Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Cambodia slips in corruption rating

Wednesday, 24 September 2008
Written by Thet Sambath and Georgia Wilkins
The Phnom Penh Post

"This organisation is putting Cambodia to the bottom just to mock it. What are the ratings based on?" - Om Yentieng, Hun Sen's advisor on Human Rights [or lack thereof]
The new Transparency International graft rankings are out and the Kingdom has dropped five positions from last year, now 14 from bottom

CAMBODIA'S annual corruption rating has plummeted, according to an international transparency index.

The ratings, released by Transparency International (TI) in Berlin Tuesday, ranked Cambodia the 14th-most corrupt country in the world, five positions worse than its 2007 rating, and the most corrupt country in Asia after Myanmar.

"In the poorest countries, corruption levels can mean the difference between life and death, when money for hospitals or clean water is in play," TI said at the report launch.

Municipal health director Veng Thai denied that corruption could be claiming lives in the Kingdom, saying "there is not much corruption in the health system in Cambodia".

Bun Uy, secretary of state for the Council of Ministers, also said Tuesday that the ratings were meaningless.

"Every country has corruption. Even if they are rich countries, they are still corrupt," he said. "The prime ministers of Indonesia, Taiwan and Thailand are all accused of corruption even though they are rich countries," Bun Uy said.

Om Yentieng, Prime Minister Hun Sen's adviser on human rights, criticised the organisation for using developing countries as a political tool.

"This organisation is putting Cambodia to the bottom just to mock it. What are the ratings based on?" Om Yentieng said.

But Ou Virak, president of the Cambodian Centre for Human Rights (CCHR) said Cambodia's ranking showed the government was still "holding the country hostage [to corruption]."

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's not just simply denied it, but the Government should review itself why almost all intrnational organizations watch Cambodia with bad perception.

Anonymous said...

There is no doubt to hear that as we have seen and heared that anti-corruption laws is still pending because most of the government administrative officials under HUUN Xe are involving such ativities. Top leader shall look through on such conner to rectify it, that will not be late to be an trenparancy government unit in the future. Keep it up and moving a bit faster... one day will be there but gov't must willing to do it!

Anonymous said...

I won't worry about the stupid number. It doesn't mean shit. It is just a way for the west to bash the East. In other words, if you don't followed their culture, they see you as corrupted corrupted. It's sick, sick, sick. The truth is if corruption is that bad, there won't be anyone here for businesses, but that is not the case, not even close.

Anonymous said...

well, we're in the 12th place for most corrupted countries. There are richer nations that top the list. But who gives a shit anyway. It's just an opinion of a some people. Just like the list of the "most beautiful people in the world," even ordinary people look better than most of those celebrities on that list. That's just show how bias or inaccurate ones opinion can be. I'm not saying that Cambodia is not corrupted. But to make a big deal about it is plain stupid when there are a bunch of other countries that should top that list as well...including Thailand and Vietnam. I know people who live in those countries and they told me that the corruption in Cambodia doesn't compare to where they live.

Anonymous said...

Denmark is on the top list and Finland which was always number 1, has moved to number 5 since there was a scandal in the parliament which lead by Ninisto from the ruling partie.

Anonymous said...

"Every country has corruption. Even if they are rich countries, they are still corrupt," he said. "The prime ministers of Indonesia, Taiwan and Thailand are all accused of corruption even though they are rich countries," Bun Uy said.

No government is clean, but how clean it is is told by the index. The discourse here seems to suggest that it is OK to be corrupted. Those leaders in Taiwan and Thailand are accused and facing investigation and justice. How about our leaders? Our government is too sensitive to even a tiny information like this index. Bun Uy, are you corrupt too?

Anonymous said...

Why Transpearancy International didn't put Cambodia at the same position as Denmark? Why this organization wanted to embarrass Om Yin Tieng? Why the Japanese don't want to invest in Cambodia and prefer giving aide instead? How the riches and powerful in Phnom Penh have too much monies to spend and to travel overseas? You are chasing out serious investors and attracting only insignificant investments, especially in real estate and forest. You the government, you are too corrupt to inspire confidence. Absolute power corrupt absolutely! Please the new government has a look at. it!

Anonymous said...

Cambodian officials,
If you are uncertain, please get sick one week and stay at Calemete or Soviet hospital, all nurses need to be brided to get better services. Traffic cops take only cash (no credit card) at the corner of the streets. Teachers themselves who blamed the government are corrupted by collected money from elementary students... The travelers who blamed government themselve do not respect the traffic laws... even monks accepted cash... This country is in bloody mental health.

Anonymous said...

What you all expected ,they call the dog has never eaten the poop ,it addicted when it taste the poop at the first,and all these low lives government it corrupted since they stay in their mother 's womb

Anonymous said...

Ah Hun will die soon with corruptions.

Anonymous said...

In Cambodia, even Buddhist monks have plenty of cash and adventure outside the pagoda with bodyguards! The culture, the religion are all corrupted! The whole society has broken down!

Anonymous said...

That official secretary of state guy who said "Every country has corruption. Even if they are rich countries, they are still corrupt," and "The prime ministers of Indonesia, Taiwan and Thailand are all accused of corruption even though they are rich countries," has no shame in making that statement. We know that other places also have corruption, but as a society/country do we have laws and balls to deal with it? Why hasn't Cambodia announce it has accused/indicted/prosecuted anyone, yet? It is not about petty little clerks, but like Indonesia, Taiwan, and Thailand where they went all the way to top alleged culprits. These countries all have way to deal with corruption and do allow their citizen the freedom to protest against such corruption without violently beating or shooting. Until then, you cannot ask to be ranked near where they are on the list. Don't insult people with intelligence and integrity.

Anonymous said...

Hun Sen has an adviser on Human Rights, the only problem is that Hun Sen does not know what Human Rights is.

Om Yentieng is this guy Yuon?

Anonymous said...

That is the most stupidest comment I ever heard, 11:23. If Hun Sen doesn't know what Human Rights is, Khmer people will continued to be victims of the brutal Khmer Rouge today. It is your idiots people who doesn't know what Human Rights is. Let us get our fact straight, shall we?

My Community Networking said...

Corruption does exist any where on this planet, even in US and that is the reason for FBI to probe those 4 collapsed big financial institutes. It's a matter of the level of corruption and how they did it.

Anonymous said...

There isn't much difference between a B's students and a C's students. So what if we got a C?

Anonymous said...

I know all administration offices take bribe. But, I don't care. You can scream until you die. So what? It is the normal way that people in Cambodia like to do.

Anonymous said...

Actually, when you are poor like them, I am sure you won't mind a few extra bucks on the side. So stop being so hypocrite, will ya?

Anonymous said...

I think it is a disgrace that cambodia is not the most corrupt country in the world. All government members, employees and private sector workers not to mention foreigners and poor rice farmer have been working hard to be as corrupt as possible. They should be congratulated for such hard work. Hopefully next year we can be more corupt and become the best!