By Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
08 July 2008
Officials of the ruling Cambodian People's Party declined to join 10 other parties in a political debate held Tuesday over long-awaited anti-corruption legislation.
The debate, held by the Committee for Free and Fair Elections, gathered leaders from all other political parties competing in the July 27 election and about 80 participants.
"The CPP did not join this forum because it is not very interesting for the CPP," government spokesman Khieu Kanharith said.
Comfrel "is biased to the opposition parties and has a stance to oppose the CPP," he said.
"Let the people decide for the July 27 election," he said.
Licadho rights group founder Kek Galabru, who moderated the debate as a member of the Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee, said the forum was very interesting for political parties "and the voters."
"We very much regret that the CPP did not join the forum, because this was a good opportunity for all political parties to show voters how they can reduce corruption through the passage of the anti-corruption law," she said.
Representatives from the 10 parties promised Tuesday to pass in the first year an anti-corruption law that has been in the draft stage for at least a decade. They also promised a top-down sweep of corrupt officials.
"The current leaders have confused the people into thinking corruption is our tradition," Keat Sokun, a senior official of the Human Rights Party, said during the debate. "This is very wrong."
"I am trembling because of the Cambodian situation, where corruption is terrible," he said. "Corruption kills the entire nation."
Participants said they supported political platforms against corruption, but many were concerned the parties will not keep their promises or would be unable to fulfill them.
The debate, held by the Committee for Free and Fair Elections, gathered leaders from all other political parties competing in the July 27 election and about 80 participants.
"The CPP did not join this forum because it is not very interesting for the CPP," government spokesman Khieu Kanharith said.
Comfrel "is biased to the opposition parties and has a stance to oppose the CPP," he said.
"Let the people decide for the July 27 election," he said.
Licadho rights group founder Kek Galabru, who moderated the debate as a member of the Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee, said the forum was very interesting for political parties "and the voters."
"We very much regret that the CPP did not join the forum, because this was a good opportunity for all political parties to show voters how they can reduce corruption through the passage of the anti-corruption law," she said.
Representatives from the 10 parties promised Tuesday to pass in the first year an anti-corruption law that has been in the draft stage for at least a decade. They also promised a top-down sweep of corrupt officials.
"The current leaders have confused the people into thinking corruption is our tradition," Keat Sokun, a senior official of the Human Rights Party, said during the debate. "This is very wrong."
"I am trembling because of the Cambodian situation, where corruption is terrible," he said. "Corruption kills the entire nation."
Participants said they supported political platforms against corruption, but many were concerned the parties will not keep their promises or would be unable to fulfill them.
30 comments:
. . .because CPP is the ugly nest of corruption.
The CPP officials are the corrupts and the cancerous ones to keep Cambodia poor and mystery; and that is the reason why they don't want to come forth. Anyone with their mind to vote for the CPP is to vote for a dying future for themselves and their children.
Because CPP are the corrupt.
Dictator Hun Xen and all his members are corrupt.
IT TOO SAD FOR POOR KHMER PEOPLES THAT NOT REALIZE HOW DIRTY CORRUPTED cpp IS , AND STILL HAVE TO VOTE FOR THEM JUST FOR ( SARONG GRORMA AND BECHANH ).
i don't think most of cpp leaders are Khmers , if they are Khmer they will love and care a bout their own peoples and their land .
"The CPP did not join this forum because it is not very interesting for the CPP," government spokesman Khieu Kanharith said...
This is laughable, how dare he underscore the Cambodia people. The people care about this discussion and CPP should participate to show the true and courage of its leadership...
KK, your comment is very ignorance...go get a GED.
There is nothing to debate. Corruption can't be solved when you have poverty up your sleeves, period.
Corruptions deny Cambodian people the economic opportunity to catch up with rest of the world!
Corruption always create extreme poverty and extreme poverty create more extreme poverty and hopelessness which create the robbing, the killing, and the feeling of jealously and hatred between the rich and the poor! The cycle of poverty will go on forever unless Cambodian people and leaders have the courage to make the change! Yes it is possible to make the change!
As long as there is no anti-corruption law in Cambodia, the corruptors felt that they are immune to all Cambodian law because there is no law to persecute them! So by having anti-corruption law Cambodian people can rest assure and have peace of mind that those who commit corruption will take responsibility!
Please make the corruptors take responsibility under the law is the first step in solving corruption issue!
There is nothing solve when you have corruption up your sleeves period.
No amount of richness or development can sustain under the umbrella of corruption.
Just like having a corrupt wife a house will be poor, having a corrupt government, a nation will starve.
It's shameful and disgraceful to these monkeys, and Khiev Kanharith is one of the gods of the monkeys.
Oh my Lord, CPP. If you don't join, then your time of corse is coming to end by 07/27/2009 and that is your last day. but if you join, then your time of couse will end right in the meeting. That's why you keep a little longer day, Right?
Oh my Lord, CPP. If you don't join, then your time of corse is coming to end by 07/27/2008 and that is your last day. but if you join, then your time of couse will end right in the meeting. That's why you keep a little longer day, Right?
It is not important for CPP whose party is stealing from the nation; but it is extremely important for the Cambodian people whose lives are depending on it day to day, and those who care about the future of Cambodia. To me it is insulting for the CPP to say such a thing in the capacity of ruling party. It shows that the CPP government is lacking sensitivity for cause of the common people when they know they are the corrupts.
For CPP,self intrest is the most important than public's intrest .sO NO DEBATE.
The outside justice is prevele! When will the inside one!
UN you need to complet the process of Paris Agreement! give poever to all Cambodian not parties and person!
Please reforme the Cambodia Police, Army, anf justice! The babarian can not release the democracy power to the people!
To the Khmer Issan in this forum. You do not represent the thai people in general. We are the REAL Thais believe that only small group of thai politicians and others are trying to disturb the good relationship of the two countries. We have never been against Cambodia for the listing of the temple.
You are not thai's friend, but thai's slave. You are disgrace and bring bad reputation to our thai people. So, stop your stupid dream of getting the temple. It belongs to Cambodia, not your stupid slave of our king. It is wasting off our thais money and time to educate stupid people like you.
Tooo late fool 3:24AM go back to Bankok and the most stupid are THAI SENATE and THAI SUPREME COURT!
You should change your citizen to Malay!
This will defeat their purpose. CPP is the most corrupted regime in Southeast Asia.
SAM RAINSY will fix them all if he wins.
SRP is the cleanliness political party.
To all Khmer please vote for SRP!!
3:33am! you should read 3:24am's comment one more time.
3:33 AM our courts are based on the Khmer Courts. Do you say the khmer Courts are stupid too? Only the people in the courts could be biased, but not stupid.
I am proud to be thai citizen just like you that are proud to be Cambodia citizen. Nothing is wrong with that. Peace!
Blame, blame, blame that's all Ah Scam Rainxy now how to do. Fact of the matter is Cambodia is one of the fastest moving countries in the world. Thus, corruption is not a serious factor by any standard.
3:41 AM I read 3:33 am and the real thing is the Thai leaders are mostly stupid! the lead fool are the judges in the Tahai supprem court!
3:42AM yes you right ah Kwack's court is real stupid!
3:52 AM...You see even among you Cambodians, you guys are fighting and don't like each other. The same in Thailand. People are fighting for powers. This can't be changed. Remember, every leader is evil. The only we have to do is to vote for the one who is less evil.
Smart ass!!!!!!
4:26AM the Khmer font you use here is not readable. So stop waisting your time on that until you find a workable font. Thank you.
This unicode is so stupid.
CPP puts themselves above the nation. Vote them down!!! They are arrogant party. Just look at Hun Sen, he looks down at everyone, he never comply with the laws and never come to the people even before election. CPP IS THE PARTY OF THE CORRUPTS!!!
Do you remember what CPP officials said: "We do what we have to do, but we have never promised".It the CPP's hypocrysie!
DO what if you have no clear goals or if you are incompetent or rotten? You are scared to promise and to give hope to people.
Let throw corrupt CPP officials in in bin.
If they decline to debate on corruption, this mean they have no intention to change a bit.
The country will be miserable and declining as long as the CPP is in power.
We don't have the time to waste with these guys.
Just vote them out of the picture.
They,the CPP,will use every tricks in the world to win the election ,so that their children can own 5 star hotels,motels,resorts,T.V stations,radio stations,own businesses, etc.... And ah khmers pleu still vote for them , so why bother let CPP oppress them many more years to come.
11:08am, ...so you'll be pleu too not to bother and let cpp oppress you as well! May b not if only you're cpp's toy.
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