DPA
Phnom Penh - Cambodia's most powerful journalism organisation has weighed into the battle against the country's endemic corruption, urging journalists to expose graft and announcing large cash prizes in a statement published Tuesday. Club of Cambodian Journalists (CCJ) president Pen Samitthy published details of the competition in the country's largest selling Khmer-language daily, Rasmei Kampuchea. Samitthy is also the editor-in-chief of that newspaper.
"To effectively fight against corruption, we need the support of the media," Samitty wrote in his prologue. "Please, all journalists, expose corruption. We must all respond, not just the government."
He also called on the Cambodian National Assembly and the international community to support local journalists who dared to root out corruption at all levels of society.
A first prize of 1,100 dollars plus a trophy were on offer for the best anti-corruption investigative journalism piece, and all stories must be submitted anonymously, Samitthy wrote.
The CCJ boasts more than a thousand members and receives support from the US embassy and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation amongst others. Rasmei Kampuchea is viewed as being close to the ruling Cambodian People's Party by media analysts.
Cambodia was ranked at 162 out of 180 countries by Berlin-based anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International in its recently released 2007 index. Rampant graft has been blamed for the country's failure to attract more much-needed foreign direct investment.
"To effectively fight against corruption, we need the support of the media," Samitty wrote in his prologue. "Please, all journalists, expose corruption. We must all respond, not just the government."
He also called on the Cambodian National Assembly and the international community to support local journalists who dared to root out corruption at all levels of society.
A first prize of 1,100 dollars plus a trophy were on offer for the best anti-corruption investigative journalism piece, and all stories must be submitted anonymously, Samitthy wrote.
The CCJ boasts more than a thousand members and receives support from the US embassy and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation amongst others. Rasmei Kampuchea is viewed as being close to the ruling Cambodian People's Party by media analysts.
Cambodia was ranked at 162 out of 180 countries by Berlin-based anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International in its recently released 2007 index. Rampant graft has been blamed for the country's failure to attract more much-needed foreign direct investment.
5 comments:
it's time to raise our voice about corruption.
Pleases!!!not just corruption,but also lands and sea.watch out for our public # 1.2 "ENEMIES."
"Will pro-CPP newspaper dare expose CPP corruption all the way to the top?" -- Mee Chkout (Socheata).
That is sooo stupid. The question should be, "Will the anti-CPP media dare to expose the oppositions corruption, all the way to the top?"
Media can play constructive role in their journalism but most dare not to say due to political reprisal. I think now time is ripe to continue pushing Cambodia People Party to change their old mentality. Whether this effort will work or not depending on the journalist themselves and their creditibility. I suppose there are more of CPP officials in the government, so they are the likely targets not to mention that there are also corupt officials from other parties as well.
No, there is no need to push the CPP for anything. All journalists have to do is to be democratically balance and fair, and they will be alright.
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