took the aid money. On the other hand, the World Bank kept also silent after Prime Minister Hun Sen had requested that the World Bank should disclose the names of corrupt officials, if the World Bank has proof.

“A group of economic observers in Cambodia stated that corruption and bureaucracy are the reason that make the Cambodian economy fail to develop, although Cambodia receives hundreds of millions of dollars each year. Moreover, corruption and bureaucracy make Cambodia to be a terrible place for foreign investors. This makes the majority of Cambodian people live under the poverty line, because they do not have employment which could better support their everyday life income.

“Major departments, which are full of corrupt activities and bureaucracy, make investors afraid. This includes the Council of Ministers, which is controlled by Sok An, the father-in-law of Prime Minister Hun Sen’s son; the Ministry of Economy and Finance, which is controlled by Keat Chhon, a former Pol Pot advisor; the Ministry of Commerce, which is controlled by Cham Prasidh’s family; the Customs and Excise office, which is controlled by Pen Siman; the Council for the Development of Cambodia, and the court system. Among those, the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Inspection, which is controlled by Men Sam An, who is responsible for investigating, eliminating, and reducing corruption, became notorious for covering up corruption without embarrassment.

“Recently, according to a report by a senior official of the Ministry of Commerce, who asked that his name should not be mentioned, said that Cham Prasidh, the Minister of Commerce, is preparing a new corrupt structure in the Ministry of Commerce with his bad tricks. In the new structure, Cham Prasidh organizes his partisans to hold the key positions so they can commit corruption easily, stealing from the nation and destroying the nation. Until now, the huge property is not enough for Cham Prasidh, which is the result of corruption, stealing from the nation and destroying the nation.

“So far, the corrupt scandal of Cham Prasidh and his partisans was unveiled continually by senior officials of the Ministry of Commerce so that the dictatorial Prime Minister Hun Sen could take serious action against the very corrupt man Cham Prasidh, but Prime Minister Hun Sen, who is addicted to power, does not care about this scandal at all. Whereas, the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Inspection, controlled by the former comrade Men Sam An, and the Anti-Corruption Committee under a man who uses wicked tricks, Om Yentieng, are probably afraid to investigate corruption of the very corrupt man Cham Prasidh and his partisans, so that they do not dare to say anything.

“Analysts said that in case the Cambodian People Party [CPP] still wins the election and Hun Sen, the man addicted to power, is still prime minister, corruption in the core institutions of the Royal Government of Cambodia will be more serious than at the present time, because all major corrupt people are senior officials of the CPP, who are partisans of the ruling leader. Therefore, only a change of the leader through the fourth term national election on 27 July 2008 could remove corruption effectively.” Moneaksekar Khmer, Vol.14, #3285, 15.10.2007

Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Monday, 17 October 2007

Chuoy Khmer, Vol.1, #14, 15-16.10.2007

• Kem Sokha [President of the Human Rights Party] Will Provide Teachers’ Salaries of Riel 400,000 [approx. US$100] per Month When He Leads the Government
• Hun Sen Conducts Demagogy by Increasing Civil Servants’ Salaries [by 20% if the Cambodian People’s Party wins the 2008 Election], in Order to Hold Power Longer
• Municipal Governor [Kep Chuktema], Who Used to Eat Dog Meat, Doesn’t Allow Human Rights Party to Raise Signboards in Phnom Penh
• A Man, Who Relies on Father [mocking Prince Ranariddh], Has No Chance to Prepare Luggage and Return Home to Deceive People Any Longer
• Dy Chouch or Hun Chouch [the same person using different names] Fears US Visa Denial, He Asked Lawyer to Explain that He Is Not Involved with Cambodia’s Family Tree

Meatophum, Vol.51, #662, 15-20.10.2007

• King Gives Royal Titles to Cambodian People’s Party Leaders
• Tonle Sap Basin Authority Created for Research on Oil Reserves
• [David] Chanaiwa Relies on His Role as Advisor [to Chea Sim, President of the Senate and of the Cambodian People’s Party], He Fires a Frightening Gun in a Restaurant [because his friends did not call him “Your Excellency” – Phnom Penh]

Moneaksekar Khmer, Vol.14, #3285, 15.10.2007

• US Newspaper Reveals Corruption in Cambodia
• PACT Cambodia Stops Aid to Khmer Chivit Thmey Organization because of Corruption [Kompong Cham]
• Sam Rainsy Party Secretary-General [Eng Chhay Ieng] Demands National Election Committee to Register 1,308 Citizens in Bavel District [Battambang]

Go to last week’s editorial

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