As Three Ministries Are Found Misusing Financial Aid, Does Government Dare Dismiss Those Cabinet Ministers?
30 May 06
By Li Suo
Moneakseka Khmer daily newspaper
Translated from Khmer
As officials of donor countries have disclosed that now the World Bank [WB] has found that three ministries--the Ministry of Urbanization, Construction, Land Management, the Ministry of Industry, and the Ministry of Rural Development--have "spent, with irregularities, funding for seven projects totaling $64 million, does the government dare punish those cabinet ministers?" Asked a report by Li Suo published in the pro-opposition Sam Rainsy Party [SRP] Cambodian daily newspaper Phnom Penh Moneakseka Khmer in its 30 May edition.
The donor countries' diplomats mentioned that, the report says, in Vietnam, which is a communist country and the master of the Cambodian People's Party [CPP], an official was punished immediately even he stole just a small amount of national funds. However, in Cambodia, officials who embezzled millions of dollars were "never seen disciplined at all."
As in the past, the report adds, there were misappropriation of the World Food Program's supplies, embezzlement of funding for the demobilization program, and so forth, but "officials involved were never seen thrown in jail." On the contrary, the government "used national coffers to make repayments for those corrupt people instead."
Now, as it has uncovered the misuse of the funding for the seven projects by the three ministries, the report says, the WB has "reluctantly ordered the Economy and Finance to postpone payments for the projects immediately, pending investigation."
On 19 May, Economy and Finance Minister Keat Chhon wrote to Im Chhun-lim, minister of urbanization and construction; Loe Laysreng, minister of rural development, and Suy Sem, minister of industry, mines, and energy, "asking them to "put off the seven projects immediately, pending investigation," the report adds. Keat Chhon also wrote to National Bank Governor Chea Chanto, asking him to "freeze the three ministries' accounts temporarily, for, if not so, the WB would demand the reimbursement."
SRP MP Yoem Sovan, chairman of the National Assembly Interior, National Defense, Investigation, Suppression, and Public Affairs Commission, "called for punishment of the government ministers concerned to serve as a warning to other people," the report says. He added that the corrupt officials stealing the funding "damaged Cambodia's reputation."
On 29 May, CPP MP Cheam Yiep, chairman of the National Assembly Finance and Banking Commission, could not be reached for comments, the report adds.
A finance ministry official who demanded that his name be withheld mentioned that, the report says, the "use of all the funding had to go through Sok An, minister of the Council of Ministers Office. As such, Sok An was involved in all the irregular practices." Nevertheless, in Cambodia, "everything involves Sok An, nobody dares do anything, because he is the great guru of the strongman [Hun Sen] in Cambodia," the Moneakseka Khmer report concludes.
30 May 06
By Li Suo
Moneakseka Khmer daily newspaper
Translated from Khmer
As officials of donor countries have disclosed that now the World Bank [WB] has found that three ministries--the Ministry of Urbanization, Construction, Land Management, the Ministry of Industry, and the Ministry of Rural Development--have "spent, with irregularities, funding for seven projects totaling $64 million, does the government dare punish those cabinet ministers?" Asked a report by Li Suo published in the pro-opposition Sam Rainsy Party [SRP] Cambodian daily newspaper Phnom Penh Moneakseka Khmer in its 30 May edition.
The donor countries' diplomats mentioned that, the report says, in Vietnam, which is a communist country and the master of the Cambodian People's Party [CPP], an official was punished immediately even he stole just a small amount of national funds. However, in Cambodia, officials who embezzled millions of dollars were "never seen disciplined at all."
As in the past, the report adds, there were misappropriation of the World Food Program's supplies, embezzlement of funding for the demobilization program, and so forth, but "officials involved were never seen thrown in jail." On the contrary, the government "used national coffers to make repayments for those corrupt people instead."
Now, as it has uncovered the misuse of the funding for the seven projects by the three ministries, the report says, the WB has "reluctantly ordered the Economy and Finance to postpone payments for the projects immediately, pending investigation."
On 19 May, Economy and Finance Minister Keat Chhon wrote to Im Chhun-lim, minister of urbanization and construction; Loe Laysreng, minister of rural development, and Suy Sem, minister of industry, mines, and energy, "asking them to "put off the seven projects immediately, pending investigation," the report adds. Keat Chhon also wrote to National Bank Governor Chea Chanto, asking him to "freeze the three ministries' accounts temporarily, for, if not so, the WB would demand the reimbursement."
SRP MP Yoem Sovan, chairman of the National Assembly Interior, National Defense, Investigation, Suppression, and Public Affairs Commission, "called for punishment of the government ministers concerned to serve as a warning to other people," the report says. He added that the corrupt officials stealing the funding "damaged Cambodia's reputation."
On 29 May, CPP MP Cheam Yiep, chairman of the National Assembly Finance and Banking Commission, could not be reached for comments, the report adds.
A finance ministry official who demanded that his name be withheld mentioned that, the report says, the "use of all the funding had to go through Sok An, minister of the Council of Ministers Office. As such, Sok An was involved in all the irregular practices." Nevertheless, in Cambodia, "everything involves Sok An, nobody dares do anything, because he is the great guru of the strongman [Hun Sen] in Cambodia," the Moneakseka Khmer report concludes.
1 comment:
WB found the corrupt of funding! Do Signators of Paris Agreement, find the corruption of power and abuse od democracy?
Reforme the Cambodia Royal Police! Now!please.
The Viet infest in the force, even Hun Sen do not dare to charleng!
They (Hun Sen, Shihanouk,& etc...) are riding on the tiger back now. the tiger( Royal police Force infest by the Viey) is eating Cambodian Democracy,soul, and hope.
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