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| Son Chhay is a member of parliament of Sam Rainsy Party in Cambodia. (Photo: VOA Khmer) |
Monday, 13 February 2012
Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer | Washington, DC
“Without this law, the government has always classified every document, and every decision on national affairs is secret.”
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Opposition lawmaker Son Chhay told “Hello VOA” Thursday that people lack freedom of information to evaluate government policies. The development of natural resources or the spending of ministries are not open to the public, he said.
“The government has sold and managed the nation secretly,” he said. “What we call in simple language, acting in darkness. That’s why it causes huge impacts to the national interest.”
Son Chhay is drafting a bill to provide freedom of information that he hopes to put before the National Assembly soon.
Ninety-nine-year concessions, gold mines, ticket sales to Angkor Wat, drilling rights, the sale of offshore islands—all of these should be a matter of public record, he said. Smaller details of governance too should be open, he said: construction costs, road projects, ID cards, affairs of state.
That would also include the courts, which would give documents over for investigations.
Secrets make people doubtful, he said.
That’s especially true for development plans, which have led to ongoing clashes between residents, developers, security forces and government officials, in large part due to their lack of transparency, he said.
“Without this law, the government has always classified every document, and every decision on national affairs is secret,” he said. Under his draft, he said, some documentation would remain classified, such as within the Ministry of Defense, although some political figures would have the right to see them.
Improved transparency is now a must, he said, because the government hopes to have a stock market. Without it, “nobody will come to buy stocks,” he said.
Ruling party lawmaker Cheam Yiep said Thursday the National Assembly must scrutinize the draft and compare it to laws already on the books. “There should not be two laws overlapping,” he said.
Government spokesman Phay Siphan said the government is working toward more freedom of information but has to ensure the right documents are kept confidential and that information is used responsibly by the media and other parties.
3 comments:
may i suggest khmer leaders take US history lesson in school, american have all these law in existence already that cambodia can borrow to help reform our gov't. i studied american history, they have all these law that cambodia lacked many already. i told cambodia to learn from american gov't and american history, really! just read it on your spare time or something. get the textbooks from many colleges and university all over american and other well-known higher learning centers, etc... be smart and wise and enlightened, ok!
What Mr. Son Chhay talked about is so correct. 5:03 AM commentator made a very good suggestion. You should be admired for this quality knowledge. I believe the current government should listen to Mr. Son Chhay and you read your comment. Thank you so much.
Khmer Son
The jungle men, Khmer Rouge and
Khmer Vietminh knew the jungle laws,
they always practiced the jungle laws.
The foolish men and the wise men
have different views or visions.
The fool men are greedy money and
power,but the wise ones are not.
If the wise men did not do the right things,we can call them
"fool".
Think it right,talk it right,do it right,it should be right.
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