Translated from Khmer by SocheataTo Prime Minister Hun Sen of Cambodia
Through the intermediary of Samdech Heng Samrin, President of the National Assembly
Subject: Request for an immediate ending of the practice of nominating of advisors holding the rank of ministers and state secretaries. Request to send the names of all the advisors who received a government salary to the National Assembly.
Based on:
With the complaints from ministers, who are the ministry leaders, saying that they have difficulties organizing work at their ministries when the low-ranking officials are nominated as advisors of the country leadership, and they also hold the position of ministers like them (actual ministers), this situation prevent the ministers from actually ruling over these advisors who have the same rank as them (ministers).
There are also complaints from the police saying that a number of crooked businessmen who received the title of advisors to the country leaders, used their positions and titles to violate various laws, and created difficulties for the police to fight against these violatioins, such as land-grabbing activities from the people, contraband, and the avoidance to pay tax to the state, etc…
There are criticisms from a number of parties about the ruling party using its power to nominate political defectors who joined it, and these defectors received benefits as advisors with the rank of ministers, for example, saying that this rights violation of other equal political parties by the use of money and illegal government positions, will affect the free and fair election.
Knowing that the King is very reluctant in forcing himself to sign the decrees nominating these individuals to high ranking position, only to serve the interest of the ruling party,
Based on the opinion that the nomination of any individual to the rank of ministers or secretaries of state must require the agreement from the National Assembly through a majority approval vote from all the MPs beforehand,
Because there is no country in the world where the Prime Minister has so many advisors and spends state budgets as he wants, unlike what is happening in the current Kingdom of Cambodia,
I am asking the Prime Minister to review for an immediate end of these nominations of advisors with the rank of ministers or secretary of states, and to review those who were already nominated but do not have the expertise, or they are not necessary, in order to remove them so as to preserve the order in the governance in a responsible country, and to cut down the unnecessary expense on these advisors also.
At the same time, in order to learn about the number of government advisors, I am asking the Prime Minister to please send the list of all these advisors, with the specification of their expertise, and the advises they provided to the government in the past.
I hope that the Prime Minister will agree with the request above.
Please accept my highest respect.
Done in Phnom Penh, 18 February 2008
Son Chhay
Phnom Penh MP
Viewed and Sent to Hun Sen
Phnom Penh, 20 February 2008
Heng Samrin
Through the intermediary of Samdech Heng Samrin, President of the National Assembly
Subject: Request for an immediate ending of the practice of nominating of advisors holding the rank of ministers and state secretaries. Request to send the names of all the advisors who received a government salary to the National Assembly.
Based on:
- Article 90 (2) of the constitution which stipulated that: “The assembly shall pass a vote of confidence in the Royal Government by an absolute majority of all members.”
- The nomination of numerous people, including businessmen, low-ranking officials, to the position of advisor of the prime minister, of the president of the National Assembly, of the president of the Senate, with the rank of ministers, secretaries of state, and under secretaries of state.
With the complaints from ministers, who are the ministry leaders, saying that they have difficulties organizing work at their ministries when the low-ranking officials are nominated as advisors of the country leadership, and they also hold the position of ministers like them (actual ministers), this situation prevent the ministers from actually ruling over these advisors who have the same rank as them (ministers).
There are also complaints from the police saying that a number of crooked businessmen who received the title of advisors to the country leaders, used their positions and titles to violate various laws, and created difficulties for the police to fight against these violatioins, such as land-grabbing activities from the people, contraband, and the avoidance to pay tax to the state, etc…
There are criticisms from a number of parties about the ruling party using its power to nominate political defectors who joined it, and these defectors received benefits as advisors with the rank of ministers, for example, saying that this rights violation of other equal political parties by the use of money and illegal government positions, will affect the free and fair election.
Knowing that the King is very reluctant in forcing himself to sign the decrees nominating these individuals to high ranking position, only to serve the interest of the ruling party,
Based on the opinion that the nomination of any individual to the rank of ministers or secretaries of state must require the agreement from the National Assembly through a majority approval vote from all the MPs beforehand,
Because there is no country in the world where the Prime Minister has so many advisors and spends state budgets as he wants, unlike what is happening in the current Kingdom of Cambodia,
I am asking the Prime Minister to review for an immediate end of these nominations of advisors with the rank of ministers or secretary of states, and to review those who were already nominated but do not have the expertise, or they are not necessary, in order to remove them so as to preserve the order in the governance in a responsible country, and to cut down the unnecessary expense on these advisors also.
At the same time, in order to learn about the number of government advisors, I am asking the Prime Minister to please send the list of all these advisors, with the specification of their expertise, and the advises they provided to the government in the past.
I hope that the Prime Minister will agree with the request above.
Please accept my highest respect.
Done in Phnom Penh, 18 February 2008
Son Chhay
Phnom Penh MP
Viewed and Sent to Hun Sen
Phnom Penh, 20 February 2008
Heng Samrin
22 comments:
good, this is why cambodia have an opposition party, for check and balance until the cambodia uses the legislative branch, the judiciary branch, and the executive branch like in the USA for check and balance of gov't action.
The message is loud and clear. I hope that the prime minister really can read and understand this message. Be more professional Mr. Prime Minister.
AH HUN SEN used to say that if anyone dares to violate Cambodian constitution and he will use tank and army to protect the Cambodian constitution at all cost!
Well! Now that AH HUN SEN has violated Cambodian constitution and who will protect the Cambodian constitution from AH HUN SEN ?
Too many advisors and too little works has been done. Save the money for the poor.
the problem i see is many cambodian leadership needs to be reminded that there are separate branches of power in gov't e.g. the legislative branch (lawmakers), the executive branch (in cambodian case is the prime minister position, and the judiacary branch (the supreme court of the land), and these branches of gov't need to consult one another because each have the same level of power and have power to veto any decision made by the other by way of the voting system in parliament or national assembly ( when they all get together to discuss issue in the country). it seems to me, sometimes, individuals in each of these branches need to be remind that they are not the utimate power and that they can't just do whatever they please (ie. abuse of power) by themselves or as they please without the consent of other branches. and this is what i see as problem in the current gov't, unless they reform their way. otherwise, they are being seen as dictator because they do as they please without consulting the other branches. everyone in the gov't needs to be educated about this branches of power in gov't so they don't overstep their power. this is very important to be educated and understand before they can take office in gov't. it needs to be reenforce on a regular basis as they tend to forget that they can not work by themselves in any issue without the other's check and balance by way of voting system. please, i strongly urge and encourage all gov't to study the USA's system of federal gov't, it can help cambodia a lot down the line of good governance for the people and by the people. and the tax collection system also needs to be strengthened because in the USA, tax revenues help to pay for road construction or renovation, the welfare system, the retirement system, police service, military, etc, etc. it is the tax system in the USA that is what i see as the one of the best (beside the check and balance of gov't branches) system in the entire world. cambodia needs to strengthen this system as well.
Hun Sen and his cronies are using "rejecting policy" to frighten and manipulate Cambodian peoples who are poor and less educated. Hun Sen is like a jerk who have always afraid of losing his face in the public.
For instance, the insulting of UN's representatives, Global Witness, and recently Amnesty International that this is unthinkable for Hun Sen's regime to denounce those neutral world organizations.
However, recent stead-headed responding to Son Chhay is another failure of Hun Sen's administration.
You have done a great job, Mr. Son Chhay, for the sake of millions of Cambodian people, we are strongly standing with you to strengthen the "rule of laws" in the nation-state of Cambodia.
KY
To: 2:48 AM
the executive branch like in the USA for check and balance of gov't action.
From what I recalled on President Bush last pledge to Congress re more budget for Iraq and certainly congress did not happy and opposed bitterly however President Bush himself threated to use his Presidency veto power to over-ruled their decision, isn't it right?
To: 3.32Am
it is the tax system in the USA that is what i see as the one of the best (beside the check and balance of gov't branches) system in the entire world.
Hope comment below would draw your attention on current tax system in Cambodia, in particular, income tax [tax on income derived from paid salary]
No doubt that most Cambodian in favor the tax system in USA or any western block which seen as a fair go for income earners. However, for the current situation in Cambodia, I strongly believed that many Cambodians particularly those from private sector would want to oppose to it [current tax system in Cambodia] if they can have their way simply because
1] there no tax return on tax being paid/deducted from salary
2] there is no superannuation paid out/permanent disabilities pension or death benefits unless they are public servants.
I am not so sure that US Tax system is very good as you describe.
The current tax system [income earners] in Australia has been overhauled and it is much better than the past.
For instance:
1 - 6000 = 0 tax
6,001 - 25,000 - 15 cents for each $1 over 6,000
25,001 - 75,000 = 3,600 plus 30 cents for each $1 over 30,000.
they pay 1.5% Medicare levy on their annual incomes and receive free medical [insurance is option for individual purposely to have doctor of their choice in public or private hospital] unlikely US must have medical insurance.
You can have 6 or 7 offspring here without pay a cent but in return you receive baby bonus from the government.
What Mr. Son Chhay did is good for the law obeying citizen. It's good to have people to remind someone with the thick skull and act on impulse. Hun Sen is the law and above the law, in Cambodia now in his view he is untouchale, no one can do any thing to him and he can do anything he likes. The Cambodian people must think hard about the lunatic that they helped to put in power.
The poor Mr Son Chhay can only do the right thing with the wrong guy. If Hun Sen wants to change he would have done it long time ago. Power belongs to him and his family alone until someone has the right conscience to bring an end to it by the only language that Hun Sen can understand that is force.
To Khmer Yourng: Don't say that UN's representatives, Global Witness, and Amnesty International are NEUTRAL. Guy! they work to favour donors and for political interest.
Where the root of human right come from and why it should happen? I guess mainly USA and its allies, who want to use human right to gain political benefit, i.e democracy.
If USA think about human right, perhap we didnot fall into war and lost lot of our Khmers in 1972-73 and those people in Iraq and others.
However, Son Chhay request is right. But we should not take this case to criticise others issue. Otherwise, he earn nothing from this effort.
No one can deny that United States is one of the richest nations with strong politic, military, and economic in the world and thank to their tax system for making it possible!
Please don't argue with Uncle SAM when it is time to pay tax!
In USA, you pay tax for WAR. not for your healt care. ha ha!!!!!!!
ah Hun sen rejected...
To: 5:33 AM
America economy is in bad shape at the moment. Every financial institutes around the globe know that US is facing bad sub-prime loan and the Federal Reserve has stepped in many times and injected a lot of cash trying to stabilize the economy but still can't contain it.
Take a close look at New Orleans. How may years since Cyclone Katrina lashed out the area. Do houses and communities there being rebuilt?
Their health care system is in mess and that is why, Clinton, Obama and McCain is trying hard to convince people during campaign trails the urgency to fix the system.
The current unemployment rate in USA is worsening.
You may want to counter check the accumulated debt US had to pay for UN as well.
By the way, if foreign companies decided to pull their listing from Wall Street stock-exchange then you would see how rich really is US.
If Cambodia is a lawful country, Hun Sen should submit a complete list of his countless advisers. However, if he turns down Son Chhay's request, that means his administration is using a jungle law, which in turn, Hun Sen himself could be one day getting assassinated. Period. Say Good Bye to Your Holy Grave.
5:26AM
Any organizations or political bodies are working for the interests. But you should think what interests they are for?
Look at our current government, one question to ask Hun Sen, is he working for Cambodian interests?
If he say "yes"...
Those criticisms from NGOs solely assumed the interests for Cambodian peoples.
Other factor, good governance and decentralization totally depends on civil societies. So when civil societies are at work, why Hun Sen leadership and his administration is targeting to damning them?
Do you agree with me that Hun Sen's leadership is "to manipulate over Cambodian peoples by using of fear, so-called government court, policemen, military, and economic deprivation etc to gain and sustain his power?".
Everybody agrees that Son Chhay has firmly stood on the principle. He has hammered on the right spot. We are proud of his gentle, persistent, and right effort to strengthen the rule of laws for the nation-state of Cambodia.
When it is the right effort, why you said "he earns nothing from this effort?". I hope you are not kneeling before the dictatorship!
KY
Most of the Phkay (Star)are Phkay chor.
Most of the Excellencies are Cretins.
Most of the advisors are parasites.
To Khmer Young, I don't argue that Son Chhay is doing wrong action. He is great, not best!
We know that the current government is manapulating the whole country.
But, what I mean is that those NGOs are slave of particular organisations. They are totally bias. I worked for them, they totally links to its embassies, politics, etc.
What we should do is supporting Son Chhay firmly on his target point, i.e request Hun Sen to abide by national law.
i guess people are final woke up or something. ignorant people were kept that way since ancient times. maybe now is the real change, the real difference when people in cambodia began to realize the important of getting an education so they too can be well-informed. people are striving to be different than their parents and grandparents, many of whom, sorry to note, couldn't read or write the native khmer language. i hope that will change in the future as cambodia can not afford to have the same ignorant generation of people again because, if one really look hard enough, the KR existed because there were so many uneducated, ignorant people, who, i think was kept that way under previous gov't (if you are old enough, you should know which gov't that was), or who didn't have the opportunity to go to school because they were so poor. so, my point, is this is not something new to cambodia. cambodia just needs to be different than before, by encouraging every one of its citizens to at least finished grade schools, and at least can read and write its own language, the khmer. this way, they and their family will have hope and can be productive not only to camboida, their country but to the world as well by helping to educate the world about cambodia.
all i can say about the system of check and balance the the tax revamp or what have you in cambodia is to just do it; just make it happen. if it failed before, just make correction and make it happen. look, gov't can set a limit to how much income tax they wil collect, but also keep in mind, taxes can come from many, many, many resources like, businesses, real properties (real estates), land leases, sales taxes, etc, etc. i suggest, please ask for technical support or assistance from the good, old USA (gov't to gov't help for cambodia in this field of taxes), to help cambodia in this new field. and i think the USA can help in this tax revamp for the whole cambodia, but so far i haven't seen anyone in the cambodian gov't approach the USA and request for this kind of assistance. all i can say is, just do it, make it happen!!
THESE ARE NOT ADVISERS FOR BENEFIT OF CAMBODIA, BUT SUCKERS TO THE COUNTRY.
Well, so far so good! and thing keep on growing here.
Thanks to all those great advisers, including the new S. Korean elected President.
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