Thursday, February 19, 2009

Things must not be runing so smooth for Sok An to call for government reform?

Prime Minister Hun Sen speaks during a conference on Wednesday at the InterContinental Hotel. (Photo by: TRACEY SHELTON)

CPP leaders call for reform

Thursday, 19 February 2009
Written by Khouth Sophakchakrya
The Phnom Penh Post


At two-day seminar, PM Hun Sen and Deputy PM Sok An argue that reforms such as increasing civil servants’ salaries will improve government

THE government has no option but to continue to implement reforms that will foster economic growth, lower corruption and improve the quality of services available in the Kingdom, Deputy Prime Minister Sok An said Tuesday while kicking off a two-day seminar on reform strategies.

"If we avoid making reforms, we will definitely lose out on opportunities we now have in hand and we will continue to live under chronic poverty, conflicts and instability," he said before an audience of 650 provincial governors and other officials and civil society leaders gathered at the Inter-Continental Hotel.

Sok An, who is also secretary-general of the Council for Administrative Reform, pointed to reform initiatives already in place, including increasing the average salary of civil servants. He said these salaries have more than quadrupled since 1998, climbing from approximately $17 per month to $75 in January 2009. The government also provides a pension contribution equivalent to 16.3 percent of employees' salaries, he said.

"The government has improved the living standards of civil servants through the implementation of a consistent state reform program," he said.

This and other reforms "are not dreams but the result of our common effort", he added.

The two-day seminar concluded Wednesday with remarks from Prime Minister Hun Sen, who said reform efforts would reduce poverty and increase accountability on the part of all ministries and civil servants.

"Some ministries have many staff but not a lot of capacity," Hun Sen said, adding that he has noticed this problem for more than 20 years. Reform efforts, he said, would make ministries more efficient.

Thun Saray, president of the rights group Adhoc, said in response to Sok An's comments that government salaries were still too small, prompting qualified civil servants to leave the public sector to work for private companies or NGOs.

Speaking of reform efforts generally, he said, "We want to see the government officials do more than talk."

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Come on give them a break! FOOL!!!!

Anonymous said...

Increasing salary alone, as a mean of reform, does not work and the CPP cannot point to that a one of their reform.
If they increased the salary 4 time since 1998, have we see corruption reduced by 4 times also or even 2 times?

Anonymous said...

ពួកមេចោរលួចជាតិ នៅតែមានមុខស្រស់ដដែល

Anonymous said...

hey, we all has gotten to wake up, sometime. can't be sleeping forever, you know! this is not a fairy tale of "sleeping beauty", you know! god bless cambodia.

Anonymous said...

Dear Poster 2.03AM,
Please understand that liveable level of salary is a big important part of the reform. When most people can live comfortable with one job, the fight against corruption will be very strong because everyone can live without relying on corruption. Therefore people can stand up for what is right and what is wrong. At present, each public servant cannot say anything because they worry about their own living. This liveable salary can also eliminate robberies, killings and domestic violences. With enough to live, peole can live for longer life and better understanding of high moral. At present, Cambodian have lost most of their moral because of hungry. As I have said again and again that Cambodian need to live with one National rule for all. At present Cambodians are living under one person rule. Only a wife of a PM can affect many people lives such as writers, publishers, singers, musians etc.. and etc.. People need to live freely from rules of another person. In civilised society, the Prime Minister cannot order a Police man nor a simple army. Let alone for sacking a chef of staffs. A small police in the street can also bring down the Prime Minister for making any mistake. Areak Prey

Anonymous said...

yes, i think many people in cambodia failed to see that we all depend on one another, directly or indirectly; so why some people act act they are everything like above the law or something is beyond everyone's comprehension. everyone needs to wake up, big time. thank you.

Anonymous said...

A least these two are talking about the corruption. They may just talk about it, and nothing is done. We all know that previous years. Time will tell if these two are serious about the corruption could effect the progress of living standard of many and many poor Cambodians. Maybe this talk is just a mask for the problems with current economic down turn. There is election comming in May?

Anonymous said...

These people know all the right thing to say but so far, have done all the wrong things.

Anonymous said...

Like most people, I am always skeptical with the CPP when It comes to keeping their promises. However, I am very happy to hear that these people do understand the correlation between corruption and high living standard for the public servant.

Anonymous said...

Everything everywhere can use some improvement. Only Ah Jkout (Heng Soy) is surprise by shit like that.

Anonymous said...

650 provincial governors. Only in the ''Land of Wunder''

Anonymous said...

Petite comparaison 1 gouverneur=1 province 650 gouverneurs =650 provinces Il se peut 1 soit le reporter De PPost ne sait pas compter ou il a fait une erreur. encore une reférence en France 1 prefet equivalence d'un gouveneur et en France il y a que 100 préfets si le reporter a fait bien son boulot cela veut dire que Samdach et le CPP a fait depuis bien longtemps avec la bénédiction de Vietnam et samdach Ta un terrains de jeux le pays Khmer Et je n'emploie pas son of the bitch your ass ect ect Ce n'est qu'une constatation Voila les conséquences de ce que laisse Samdach Ta apres le massacre de 2 millions de Khmers comment voulez vous , plus tard les Khmers , encore faut il qu'ils ne se soient pas le peuple de second zone par rapport aux voisins vietnamiens , se souviennet de Samdach Ta Je me demande

Anonymous said...

laws and orders; checks and balances (independent judicial, legislative, and executive branches of government); vibrant economic and public health will sustain a pacified society.

It sounds socialistic, but look at the evidence and results of uncontrolled capitalism/materialism that have brought this global ecoconomic crisis. There is only so much money and materials that a person needs in his or her lifetime.

Anonymous said...

If you voted for CPP (Cambodian People's Party):

Also known as:

Communist People's Party
Khmer Rouge People's Party
Khmer Krorhorm People's Party


You're support the killing of 1.7 million innocent Khmer peoples.

You're support the killing of innocent men, women and children in Cambodia on March 30, 1997.

You're support murder of Piseth Pilika.

You're support assassination of journalists in Cambodia.

You're support political assassination and killing.

You're support attemted assassination and murder of leader of the free trade union in Cambodia.

You're support corruption in Cambodia.

You're support Hun Sen Regime burn poor people's house down to the ground and leave them homeless.


These are the Trade Mark of Hun Sen Regime.


Hun Sen, Chea Sim and Heng Samrin are Khmer Rouge commanders.
When is the ECCC going to bring these three criminals to U.N. Khmer Rouge Trail?

Khmer Rouge Regime is a genocide organization.

Hun Sen Regime is a terrorist organization.
Hun Sen Bodyguards is a terrorist organization.
Hun Sen Death Squad is a terrorist organization.
Cambodian People's Party is a terrorist organization.

I have declare the current Cambodian government which is lead by the Cambodian People's Party as a terrorist organization.

Whoever associate with the current Cambodian government are associate with a terrorist organization.