The Mirror, Vol. 11, No. 534
“Phnom Penh: The Ministry of Interior is proposing to create a law on the management of provinces, towns, and districts through general elections, as part of effectively implementing management reforms. The Ministry of Interior wants this law to be implemented by 2010. The Constitution of the Kingdom of Cambodia states that the governing of provinces, towns, and districts requires an organizational law; now the Ministry of Interior is studying such a draft organizational law which is the most important and the main goal of the decentralization and deconcentration reforms, to strengthen the effectiveness of a unified administrative management system at the lower national level, which the basic goal – to improve good governance and local development.
“Deputy Prime Minister Mr. Sar Kheng, the Minister of the Ministry of Interior, said in a conference at the Ministry of Interior recently that they have struggled with difficulties for a pretty long time to pave the way in order to draft this organizational law, because it is aiming at the stability of management – to maintain the stability of the present management and to link it to the reforms. If only a law for the management is made, but no reforms are conducted, this would not comply with the Rectangular Strategy guidelines of the government on administrative reform.
“The Deputy Prime Minister continued that so far, they have finished the draft organizational law that was discussed many times within the framework of the Ministry of Interior, deciding on a procedure for selecting the council members of provinces, towns, and districts, and a procedure for selecting the heads of district councils. However, the draft law contradicts the Constitution at the point which states that the territory of the Kingdom of Cambodia is divided into provinces and towns, and provinces and towns are divided into districts, and districts are divided into communes and subdistricts. This is an obstacle on the way to the reform policy and it does not correspond to the specific situation of Cambodia at present.
“Mr. Sar Kheng said that therefore it is necessary to see the Constitution, how to solve this issue. There are problems. He raised another example, related to some provinces such as Battambang, Kompong Cham, and Siem Reap, where their provincial towns become cities, because of their development and the increase of population. Differently, in three towns – Pailin, Kep, and Sihanoukville – where in most areas of them 80% to 95% of the people earn their living by farming, and the number of citizens who receive other services besides those provided to farming communities is very small. The examples raised by the Deputy Prime Minister shows one goal: to arrange that some provincial towns become cities in those provinces, and some cities to become provinces by using the names of the cities and retaining them as cities, for example Pailin to become a province and the provincial town of Pailin to become Pailin City. As for Kompong Cham, its provincial town is to become Kompong City.
“Deputy Prime Minister Mr. Sar Kheng affirmed that if issues like this are not solved, the organizational law cannot be adopted, because the managements and the provision of services in cities and the managements and the provision of services in rural areas are different.
“The Deputy Prime Minister said that despite these difficulties, they have nearly finished the preparations, and if there are no changes or big obstacles, the implementation of this law can start in early 2009 – i.e. after the National Assembly adopts it, then the full implementation will start in 2010. This is just the planning, and the Minister will propose to the Royal Government to finish this draft law within the first three months of 2008 in order to send it to the National Assembly to check and to adopt it.
“The implementation of this draft law will require elections for provincial and for district councils.
“Ms. Pong Chiv Kek, the president of LICADHO [Dr. Kek Galabru, Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights], said that she supports and welcomes this law. She went on the say that say that she also wants the provincial and district governors to be selected through elections. It would be best if the elections were not to be conducted with parties – they should be conducted according to the simple majority system and independent from parties. She said that to do so will make those, who are to be elected by people, to try to work for the people. If those who are voted into office by the people do not work well, the people will not vote for them again in the next term.” Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.15, #4434, 11-12.11.2007
Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Monday, 12 November 2007
Chuoy Khmer, Vol.1, #13, 12-13.11.2007
- Strongman, Who Is Addicted to Position of Prime Minister, Promotes 13 of His Closely Loyal Officials to Help Hold Power
- Chan Sarun [Minister of Agriculture] and Ty Sokun [Director General of Department of Forestry and Wildlife] Have Their Spectacles Broken; Therefore [they do not see well that] Forest Crimes in Stung Treng Exist Like Kathen Ceremonies [all over the province – mocking]; A Company Transports Wood to Yuon [Vietnam] Every Day
- Hun Sen Doesn’t Care about the Gasoline Price Which Increases to Riel 4,500 [approx. US$1] per Liter While People Are Miserable Like a Tortoise in Fire
Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.6, #1490, 11-12.11.2007
- Illegal Furniture Workshops Mushroom in Pailin
Koh Santepheap, Vol.40, #6190, 12.11.2007
- Vietnam Airlines Opens Luong Prabang [Laos] to Siem Reap Flights
- Young Unmarried Teacher Shot to Death, His Girlfriend Taken Away [by gunmen]; She Was Nude when Escaping [from the gunmen – Samaki Meanchey, Kompong Chhnang]
Meatophum, Vol.51, #666, 12-17.11.2007
- H.E. Tea Banh [Minister of Defense] Warns Against Invaders of Khmer Waters after Receiving Nine Ships from China
Moneaksekar Khmer, Vol.14, #3309, 12.11.2007
- Looking at [press] Freedom in Cambodia: What Is the Output of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation’s Investment [in promoting democracy] in Cambodia? [mocking – a sign at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor says that besides Koh Santepheap, Rasmei Kampuchea, and Kampuchea Thmey, reporters from other newspapers are not allowed to enter the place]
- Corrupt Customs Officers Allow Dishonest Businesspeople to Export Wood through Sihanoukville Port
- Chan Sarun [Minister of Agriculture] Signed a License by Mistake, Allowing a Rubber Tree Recycling Company to Transport Luxury Wood to Yuon [Vietnam – mocking]
Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.15, #4434, 11-12.11.2007
- Ministry of Interior Urges Creation of Law on Selection of Provincial, Town, and District Council Members through Elections
- Thailand: Campaigns Starts for First Election after the Coup
Samleng Yuvachun Khmer, Vol.14, #3183, 11-12.11.2007
- Prince Thomico Is Not Sorry about Being Expelled [form Funcinpec], but He Is Sorry for Funcinpec Which Contradicts Its Original Policy
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