People check out a closed Cambo Six football betting parlour shortly after Hun Sen announced the stripping of the company’s licence during a speech at the National Institute of Education in February 2009. The premier decried the persistence of illicit gambling in a speech on Thursday. (Photo by: Heng Chivoan)Friday, 05 March 2010
Vong Sokheng and Khouth Sophak Chakrya
The Phnom Penh Post
HIGH-ranking officials must stop undermining government and police efforts to stamp out illicit gambling and prostitution, Prime Minister Hun Sen said Thursday.
Speaking at an event in Phnom Penh to mark next week’s International Women’s Day, Hun Sen said some senior officials are guilty of “misconduct”, intentionally circumventing efforts to reduce human trafficking and gambling.
“I am regretful of the misconduct of some leaders who have interfered with the court and law enforcement officials,” Hun Sen said. “The culture of impunity is not acceptable.”
Hun Sen did not name specific officials in his speech, during which he urged police to step up actions targeting human trafficking and gambling.
“We have already closed down slot machines, lotteries and cockfighting industries, but I question whether the industries still remain open or not,” he said. “I would like that the year 2010 is the year to take measures to fight against human trafficking and all forms of illegal gambling.”
Officially, all forms of gambling are banned in the Kingdom – except when “permitted by the Royal government”, according to the 1996 Law on the Suppression of Gambling.
Cheam Yeap, a senior lawmaker with the ruling Cambodian People’s Party, said there are currently 32 licensed casinos in the Kingdom, mostly built along border areas.
Casinos have proved to be a valuable income generator, bringing almost US$20 million into government coffers in 2008, officials have previously said.
However, that was before a 2009 crackdown when the prime minister abruptly ordered all sports-betting outlets and slot-machine parlours to close, saying they were causing a moral decline in Cambodia.
Speaking at the same event, Minister of Women’s Affairs Ing Kantha Phavi said violence against women and children still remains a significant problem in the Kingdom.
She decried what she said were increasing fears by teenagers of gang rape, which she linked to the consumption of alcohol, drugs and pornography.
“These issues have intoxicated the social atmosphere and damaged the public order,” she said. “They are psychologically affecting our youth and creating unfavourable conditions for the next generation.”
Speaking at an event in Phnom Penh to mark next week’s International Women’s Day, Hun Sen said some senior officials are guilty of “misconduct”, intentionally circumventing efforts to reduce human trafficking and gambling.
“I am regretful of the misconduct of some leaders who have interfered with the court and law enforcement officials,” Hun Sen said. “The culture of impunity is not acceptable.”
Hun Sen did not name specific officials in his speech, during which he urged police to step up actions targeting human trafficking and gambling.
“We have already closed down slot machines, lotteries and cockfighting industries, but I question whether the industries still remain open or not,” he said. “I would like that the year 2010 is the year to take measures to fight against human trafficking and all forms of illegal gambling.”
Officially, all forms of gambling are banned in the Kingdom – except when “permitted by the Royal government”, according to the 1996 Law on the Suppression of Gambling.
Cheam Yeap, a senior lawmaker with the ruling Cambodian People’s Party, said there are currently 32 licensed casinos in the Kingdom, mostly built along border areas.
Casinos have proved to be a valuable income generator, bringing almost US$20 million into government coffers in 2008, officials have previously said.
However, that was before a 2009 crackdown when the prime minister abruptly ordered all sports-betting outlets and slot-machine parlours to close, saying they were causing a moral decline in Cambodia.
Speaking at the same event, Minister of Women’s Affairs Ing Kantha Phavi said violence against women and children still remains a significant problem in the Kingdom.
She decried what she said were increasing fears by teenagers of gang rape, which she linked to the consumption of alcohol, drugs and pornography.
“These issues have intoxicated the social atmosphere and damaged the public order,” she said. “They are psychologically affecting our youth and creating unfavourable conditions for the next generation.”
6 comments:
How about close out COCKFIGHT run by your own master, Sok AN.
Big Casinos along border(East and West). These things have been sending a wrong message to Cambodian youth as well all sort of ages.
Hun Sen is just a barking saliva drooling pathetic, nonsense, ponochio charater,and completely jokemanship.
He's a liar and he lied too much!
He's a lion and he roars too much!
No one listen to this guy Hun Sen. He is just barking for publicity to his dump followers and some international donors who only want the Cambodia natural resources. Hun Sen barked about the gambing and the brothel before, but the business is running as usual. Actually Hun Sen does not mean what he barks anyway. Just bark, bark, and bark! Nothing else to do.
Ah Kwak only shut down mom and pop stores, but let the big fishes casinos open to protect his investment like Kith Meng.
If he wants to shut down the gamblings and prostitution, shut all casinos down in the kingdom. He acts like Chavez. His daughters are whore and prostitutes anyway. I would like to lay down with one of them for free.
The same goes to Ing Kantha Phavi. She slept with Hun Sen to get that position. How dirty she is? Good moral people won't work for idiot guy like Hun Sen.
He's only shutting it down because he isn't getting a share of his $$$$$$$.
I support him on this one.
I know most of you here are Sam Rainsy supporters (including myself sometimes).
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