Monday, December 08, 2008

Anti-corruption law: Civil society’s expectations

07 December 2008
By Pen Bona
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Translated from French by Luc Sâr
Click here to read the article in French

The International anti-corruption day will be held on 09 December. This is an opportunity for the civil society to send a reminder to the government.

Hun Sen just hit the jackpot with more than $1 billion in international aid pledged for 2009. This good news must not hide the fact that the country is still devoid of an anti-corruption law. Highly expected, regularly announced for several years in a row, the draft law never got out of the government hands. In spite of its delay, civil society groups have not lost hope and they still believe in a positive outcome of this issue. This will be the civil society’s message to be delivered on 09 December, during the International anti-corruption day.

In a communiqué released to the public this weekend, a group of associations wrote that they will campaign in 6 cities (Phnom Penh, Sihanoukville, Battambang, Siem Reap, Kratie and Svay Rieng) for a quick adoption of a draft law that conforms to international standards. Program for the anti-corruption day includes: speeches, round tables, concerts, radio message broadcasting …

Hun Sen promised at the end of last week to representatives of donor countries that “delay” involved in this issue is due to the fact the anti-corruption law must be in harmony with the new penal code. Yung Kim Eng, the spokesman for the civil society groups, still remains skeptical about Hun Sen’s declarations: “The prime minister maintained this promises for a long time without any results up to now. Nevertheless, we hope that the [anti-corruption] law will see the daylight during the first semester of 2009, otherwise it will be a scandal for our kingdom.”

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Not just only the Kingdom of Cambodia,But the whole world.
Anti-corruption law is important to our new generation,We do not want Global crisis to hit our world again.
I am just simple Khmer person that love my people and Country.
Thank you!!!...May God Bless us all.

Anonymous said...

what? go to tell you Viet master and Xhino too?

Anonymous said...

yes, do remind gov't to commit to reforms. check and balance, too.