April 28, 2010
AFP
PHNOM PENH
THE Cambodian Prime Minister has denied that BHP Billiton paid a large bribe for an exploration contract in his country.
It was reported last week that the US Securities and Exchange Commission was probing BHP over a $US2.5 million ($A2.7 million) payment related to a project in Cambodia.
But Cambodian leader Hun Sen said the money was for a ''social fund'' established in an agreement between Australia and Cambodia, and was used to build a hydroelectric dam, schools and hospitals.
''These days, they have been saying BHP paid illegal money to Cambodia,'' Mr Hun Sen said.
''Let's see the contract - it was a social fund. It is written in the contract. It is not secret.''
BHP last week said it had evidence of possible corruption involving ''interaction'' with government officials, related to a minerals exploration project terminated last year.
It declined to reveal the location of the project, but said it was not in China, where four staff of rival miner Rio Tinto were jailed for bribery and commercial espionage last month.
BHP has said it paid $US2.5 million to a community in Cambodia's east and $US1 million to the government for bauxite exploration rights, according to reports.
BHP said it handed evidence to the US SEC and was conducting an internal investigation.
It was reported last week that the US Securities and Exchange Commission was probing BHP over a $US2.5 million ($A2.7 million) payment related to a project in Cambodia.
But Cambodian leader Hun Sen said the money was for a ''social fund'' established in an agreement between Australia and Cambodia, and was used to build a hydroelectric dam, schools and hospitals.
''These days, they have been saying BHP paid illegal money to Cambodia,'' Mr Hun Sen said.
''Let's see the contract - it was a social fund. It is written in the contract. It is not secret.''
BHP last week said it had evidence of possible corruption involving ''interaction'' with government officials, related to a minerals exploration project terminated last year.
It declined to reveal the location of the project, but said it was not in China, where four staff of rival miner Rio Tinto were jailed for bribery and commercial espionage last month.
BHP has said it paid $US2.5 million to a community in Cambodia's east and $US1 million to the government for bauxite exploration rights, according to reports.
BHP said it handed evidence to the US SEC and was conducting an internal investigation.
12 comments:
Is it an official procedure and an official payemnt by foreign company to the Government?
What is the so-called Social Fund?
I am Doubtful with the sicerety of the Government.
Even Paying an official "Tea money"
to obtain a favor from the government is considered as a CORRUPT PRACTICE.
if there is a transparency law, then non of this would've been a big issue, really! wake up, people!
The mother of all crooks.
A Minister called it"Tea Money" and Hun Sen preferred to naming "Social Fund".
it probably goes to show foreign companies are the one that fed or encourage corruption act, and they seemed to only focus on khmer people. they need to look into the cause, too, you know! corruption knows no one, really!
Both parties are guilty. If government officials don't ask for bribe then I doubt that this company from the West would resort to bribery to get concession. In Cambodia, if you don't pay up then your file will stay forever on the bottom of the pile. This expression: "money talks, bullshit walks" is a perfact case for corruption environment in Cambodia.
Indeed with living in his 35 years of corruption, Hun Sen do not understand what is corruption and what is not. Any moneys paid to individual are all corruption moneys. He need to ask his advisor Khmer in Sydney CBD ( highly graduated from Australia university )to see if this person can make any excuse from calling corruption moneys?
Areak Prey
For those ignorant and stupid CPP followers, your boss is stealing money for personal enrichment. It is your Khmer conscience to ask your boss where are those “social fund” are now, and what are those “tea money” be used. Be honest to your self if you care about the future of your Khmer race and the existence of Khmer country and ask yourself ‘ is this kind of corrupted leader you support?’ BHP is only one case. Just imagine if those “social fund or tea money” are used for education, job creation, and social care system, Cambodia would be much better than now. You should reconsider the SRP “Opposite party as you call” is the real Khmer patriotic and join with us.
It must be really expensive tea from China,for so called Tea-money of $2.7 millions.
Fat cats drink so much expensive tea.Ordidnary cambodians drink$0.25 dollar tea.
What a croc!!!!
new vocabulary from Khieat Chhaonnn...hehheheheheh..."social fund"....uh, huh...my derriere
the greedy meets the corrupted...on the back of the poor villagers...
all of a sudden, we got the government officials and BHP doing philanthropic works...no wonder there is now a big problem with people throwing up (vomit) and having uncontrollable diarrhea...
Democratic Kampuchea Pol Pot Khmer Rouge Regime
Members:
Pol Pot
Nuon Chea
Ieng Sary
Ta Mok
Khieu Samphan
Son Sen
Ieng Thearith
Kaing Kek Iev
Hun Sen
Chea Sim
Heng Samrin
Hor Namhong
Keat Chhon
Ouk Bunchhoeun
Sim Ka...
Committed:
Tortures
Brutality
Executions
Massacres
Mass Murder
Genocide
Atrocities
Crimes Against Humanity
Starvations
Slavery
Force Labour
Overwork to Death
Human Abuses
Persecution
Unlawful Detention
Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime
Members:
Hun Sen
Chea Sim
Heng Samrin
Hor Namhong
Keat Chhon
Ouk Bunchhoeun
Sim Ka...
Committed:
Attempted Murders
Attempted Murder on Chea Vichea
Attempted Assassinations
Attempted Assassination on Sam Rainsy
Assassinations
Assassinated Journalists
Assassinated Political Opponents
Assassinated Leaders of the Free Trade Union
Assassinated over 80 members of Sam Rainsy Party.
"But as of today, over eighty members of my party have been assassinated. Countless others have been injured, arrested, jailed, or forced to go into hiding or into exile."
Sam Rainsy LIC 31 October 2009 - Cairo, Egypt
Executions
Executed over 100 members of FUNCINPEC Party
Murders
Murdered 3 Leaders of the Free Trade Union
Murdered Chea Vichea
Murdered Ros Sovannareth
Murdered Hy Vuthy
Murdered Journalists
Murdered Khim Sambo
Murdered Khim Sambo's son
Murdered members of Sam Rainsy Party.
Murdered activists of Sam Rainsy Party
Murdered Innocent Men
Murdered Innocent Women
Murdered Innocent Children
Killed Innocent Khmer Peoples.
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Grenade Attack
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Border Encroachment, allow Vietnam to encroaching into Cambodia.
Signed away our territories to Vietnam; Koh Tral, almost half of our ocean territory oil field and others.
Illegal Arrest
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Illegally use of remote detonation bomb on Sokha Helicopter, while Hok Lundy and other military officials were on board.
Lightning strike many airplanes, but did not fall from the sky. Lightning strike out side of airplane and discharge electricity to ground.
Source: Lightning, Discovery Channel
Illegally Sold State Properties
Illegally Removed Parliamentary Immunity of Parliament Members
Plunder National Resources
Acid Attacks
Turn Cambodia into a Lawless Country.
Oppression
Injustice
Steal Votes
Bring Foreigners from Veitnam to vote in Cambodia for Cambodian People's Party.
Use Dead people's names to vote for Cambodian People's Party.
Disqualified potential Sam Rainsy Party's voters.
Abuse the Court as a tools for CPP to send political opponents and journalists to jail.
Abuse of Power
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Abuse the National Election Committee
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Under the Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime, no criminals that has been committed crimes against journalists, political opponents, leaders of the Free Trade Union, innocent men, women and children have ever been brought to justice.
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