Yim Sovann, spokesperson for Sam Rainsy Party.By Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer
Washington
09 December 2009
Government officials are increasing tax policies but continuing with irregular expenditures at a time when they should focus on dampening the effects of the global economic downturn, an opposition official said Monday.
The passage of the 2010 national budget earlier this month includes taxes that will make difficulties for people already struggling in the depressed economy, said Yim Sovann, a spokesman for the Sam Rainsy Party, as a guest on “Hello VOA.”
“In our view, the burden on people by levies should be avoided at this time,” Yim Sovann said.
Taxes have been doubled for car owners, while a 0.1 percent tax on properties worth more than $25,000 has been put in place.
The Sam Rainsy Party did not support the taxes, Yim Sovann said.
Cambodia’s 2010 budget will reach nearly $2 billion, an increase of $100 million from the year before, with spending up for defense, security, health and education.
But Yim Sovann said Monday the government employed irregular expenses, such as a budget for national disaster spending, or for “special mission,” “which we do not know what it is.”
Yim Sovann said he supported cutting salaries for advisers, as well as undersecretaries and secretaries of state appointed for political reasons, postings he called “a waste of the national budget we need to save.”
He did not, however, support cutting tens of thousands of teachers, which would help Cambodia build up its human resources.
In Cambodia, people pay higher taxes than in neighboring countries and others, but the revenue is still relatively low. Cambodia collects around 12 percent of its GDP in taxes, compared to as much as 40 percent in the EU and 23 percent in Thailand.
“It means the people take the effort to pay taxes, but the tax money drops along the way, goes into the pockets of some officials, and not 100 percent goes to the state,” he said.
Cheam Yiep, a National Assembly lawmaker for the ruling Cambodian People’s Party, said Yim Sovann was “politicizing” the tax issue. And while he acknowledged some corruption in the system, he called it “temporary,” claiming, “the government is now taking efforts, as we have laws to curb the corruption issue.”
The passage of the 2010 national budget earlier this month includes taxes that will make difficulties for people already struggling in the depressed economy, said Yim Sovann, a spokesman for the Sam Rainsy Party, as a guest on “Hello VOA.”
“In our view, the burden on people by levies should be avoided at this time,” Yim Sovann said.
Taxes have been doubled for car owners, while a 0.1 percent tax on properties worth more than $25,000 has been put in place.
The Sam Rainsy Party did not support the taxes, Yim Sovann said.
Cambodia’s 2010 budget will reach nearly $2 billion, an increase of $100 million from the year before, with spending up for defense, security, health and education.
But Yim Sovann said Monday the government employed irregular expenses, such as a budget for national disaster spending, or for “special mission,” “which we do not know what it is.”
Yim Sovann said he supported cutting salaries for advisers, as well as undersecretaries and secretaries of state appointed for political reasons, postings he called “a waste of the national budget we need to save.”
He did not, however, support cutting tens of thousands of teachers, which would help Cambodia build up its human resources.
In Cambodia, people pay higher taxes than in neighboring countries and others, but the revenue is still relatively low. Cambodia collects around 12 percent of its GDP in taxes, compared to as much as 40 percent in the EU and 23 percent in Thailand.
“It means the people take the effort to pay taxes, but the tax money drops along the way, goes into the pockets of some officials, and not 100 percent goes to the state,” he said.
Cheam Yiep, a National Assembly lawmaker for the ruling Cambodian People’s Party, said Yim Sovann was “politicizing” the tax issue. And while he acknowledged some corruption in the system, he called it “temporary,” claiming, “the government is now taking efforts, as we have laws to curb the corruption issue.”
12 comments:
There are two people in CPP whom i dislike the most: Khiev Kagna Rith, and Cheap Yiep.
Yim Sovann did an excellent job answering to people.
But the program was too short. I hate it. Can VOA have this program with full hour so people can call in to ask questions?
I agree 1:16PM.
VOA needs to expand the Call in hour for some important issue like this. Can you have Yim Sovann on your program again?
Govt should high Taxes those people that have expensive cars, luxury cars, alot of luxury villas, alot of plot of lands...
Poors should given more lands to farms instead of Taxing them...?
Cambodia needs to decentralisation of both power and administration between local government and National government.
1-Local government should be formed into regional government and provincial government. Each regional government or provincial government has a Regional Chairman or a provincial governor and a group of regional council or a provicial council plus Mayors of each city and council of each city.
They must also have their own indendent budget raised from Land taxes, car parks, building permits, businesses licenses, planning licenses etc.. These revenues should be able to cover to the development of each region and each province and public servants of each province.
2-THe National government was born from National general election. They shouldn't interfer with local development at all. Their mandates are to run the country and the National economy. Their revenue should be from;
1-Personal income tax ( THis is a longterm revenue for all countries around the world )
2-VAT value ad tax
3-Coporated tax
4-Petrol tax.
5-Duty from importations ( this income will be completely disappeared in 2020 as all countries have to remove their import duties).
6-Stamp duties on properties transactions.
7-Car registrations and warrant of fitness
8-Fine
9-Courts fees
Etc and etc.............
THe government should set up a minimum low income for all public servants to protect human resources and to build up middle classes. The middle classes are very important to stir up the grow of the economy.
Areak Prey
2:07 PM
They'll take note of what you've described, however, I highly doubted that they will follow your advice.
khmer people have been paying very high taxes in every goods, and now youn party(YPP/CPP) gain other taxes for them.
i ask to all lovely khmer, the labor markets in khmer not enough for khmer people do, so why youn party(CPP) signed to allow for youn people to work in cambodia? Does cambodia a industrial country? i really don't understand.
Yim Sovann said like that was bad to Khmer people!The people around the world have to pay tax! Like people lived in USA no body get away from tax if someone try to get away those people have to go to jail at anytime!
No Taxes for the Poors please...
In CAMBODIA tax for poor only .the rich man do not pay tax ,give money under table to corruption system.
Create tax policy ,more chance to suck blood on poor KHMER.
Porvide our people in the rural area with cleans, running waters please, if people are healthy, government will save alot of money too...
Post a Comment