By Cheang Sokha
Phnom Penh Post, Issue 16 / 22, November 2 - 15, 2007
The drivers license process adopted in February requiring car drivers to attend driving school and pass a test in order to get a Cambodian driving license has flunked the test - the corruption test.
According to interviews with drivers and officials, the Post has found that for an extra $100 or so, people in a hurry can skip the driving classes and road tests and go directly to the drivers seat.
An instructor at Mittapheap driving school in Phnom Penh explained that the normal cost of getting a driving license is $65, including $40 for driving school and $25 for document preparation. The driving school offers 20 days of practice driving in the school's car, and test preparation. Once you pass, three to four weeks later the license arrives.
But an official at the general department of transport at Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MPWT) who deals with issuing licenses said in an interview that he has issued many driving licenses to drivers who had not enrolled in driving schools. They paid $220 or $250 for a license, he said.
"They do not need to come. Just give us a photo and money and that's all. We arrange everything," he said.
Who gets the $250?
"The money is to share with the driving testing committee and driving instructors," he said.
He said although you can no longer get a license without taking a test in Phnom Penh, you can get one easily in the provincial offices.
"Don't worry, just pay the testing committee and you will pass automatically," he said. "It is not a kind of corruption, but is for clients who want it the fast and short way."
Keo Savin, director of the land transport department at MPWT did not dispute that officials have been taking such bribes, but he said this week that kind of activity is now banned.
"I recognized it happened previously, but not by all officials," Savin said. "It's a person acting in private, but it is not a huge problem."
Chum Iek, secretary of state at MPWT, also confirmed that paying bribes was common.
"I have told the testing committee not to take bribes during the testing because those drivers will have problems in the future if they passed without knowing how to drive," said Iek. "If I get a complaint about bribes, the officials will be punished."
Some drivers told the Post that getting a license ended up costing much more than $65 because they failed their tests.
Chan Koeun, 32, failed twice, but he suspects his failing grades were just a ploy by the school to make more money.
"I saw everybody getting a false test result the same as me," Koeun said. "Normally we have to retest and pay more money. The result came out from the mouth of controller."
Chan Koeun ended up spending about $120 for his license.
An employee at the Mittepheap driving school said bad driving was the reason for bad test scores and that students are not supposed to pay extra for taking the test more than once.
"Some students passed the test in just one time, but normally the students must take the test two or three times before they pass," she said. "There is no additional money requirement."
She said more and more people are coming to take driving lessons in order to comply with the new law.
Another instructor, who was training students in front of Wat Botum, explained that most students, unless they have a car at home to practice driving, will fail the driving test.
"Practicing a half hour for 20 days is not enough," he said. "I'm not aware how much the students pay to the testing committee to pass the test as it is confidential, but I heard it does happen."
MPWT's Savin said although there are about one million motor vehicles on the roads, just 305,232 driving licenses have been issued.
He said from 1990 until July 2007, 188,032 cars and 802,144 motorbikes have registered in the ministry. The number of cars and motorbikes increases significantly from year to year and about 10 percent of cars have not yet registered, he said.
According to interviews with drivers and officials, the Post has found that for an extra $100 or so, people in a hurry can skip the driving classes and road tests and go directly to the drivers seat.
An instructor at Mittapheap driving school in Phnom Penh explained that the normal cost of getting a driving license is $65, including $40 for driving school and $25 for document preparation. The driving school offers 20 days of practice driving in the school's car, and test preparation. Once you pass, three to four weeks later the license arrives.
But an official at the general department of transport at Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MPWT) who deals with issuing licenses said in an interview that he has issued many driving licenses to drivers who had not enrolled in driving schools. They paid $220 or $250 for a license, he said.
"They do not need to come. Just give us a photo and money and that's all. We arrange everything," he said.
Who gets the $250?
"The money is to share with the driving testing committee and driving instructors," he said.
He said although you can no longer get a license without taking a test in Phnom Penh, you can get one easily in the provincial offices.
"Don't worry, just pay the testing committee and you will pass automatically," he said. "It is not a kind of corruption, but is for clients who want it the fast and short way."
Keo Savin, director of the land transport department at MPWT did not dispute that officials have been taking such bribes, but he said this week that kind of activity is now banned.
"I recognized it happened previously, but not by all officials," Savin said. "It's a person acting in private, but it is not a huge problem."
Chum Iek, secretary of state at MPWT, also confirmed that paying bribes was common.
"I have told the testing committee not to take bribes during the testing because those drivers will have problems in the future if they passed without knowing how to drive," said Iek. "If I get a complaint about bribes, the officials will be punished."
Some drivers told the Post that getting a license ended up costing much more than $65 because they failed their tests.
Chan Koeun, 32, failed twice, but he suspects his failing grades were just a ploy by the school to make more money.
"I saw everybody getting a false test result the same as me," Koeun said. "Normally we have to retest and pay more money. The result came out from the mouth of controller."
Chan Koeun ended up spending about $120 for his license.
An employee at the Mittepheap driving school said bad driving was the reason for bad test scores and that students are not supposed to pay extra for taking the test more than once.
"Some students passed the test in just one time, but normally the students must take the test two or three times before they pass," she said. "There is no additional money requirement."
She said more and more people are coming to take driving lessons in order to comply with the new law.
Another instructor, who was training students in front of Wat Botum, explained that most students, unless they have a car at home to practice driving, will fail the driving test.
"Practicing a half hour for 20 days is not enough," he said. "I'm not aware how much the students pay to the testing committee to pass the test as it is confidential, but I heard it does happen."
MPWT's Savin said although there are about one million motor vehicles on the roads, just 305,232 driving licenses have been issued.
He said from 1990 until July 2007, 188,032 cars and 802,144 motorbikes have registered in the ministry. The number of cars and motorbikes increases significantly from year to year and about 10 percent of cars have not yet registered, he said.
26 comments:
Those fuckers working at the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MPWT) better watch out if these license drivers go out there and kill somebody and they will share the same responsibility as the killer!
I don't feel safe at all knowing that my wife or my children walking down the road and here comes these fucken drivers who just bought their license from the MPWT!
This is a fucken license to kill!
Damn mother fucker, corruption nonstop and this is a good example how corruption can kill innocence Cambodian people!
True, but how do we fixed this particular case. Any idea?
The solution is very simple and that is to create another institution to audit the MPWT and holding them accountable for their action! Get the lawyers, the judges, the police, the drivers, or the parent involve with process and make the driver understand the consequence of financial penalty, jail time, revoke driving privilege... because driving is a privilege. Remember! People don't born with privilege! The privilege can only be given to those people who understand the traffic laws and can demonstrate to drive safely but for those who don't understand shouldn't have the privilege to drive!
Otherwise expect to see more dead body on the road and by then it could be too late because it could be your relatives, friends, or family members who is a victim.
Make the driver understand their driving privilege and the consequence! Play by the rule!
Thank for the help, 2:23, but I don't understand how auditing can catch people who slip the officer $100 to bypass the examination. Unless, you mean to booby trap them with undercover cop to offer them the $100 and arrest those who accepted it. That will work, but I think this is a bit harsh if we do this everywhere. What happen is we end up locking up 10-15% (or close to 2millions) of the population who failed temptation, and our prison is not anywhere close to handle that type of humongous mass.
Thus, what we need is a scheme to keep people from able bypassing the examination.
To 3:08PM
Are you saying that Cambodian leaders don't have the will power to solve the licensing to kill issue? Hey! As long as Cambodian government fail to pass anti-corruption law and the corruption will continue to find its way into every part of Cambodian society and the sad part is the Cambodian people will always be the victim.
I have a feeling that Cambodian people still want to be a victim until they are sicken tired of being a victim and the whole issue of license to kill will be solved!
To 3:08PM
As far as I am concerned the only driver who should go to jail or get death penalty is when he or she drives the car in a careless manner and kill somebody!
Tell me! What is the difference between killing people with car or killing with a gun? There is no difference! All killers share the same trait and society must judge them severely before these killers do it again!
No 11:56, that is not what I am saying. What I am saying is you can't lockup 15% of the population in prison. That will kill our budget and economy. We can't always stop corruption by law in a certain circumstances.
Allow me to explain: Let us say, out of 14 millions people in Cambodia, 2 millions is corrupted, and we were to throw their asses in prison. First, what we got here is a mass of half the population of Singapore, and if you think the Human Right Organization is going to let you do that, you are crazy. Second, is the cost to feed the 2 millions prisoners. Let's say it cost 50 cents per prisoners per day. Thus, for 2 millions prisoners, you have to spend 1 millions dollars per day for food and clothing and prison maintenance and all. Are you with me so far? Now, if you take 1 million dollar multiply by 365 days, you'll get 365 millions dollar of annual prisoners expenses. That's why we can't lock up people. Here we lost about 150 millions in revenue annually in corruption, and now we are making it worse by spending 365 millions annually, and that is no way to go.
If we are to prevent corruption, we must find mean to prevent people from corruption, such as eliminate red tape. have them step down if we are talking about a few people. ..., but it is a difficult task and we would welcome all ideas, right or wrong. So, if you got something, hesitate not to let it rip, and we promise not to bite, okay?
12:11, you got a good point. However, let me say if you accidentally killing someone with a car or with a gun, it is different from you intended to kill someone with a car or a gun purposely.
Oh, and if anyone have problem imagining what is like to maintain 2 millions prisoners. Just look at how crowded it is Phnom Penh already with just about 1.5 millions people. Wait until the population grows to 2 millions, and you'll see how bad that will be, hehehe.
To 1:54AM!
The solution to 2 million prisoners is simple! Listen! When people became a prisoner and their life will be condemned to hardship for whatever time they need to serve in prison! The concept is to make these prisoners suffer as much as they can because they have created hell for other people. Pleased don't make life so easy for these prisoners and for them to eat well and to sleep all day like a King is a No! No! No! This is not the way to treat a prisoner.
I suggest that these prisoners should be put to work to earn food on the table and to have a place to sleep in prison. There are plenty of jobs out there such as building roads, canal, picking trash, or anything that they can do! Or the best thing is to train them to do certain job or have them working in the factory such mass produce toys, furniture, cloth... Hey! China did it and why not Cambodia? Do you get the picture now? Cambodian government doesn’t have to spend a penny on the prisoners for their time in jail!
By the way, the aim to have traffic law is not to make people go to jail but to make the drivers realize that the court and the police will take action against their driving privilege in term of financial penalty or revoke their driving privilege simple as that unless they kill somebody in a reckless manner such as falling asleep as the wheel or driving under the influence of drug and alcohol!
You want to bite me then you are a bitch! Do you want to be my bitch?
To 1:58AM
Well, the traffic law can identify whether any driver kill the people intentionally or by accident! With today high technology any crime scene can be simulated to recreate the whole event to find out the truth to what did really happen. By the way most advance countries are beginning to use cameras to catch bad drivers.
Say cheese when you run a red light!
11:11, Thanks for the great idea. Man, I wish someone would loan us the money to implement the latest greatest state of the art technology for our roads and traffics. I can see thousands of great jobs being created from building hitech central office, setup video switching multiplexers/demultiplexers, laid out cable, fiber optic, or wireless video camera ... to what have you. Plus, if we do it right we can also bug our corrupted police officers as well, hehehe.
12:54, I agree with making the 2 millions prisonners work to pay for their own expenses, but you know fair well that our oppositions like Sam Rainshit or Human Right Organization like Dr. Lao will see it as force labors and slavery.... if you know what I mean. They are still bashing China's and Vietnam's re-education. Just because you don't hear it in the news lately, doesn't mean they have accepted such type of prisoner treatment.
Okay folks, here's an idea for a start but will still required some ongoing adjustment. Let me know what you think or what enhancement can we do to it, okay?
In this particular case, those who try to pay the bribe to bypass the examination are those whe are afraid to fail the test. Thus, if we can create a friendly environment to give them confident that they can passed the test easily, then they would not pay the bribe. Doesn't that make sense? I mean why pay the bribe if you can pass the test quite easily, only a few retards will do that, but that is okay because there is nothing perfect in this world.
Having said the above, I would lower the training fee as much as I can because high training fee make people think driving is complicated; then I would lower the complexity of the test, just to make people aware of the basic safety of the road ... And that is all I got for now.
Continue from 2:42: Oh and for the new generations, we can mandated driving education in all schools.
To 2:24AM
There are million of underage Cambodian children who are working hard labor more than the so called prisoner and where are all the outrages from Human Right and the Labor Organization?
The whole world praise China about their economic miracle and yet Cambodia can't do the same as China?
To 2:17AM
This is the sign of the time. Cambodia soon will be infested with cameras and hidden cameras to catch the terrorist, the criminal, and the corrupted officials in public and private place!
There is no such thing as privacy anymore!
To 2:57AM!
It is a matter of funding from the government, private sectors, or public sectors to make the driving school program possible.
Where are all the outrages from Human Right and the Labor Organization, 4:22? That is a good question, but I am sure they are preoccupied somewhere chewing on bone that the Chinese throwing to them. However, once the supply run low, then they will start to bark again; just watch.
Your're right, 4:30, but right now the government can only does so much with such a small education budget, and I am sure you've heard our teachers is currently crying for bigger salary... . Thus, it is up to some experience driver to volunteer to teach driving at night or whatever. I mean at least until the country grow more and our tax revenue is a little higher.
4:26, privacy is for your home, not for when you're in a public place. I mean If you want to have a private meeting or whatever, do it at home, duh!
To 5:09AM!
I don't mean to scare you but there are many high tech devices on the market right now that can listen to your conversion within 100ft through solid wall! Ahahahha
How about a small laser beam pointed at your window can capture all the conversion in your home! Ahhahahhah
Oh by the way! There are more...
There is no such thing as privacy and even on the internet at this very moment and every word that I type here will be recorded and store in the database for many years to come!
Yeah, I have heard of such a laser based system that detect vibration motion of window that absorb the sound energy from your voice and reconstructed back to the original voice based on frequency response curve and characteristic of the glass material that is stored in the database using advance Digital Signal Processing technology.
However, if you think you are being monitored, you can counter them by using noise cancellation system on your window to keep it from vibrating or artificially creating noise to confuse the hell out of them, hehehe!!!
continue from 1:22: Oh sorry, 10:24, I just realized that forgot to reply to your internet privacy. Yes, you are correct that everything is stored in database. Thus, if you must have privacy on the net, you can't use anything on KI Media, MSN Messenger ... or anything in the any Chat room. What you can do is to come up with a coding and decoding scheme for you and your correspondence only, and you need to dynamically change the scheme as you go, just in case they figure out your protocol, then they won't get the entire conversation.
To 3:05PM
Due to security reason most encryption systems used by the public are weak because Uncle SAM can hack it anytime and anywhere!
Can you imagine if the terrorist use such encryption system and nobody can crack it and it would be grave danger to the free world!
True, 3:40, and that is why you must used a well classified novel encryption methodology that is made only for a few people. If too many people knew the methodology, then it will soon to leak out.
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