Hun Sen claimed that Nheb Bunchin was removed due to irregularities. If this were to be really the case, Mr. Hun Sen should also remove scores of CPP government officials as well. Can he affarod to do that? (Photo: RFA)Phnom Penh (dpa) - Cambodia's parliament Tuesday voted to remove the Minister for Labor and Vocational Training from his post over allegations money was being extorted in exchange for Cambodians to be allowed to work overseas, specifically in Saudia Arabia.
Prime Minister Hun Sen told reporters outside the National Assembly that former minister Nhep Bun Chin of the royalist Funcinpec Party had been officially removed from his position and in favour of a new minister, Vong Soth, from Hun Sen's ruling Cambodian People's Party.
"There was Cambodian labour in Saudi Arabia. Who sent them there? Was there an agreement between those two countries or not? I think the new minister will not do like this," Hun Sen said.
He also hinted strongly that Cambodians wishing to work in countries such as South Korea had been asked to pay around 1,000 dollars in advance for the privilege.
"If a Cambodian labourer has 1,000 dollars he has no need to go (overseas)," Hun Sen said.
The National Assembly vote was preceded by a full investigation into the matter, according to parliamentarians, and the trail apparently led directly back to the minister.
Cambodia has been looking to export labour through the ministry as a means of bringing foreign capital back into the economy, similar to the Philippines. For the first two months of 2006, 7 million overseas Filipino workers sent back 1.8 billion US dollars in remittances.
Currently, hundreds of thousands of Cambodians work overseas each year - mostly illegally in farms in neighbouring Thailand or as sex workers in Malaysia and Vietnam.
Parliament voted to remove Chin by a vote of 82 out of 102 lawmakers present. Those in favour of the removal included many amongst Chin's own party.
Cambodia has promised donors it will move to clean up corruption or risk losing aid money. The international community has claimed corruption is endemic to Cambodia.
Prime Minister Hun Sen told reporters outside the National Assembly that former minister Nhep Bun Chin of the royalist Funcinpec Party had been officially removed from his position and in favour of a new minister, Vong Soth, from Hun Sen's ruling Cambodian People's Party.
"There was Cambodian labour in Saudi Arabia. Who sent them there? Was there an agreement between those two countries or not? I think the new minister will not do like this," Hun Sen said.
He also hinted strongly that Cambodians wishing to work in countries such as South Korea had been asked to pay around 1,000 dollars in advance for the privilege.
"If a Cambodian labourer has 1,000 dollars he has no need to go (overseas)," Hun Sen said.
The National Assembly vote was preceded by a full investigation into the matter, according to parliamentarians, and the trail apparently led directly back to the minister.
Cambodia has been looking to export labour through the ministry as a means of bringing foreign capital back into the economy, similar to the Philippines. For the first two months of 2006, 7 million overseas Filipino workers sent back 1.8 billion US dollars in remittances.
Currently, hundreds of thousands of Cambodians work overseas each year - mostly illegally in farms in neighbouring Thailand or as sex workers in Malaysia and Vietnam.
Parliament voted to remove Chin by a vote of 82 out of 102 lawmakers present. Those in favour of the removal included many amongst Chin's own party.
Cambodia has promised donors it will move to clean up corruption or risk losing aid money. The international community has claimed corruption is endemic to Cambodia.
2 comments:
Hun Sen should look over his shoulder to see who was doing similar things in CPP circle.
Come on....while Funcinpec is bad, CPP is probaly not much different but u coward ex communist never want to expose your backyard. Wake up man...VN is brainwashing u.
So Hun Sen must resign if he is really a good leader. Look there are many Khmer begars in Youn and in siam. Who send them.? If there is no one responsible hun sen must coz he is a leader. He make us become a begar nation.
Post a Comment