Monday, February 11, 2008Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy
HRP leader Kem Sokha announced his firm opposition to reports published by a number of newspapers claiming that the government is currently preparing a draft law allowing foreigners to buy and own lands. Kem Sokha said that this action is a serious danger to Cambodia’s future. In a declaration made during a party office opening in Siem Reap on Sunday, Kem Sokha said that if there is a law allowing foreigners to have the right to buy and own lands, then foreigners will use their money to buy lands from Cambodians, and the latter will lose their lands and become ethnic minorities just like the Cham people and the Khmer Kampuchea Krom people. Kem Sokha said that if his party will win the upcoming 2008 election, he will cancel such law. Khieu Kanharith, government spokesman, criticized Kem Sokha’s comment, saying that his opposition is baseless and without clear proofs. Khieu Kanharith told RFA that the government did not draft any law to allow foreigners to buy and own lands at all.
11 comments:
as a khmer person, i'm oppose to foreigners or foreign investors owning land outright in cambodia. yes, there ought to be law prohibiting foreigner to own land in cambodia. i think foreigners should only be allowed to lease the land for as long as 99 years; however, they can not own the land. land belongs to cambodian people and gov't, and it is sovereigned. take a look around the world, no country in their national interest would allow foreigner to own land outright. they should only lease it, not buy or own it like the native citizen. i supported this law not to allow foreigner to own land in cambodia. please do a careful study at how other countries around the world do this; cambodia can not afford this as our land is small compared to other large countries around the world. long live cambodia!
I'll say it outloud that it'd be a colossal stupidity for any Khmer citizens to choose and grab the bank notes made of "paper" in exchange for the priceless Khmer heritage - the land of all Khmer. Those who propose such draft law in Cambodia should be hung up high for all to see for seven days before their rotten bodies be cremated. Is Khmer that stupid or just its current government that has suffered from a severe shortsightedness? I'm furrious.
KEM is in the way of progress. Cambodia have the opportunity to be the next Hong Kong, Monte Carlo, Singapore, or Dubai.... The poor should get a job. its not progress fault... CPP is progress. SRP,HRP is stone age.
No body beleive this drunkard guy.He is a big mouth and smell alcohol all the time.Good job Mr kem you are the best to talking this crisis law.Cpp sold our border land to VN and now they start selling inside Cambodia land .Cambodian people cann't stand with this government.
Mr. Kem, why bother with politics; you have nothing in it. I would highly rececommend to stay away from the politics.
What's wrong with 1:45pm.Kem is really Cambodian,he exercised the same right as every Cambodian or as your boss SR.I don't understand your comment and answer why?.
Mr Khiev is not fit for government official, minister of information.
It is in fact he is not exercise his role for logical, beneficial to cambodians but represents CPP party all the way.
THUS HE IS ONLY PARTY'S DOG, barking a wrong tree.
I think that if foreign ownership is allowed it should have limits. For example in Thailand, a foreigner can own a condo. Some countries such as the US allow foreigners to own real estate even if they don't live there.
The problem for Cambodia is that foreign investment increases where some forms of land ownership are allowed because to build a factory requires financing and most- if not all banks- will not loan money for building such plants where they can't take collateral on the land and improvements on the land.
What is happening now, is that a foreigner who wants to invest must have a Cambodian national holding 51% interest in the equity of the land, and in many cases its simply a strawman. So in reality it's happening now in a de facto sense but without limits (at least that are enforced).
I think that if allowed, it should be regulated however perhaps through the CDC where a foreign company that applies for land ownership of i.e. enough to put up a factory, is allowed to do so. This is the policy now, but the land is either concessions by the RG or long-term leases. What is not good for the country in my view is allowing unfettered purchase of land by foreigners because investors from countries where land investment is very limited i.e. s.korea, Japan will purchase in large numbers. There must be a balance if it is allowed at all.
2:50am makes sense. yes, law, law, law must be in place to control rampant buyers because of economic disparities. rich people, naturally, have more money to buy, so it's just not fair to people with no money to buy. have to control the land buying controversy.
Go head buy more land in Cambodia to put dirt poor Cambodian people out of existence!
Are Angkor Wat and Preah Vihear for sale? If they do, we'll buy them, or lease them for 2,000 years.
Let your prime minister know if he's interested in selling or leasing these temples.
Thank you very much.
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