Rong Chhun, president of the Cambodia Independent Teachers' Association, is threatening to hold a strike with the workers union to demand a salary increase. The current average salary earned by teachers (US$35) is not sufficient under the present price increase of foods and goods. Hun Sen claims that the government simply does not have the money to support the salary increase, whereas, USAID claimed that the uncontrolled corruption under the Hun Sen government led the government to lose 300 to 500 million US dollars yearly, a sum more than sufficient to support the demand for salary increase. Corruption in Cambodia mainly benefits Mr. Hun Sen's cronies/families/party members in and outside the government. (Photo RFA)27 May 2006
By Sok Serey Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by KI-Media
Prime minister Hun Sen reiterated again that his government is not capable of finding money to raise the monthly salary of civilian and non-civilian government employees, and workers to 400,000 riels (US$ 100) as demanded. Furthermore, the demand to lower the price of gas is not accepted [by Hun Sen] as well.
Today’s reaction of the prime minister is considered as a message to a group criticizing the government. The group threatened to launch a worker and government employee strike in the upcoming weeks.
Addressing people and government officials during a visit to a bridge construction site in Staung district, Kampong Thom province, Hun Sen said regarding the inability to raise government employees salary and the no reduction in gas price (sarcastic voice): “…I want to have it increase a lot, not only 400,000 riels ($100). I don’t want 400,000 riels, I want each one up to 4,000,000 riels ($1,000), but it cannot be done, there is no money…”
Currently, the number of civilian and non-civilian employess amounts to 320,000, most of them receive only an average monthly salary of 140,000 riels ($35). This salary is not sufficient to buy food with the current price increase.
Rong Chhun, the president of the Cambodia Teachers’ Independent Association (CITA) who had led the demand for salary increase up to 320,000 to 400,000 riels ($80 to $100) during the past May Day celebration, is threatening anew that he will lead a new strike to obtain this demand as he did not receive any clarification in the past.
Rong Chhun said: “We will send a third reminder letter and we will clearly indicate on the super strike…”
Chea Mony, president of the Free Trade Union Workers of Cambodia, said: “In two weeks, we will write a letter to the garment workers association to let them know about the strike…”
Dr. Kang Chan Dara, president of the Cambodian Institute for Development Study, commented on the declaration made by the prime minister: “We see that the economy had increased up to 13%. Therefore, we regret to see that the economy in the entire country is getting better, however the government employees do not benefit from it. This is very regretful …”
According to studies conducted by USAID in 2004 on the evaluation of the degree of corruption in Cambodia, USAID claimed that the government lost between 300 to 500 million US dollars a year from corruption in particular due to contraband, briberies, and other illegal activities.
Today’s reaction of the prime minister is considered as a message to a group criticizing the government. The group threatened to launch a worker and government employee strike in the upcoming weeks.
Addressing people and government officials during a visit to a bridge construction site in Staung district, Kampong Thom province, Hun Sen said regarding the inability to raise government employees salary and the no reduction in gas price (sarcastic voice): “…I want to have it increase a lot, not only 400,000 riels ($100). I don’t want 400,000 riels, I want each one up to 4,000,000 riels ($1,000), but it cannot be done, there is no money…”
Currently, the number of civilian and non-civilian employess amounts to 320,000, most of them receive only an average monthly salary of 140,000 riels ($35). This salary is not sufficient to buy food with the current price increase.
Rong Chhun, the president of the Cambodia Teachers’ Independent Association (CITA) who had led the demand for salary increase up to 320,000 to 400,000 riels ($80 to $100) during the past May Day celebration, is threatening anew that he will lead a new strike to obtain this demand as he did not receive any clarification in the past.
Rong Chhun said: “We will send a third reminder letter and we will clearly indicate on the super strike…”
Chea Mony, president of the Free Trade Union Workers of Cambodia, said: “In two weeks, we will write a letter to the garment workers association to let them know about the strike…”
Dr. Kang Chan Dara, president of the Cambodian Institute for Development Study, commented on the declaration made by the prime minister: “We see that the economy had increased up to 13%. Therefore, we regret to see that the economy in the entire country is getting better, however the government employees do not benefit from it. This is very regretful …”
According to studies conducted by USAID in 2004 on the evaluation of the degree of corruption in Cambodia, USAID claimed that the government lost between 300 to 500 million US dollars a year from corruption in particular due to contraband, briberies, and other illegal activities.
4 comments:
After AH HUN SEN banned the 3G Video Phone and now this bastard banned the salary increase and the gas price reduction! What does this fool know anything about basic economic 101? In what area of study did this bastard got his Phds again! Oh I almost forgot! His Phds is in the area of corruption!ahahah.
Any average student know that to get a "C" grade, the student must score at least 70% to 79% on examination! So this apply to everyday life too! If you can't even put 70% to 79% of your effort and why the hell you do it for?
This bastard knew that 70% to 79% of Cambodian people can't even afford to put food on their table with the current salary not including the increase in gas price
and how the fuck Cambodian people are going to survive? Maybe AH HUN SEN think that Cambodian people are animal and animal will always survive? Why this bastard refused to increase salary is a mystery! But the mystery is so clear that these Cambodian are so starved and weak that they can't even fight back or voice their concern! I said no more AH HUN SEN in 2008!
good pionts, guys..
be the way..he, hun sen is under the tycoon, the owner, so he can't not do for the people..this Cambodia country is a business lands, not a country!.. so if you cry you die ,and if you dare you die,, eeyore!! roki
Don't you know that by keeping the people "dependent" is a way of keeping power. They call it Communism around here. Ah Sen will continue to do it until he's has more many than bill gates. I wonder what is his ranking in the world.
All, of your comments are great, and I do enjoy reading them very much. Like Khmer Rouge Survivor said, even those rich student will still earn good excellent grads when they don't even show up for classes. On top of that they will always get good jobs, because they have networks and association with those people in Politic. Where as the poor person who struggled so hard in life and able to earn an honest education still can't find a job at the end of his/her graducation. It's struggle after struggle that end up on the dead end road for the poor. It's very sad for Khmer People who live under HunSen regime.
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