Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Opposition Proposal to Save National Budget 2013


National Budget Alternatives to Increased Borrowing

By Mu Sochua
The Cambodia Daily- December 11, 2012

On Friday the government approved the $3.1 billion National Budget for 2013, despite the strong critiques upheld by opposition parties. With actions such as this, the ruling party continues to offer reasons for our concern over Cambodia’s future. The budget law’s proposed spending increase, which will be supported by heavy external borrowing, will enable the government to borrow up to $923 million. This is an outrageously high figure, especially considering this year’s IMF and World Bank report which warned Cambodia that it would enter risky territories if the rate of borrowing continued to increase.

Absent of reform, increased borrowing will heighten the default risk and limit our ability to effectively cope with potential financial crises. Additionally, a system lacking transparency and accountability has already resulted in limited knowledge of the government’s projects, and their respective costs and liabilities. Without transparency, the government’s decision to increase the borrowing limit spells danger for the economy.

The government can support a growing national economy by limiting borrowing to 25 percent of the stated amount for 2013. This was proposed by the opposition parties at the National Assembly budget debate. The opposition pushed for implementing more fiscally responsible measures to increase the nation’s revenues and incomes. Through tough, but fair reforms, we can promote legitimate transactions which will enable the country to appropriately manage its debt, and raise money to cover necessary expenses. Firstly, the opposition debated for the need to toughen our stance against corruption. As a result of a pitiful anti-corruption law and an Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) that lacks independence from the government branches it was established to monitor, Cambodia is still ranked as one of the most corrupt nations in the world as per the 2012 Transparency International index. In order to be effective, the ACU needs to be an independent and transparent body, supported by increased capacity and outreach, so that it can properly oversee law enforcement. By stamping out corruption, we can ensure that government funds are invested back into supporting the people.


Secondly, The current tax collection system is limiting government incomes and revenues. In 2011, Cambodia collected a minimal 10.1 percent of the GDP in tax revenue. To augment these revenues a more efficient system needs to be developed such that tax payers are more informed about their obligations; the capacity of tax collectors and the skills of auditors are built up; and enforcement of tax collection on Economic Land Conces- sions (ELCs), gasoline imports, custom duties and the tourism sector are toughened. Taxes to casinos should also be increased to 50 percent, to bring approximately $400 million per year to the national budget. Next, with the growth of the demand for land, legitimate ELCs following the Land law should generate additional revenue for the country. A $70 per year fee for the duration of the ELC stands to bring $200 million per year.

Finally, we need to ensure a more efficient use of the budget that directs more resources into education, health, and economic development. By ensuring sustained growth through informed investments, we can support a healthy economy and sustainable future. By implementing simple, fair and tough reforms, there is no need to increase debt by almost USD$1 billion. The key to success is changing the system to ensure that the welfare of all Cambodians is put ahead of the private interests of corrupt officials and private companies.

Mu Sochua is a member of parliament for the Sam Rainsy Party

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

ពលរដ្ឋខ្មែរទាំងក្នុងនិងក្រៅប្រទេសដឹងច្បាស់ថា
រាជរដ្ឋភិបាលសព្វថ្ងៃលោកហ៊ុន សែនជានាយករដ្ឋ
មន្រ្តីអ្នកចាំផ្ទះ។ បក្សប្រឆាំងចង់អោយមានតទល់
Debateមួយទល់មួយក្នុងការជជែករកសំឡេងគាំ
ទ្រសំរាប់ការបោះឆ្នោត...ហ៊ុន សែនឆ្លើយមិនចាំ
បាច់គិតថា កុំថាឡើយមួយទល់និងមួយទោះ៣ទល់១ក៏គណៈបក្សប្រជាជនកម្ពុជានៅតែឈ្នះដែរ
(នេះជាកំណត់សាវតានៃការបោះឆ្នោត)ថែមទាំង
បញ្ជាក់ថាគាត់ជាអាយ៉ងរបស់យួនរួចទៅហើយៗ
ពេលថ្មីៗគាត់បដិសេធន៍ទៅស្ថាបន័អន្តរៈជាតិកុំឲ្យ
លូកលាន់កិច្ចការឈ្នះរបស់គាត់ចំណុចនេះបក្សប្រ
ឆាំងមិនយល់នយ័ដែរ។ ប្រសិនបើគាត់ប្រាប់ថាត្រូវ
តែរួមគ្នាប្តឹងគាត់នៅតុលាការអន្តរៈជាតិទំលាក់គាត់
ចេញដើម្បីគាត់រស់ផង (ស្តីមិនរួច) គាត់ហាស្តីនិង
និយាយពាក្យនេះមិនចេញទេ។ ដូច្នេះ សូមពលរដ្ឋ
ជាម្ចាស់ប្រទេស និងបក្សប្រឆាំងព្រមទាំងបក្សដ៏ទៃ
រួមគ្នាងាកមកធ្វើតាមដំណើរចលនាអំណាចពលរដ្ឋ
ខ្មែរ ព្រោះចលនានេះបានប្តឺងទំលាក់របបអាយ៉ង
យួននៅតុលាការឧក្រឹដ្ឋកម្មអន្តរៈជាតិគឺ៖ស្របទៅ
តាមសេចក្តីប្រកាសនិងការទទួលស្គាល់ពីអន្តរៈ
ជាតិហើយដែរ៚

Anonymous said...

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