Cambodia unveils new assembly building, located next to casino
(Kyodo) - Cambodia on Saturday proudly unveiled its new $26 million National Assembly building, but its location next door to a major casino has brought criticism from some Cambodians.
The building, which took four years to construct, has a capacity to accommodate offices of up to 211 National Assembly members, or almost double the current number in the 123-seat lower house, along with their staff.
Son Chhay, an outspoken parliamentarian of the opposition Sam Rainsy Party, called the location of the building next to the nine-story Naga Casino, owned by a Malaysian tycoon, a "big mistake" and said it gives Cambodia a bad image.
He said some fellow parliamentarians are already joking "that a bridge connecting parliament and the casino should be built so that they can gamble after they get bored."
Son Chhay also criticized the lavish inaugural event, which was timed to start at 7 a.m. on the 7th day of the 7th month of 2007 with some 7,000 participants, including King Norodom Sihamoni, Prime Minister Hun Sen, and the heads or other high representatives of parliament from such countries as Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam, Thailand and Laos.
"The spending of some $500,000 for the event is a big waste of money. We are poor, and this disgusts our donors who have been contributing for years to an amount of almost half of our country's annual budget," he said. The old National Assembly building, built in 1917, is located less than 1 kilometer away from the new one. It will be used by the Supreme Court.
The building, which took four years to construct, has a capacity to accommodate offices of up to 211 National Assembly members, or almost double the current number in the 123-seat lower house, along with their staff.
Son Chhay, an outspoken parliamentarian of the opposition Sam Rainsy Party, called the location of the building next to the nine-story Naga Casino, owned by a Malaysian tycoon, a "big mistake" and said it gives Cambodia a bad image.
He said some fellow parliamentarians are already joking "that a bridge connecting parliament and the casino should be built so that they can gamble after they get bored."
Son Chhay also criticized the lavish inaugural event, which was timed to start at 7 a.m. on the 7th day of the 7th month of 2007 with some 7,000 participants, including King Norodom Sihamoni, Prime Minister Hun Sen, and the heads or other high representatives of parliament from such countries as Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam, Thailand and Laos.
"The spending of some $500,000 for the event is a big waste of money. We are poor, and this disgusts our donors who have been contributing for years to an amount of almost half of our country's annual budget," he said. The old National Assembly building, built in 1917, is located less than 1 kilometer away from the new one. It will be used by the Supreme Court.
10 comments:
The Chinese help the African build their government building much bigger than the Cambodian building! The Chinese gave the African the palace while stupid Cambodian get a simple building from the Chinese to house stupid monkey Vietcong communist slaves ahahhahhahahhah! Even the African can do better than this!
I saw that new parliament building,this parliament building is looked better from the front but if you looked at it from the side of the builing, it is looked like a cheicken pen.
So Sdach Lbaeng had a better Supper Palace than those Chicken brain MP officials.
Where is the lable "made in china"?
anything made in china only last a few days.
Does anybody know that Son Chhay did attend the event or not?
If he did, he is the same like others, so he should shut up and enjoy free meals, drinks and the party...What a hypocrite...
To 7:58AM!
Yes! Mr. Son Chhay did show up to protest this simple National Assembly building that is an inch close to NAGA Casino!
The closeness of the simple National Assembly to NAGACasino is prime target for foreign and domestic double agents with a listening device that can pick up sound through the wall more than a thousand feet and an agent can shoot the laser to the window from Casino can pick the sound of their secret debate about the future of Cambodia! I just hope nobody is digging a tunnel between NAGA Casino and the National Assembly building and again a listening device can be place right underneath! There are endless possibilities! ahahhahahha
Oh well! Only time will tell!
Son Chhay is a typical "See Buy Bauk Chhnang " as the Cambodian saying goes, he comes to the party and critisizes the host...Never to trust such a person.
WE are poor but very eager to put our faces on show even we are hollow inside out. IT IS A KHMER CULTURE NORM that has been rooted back to thousand years.
FYI---HERE in USA, up to 80 % of American-Cambodian drive very expensive car whereas more than 85% are blue colar workers.
In my hometown, there are approx 350 AMERCAMBO. 90% of them work in various factories, but they get even with millianaires. They use either Lexus or TOYOTA Land cruisers or 4runner or Highlander or Sequoi or Tundra at at least 2001 and up.
Unfortunately, some of them ended up BANK takeovers or repossesses because of failing to pay.
They dare not to spend on their children nutritious food, education, and vacation but put most of their money on car expenses and insurance.
So this is just only to show you folks on KHMER MENTALITY and HER CULTURE. SHOW OFF. I drive an old junk and gas gazzling Nissan Pathfinder 97. Too bad. But I'm going to live comfortably when Im retire with my 401K, IRA Roth, and Real Estate Investment, and few shares' dividend return. And being able to send kids to University and take vacation occasionally.
Not just Cambodian drove nice car with the big house. whose doesn't one to live in a big house and nice car? Only you, Mr. 8:30PM and that's what you choose to spend your money. Of course some people miss manage their budget, but their problem.
Even the African, Vietnam, chinese, and other countries try to show off their will too, especially African. They work only as Nursing Assistants but drives Mercedez and live in the big house. But they work two jobs with less to eat at home.
Indian and jewish people tries to save money as much as they can. they are good in budgeting their dollars. Eat less and buy cheap.
To 8:30PM! Whatever! ahahahahhah!
You talk like you know every single Cambodian people so well! I am just amazed that you can actually read Cambodian people mind! The Cambodian folks that I know who have nice houses and drive luxury cars are very quiet and private about their life! I get to see them once in a blue moon and they always talk about business, business, and more business!
The kinds of Cambodian people who you claimed to be show off and drive a nice car without a single penny in their pocket and those are the hallmark of a gambler or high roller! I see a lot of them at the Casino all the times and yes they really flush out those hard earn money on the gambling table and only to walk away loosing everything to their gambling addiction!
By the way, it doesn't take a lot of money to own a beautiful house or a luxury car if you really understand how American financially system works! But it is too bad that your financial literacy can only compare to a kindergarten and it is no wonder that you choose live in fear with your money and live like scrooge! ahahhahahhahahah!
Ever since I live in America and I really enjoy my American dream! The dream to own big house and big cars! The dream to travel the world! The dream to give my money away to those relatives who can seem quite make it! Hey! What can I say! To be a millionaire, you have to practice to be a millionaire! Nowadays even being a millionaire is not that much! So please take the time to study the financial literacy and there are many good books out there such as RICH DAD AND POOR DAD BY ROBER T. KIYOSAKI, THE SECRET OF THE MILLIONAIRE BY T. HARV EKER, and THE AUTOMATIC MILLIONAIRE BY DAVID BACH…
i know, casino shouldn't be allowed to be located in the middle of the city like this!
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