Hun Sen: If SRP wins, it will have to form the government by itself, and the CPP will be the opposition party [-Only time will tell!]

Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

Prime minister Hun Sen declared that during the upcoming July general election, if the SRP wins the election, it will have the sole control of power, and the CPP will pull itself out to act as the opposition party instead. In a speech given during a school inauguration in Kampong Thom province on Monday, Hun Sen said that if the SRP wins the election, the CPP will pull itself out and act as the opposition. “We are not scared, let you win and I will pull myself out and become the opposition. Right now, there are so many prime minister candidates: 2 or 3, like in the US,” Hun Sen claimed. He added that: “However, the CPP has all the strength it needs to form the government by itself, without the participation of any political party. The CPP is doing this, because right now, it does not need any negotiations anymore. Before, I was squeezed by the 2/3 majority rule, therefore (now) with 64 seats (at the National Assembly), I can form the government. Right now, the CPP has 73 seats, therefore, the CPP does not need anybody’s participation.”

The Party Programs of CPP and SRP: A comparative study by KJE

Thursday, February 7, 2008
OpEd by KJE
Originally posted at http://about-cambodia.blogspot.com

Please post you comments at the author's blog by clicking here

In the U. S., the presidential campaigns will soon decide which candidate of the two parties will be nominated to compete for the office of President. In all Western democracies the candidates run on a platform outlining their programs, e.g. jobs, health care, education. They put forth their plans, how they will implement them, and how they will pay for them.

Cambodia will hold its elections in July. Though there will be 5 or so parties nominating candidates for both the parliament and prime minister, only the CPP and SRP are of any significance. FUNCINPEC, with all due respect, cannot really be taken seriously, what with the turmoil that has engulfed this party and with the squabble about presidents, defections, and the royals being a joke, etc.; it has virtually become an arm of the CPP. Its claim to existence might be just to add legitimacy to CPP’s claim of Cambodia’s being a true democracy. The other parties are simply too small to really have any bearing on the outcome of the election.

So what are the party programs of both CPP and SRP? The candidates Hun Sen and Sam Rainsy have been making a lot of speeches about the state of Cambodia, with promises of building more schools, infrastructure, helping the poor, creating affordable housing, guaranteeing human rights, fighting corruption, crime; in general, bettering the standard of living for all Cambodians.

But it appears as though both are long on words but short on specifics with respect to growing the economy, general health care, education, civil liberties, reforming the government and the judicial system, and most importantly how they propose to pay for it all.

The complete CPP program, called the Politic Platform of the CPP, is posted on its website and can be accessed there:

http://www.thecpp.org/page.php?page=political.htm&lang=eng

The complete SRP program on the web can be accessed here:

http://www.samrainsyparty.org/100m_neg/100m_eng.pdf

Public announcements on their programs with concrete details apart from generalities have been rather scarce. The media are pretty much silent on this subject as well.

Both their programs contain honorable and noble goals for a free and prosperous Cambodia. But when it comes to specifics they are rather hazy.

Let’s take a look at the main issues voters would or should be most interested in: Jobs, health care, education, affordable housing, cost of living, standard of living

Jobs:

SRP

Section or measure 56 the SRP manifesto states:

..Promoting economic growth in order to provide jobs for about 200,000 school leavers every year. For this job creation policy to be successful, consistent incentives and assurances must be given to local and foreign investors to set up businesses, factories, and other commercial activities. Long term and legitimate investments in local industries will flow in after corruption is put under control, which implies ensuring the rule of law, a sine qua non for a sound pro-business environment. The Sam Rainsy government will ensure for investors:
- Physical security.
- Legal security (consistent rules and regulations, elimination of non-official taxes and undue fees, respect of contracts with legitimate investors).
- Impartial judiciary (a court system that is independent, corruption-free, and competent).
- Modern infrastructure covering efficient and competitive public services (roads, electricity, clean water, waste management, and telecommunications).
- Development of skilled labor in adequate amount to meet the needs of investors.

Chapter 57 says
Raising the minimum wage for factory workers and company
employees to 280,000 riels (or $70) per month for a 44-hour week.
Overtime entitlements are determined in accordance with the Labor Law.

Chapter 63 states
The government will continue to assist demobilized soldiers in their search for jobs in agriculture, handicraft, or commerce.

CPP

Chapter 1 Internal Policies, Chapter 2 of their platform reads among others

-The Cambodian People's Party continues to widely open and do the best to promote the investments both internally and externally in order to increase the quantity of jobs for the society. It encourages all forms of economy to carry out their competitive activities in the production and exploitation with equal rights before the State laws and in the line with the orientation of development of the country . The CPP concerns of creating favorable conditions for the workers, small businessmen to ensure their living conditions. It continues to strive to rescue the victims, to aid the poor people and the pool students so that the latter could attend the scholarship
- Connect the education and Raining to the requirement of all fields of national rehabilitation and development The education and training must be fit to the real jobs and related to the market of labors
- The CPP considers the youth as the replacing-force for the sake of national rehabilitation and development The works for the youngsters are to deal with watching over, educating ,h-training and organizing them . especially for those who are out of scholarship to become honest, skilled ,healthy ,morally people and to be able to get certain jobs in the society .

- The CPP strives to solve the job-issue for the population in order to prevent the unemployment-crisis . to increase the social productive force and to reduce the poverty by simultaneously implementing measures of growing up the quantity of employments and braining professional skills. To achieve this goal, the CPP has to strongly urge the rural development all over-the Courtly in order to absorb crowded labor-forces, to enlarge the favorable conditions for the foreign and local investors so that they employ them in their private sectors, to brain professional skills to the jobless people, to find out foreign labor-markets . in according to law-procedures, for sending the Cambodian workers abroad .

Health Care

SRP

45. Setting up a social security system that helps all citizens in order toafford costs of health care, and to protect their income earning capacity

46. Providing modern health care to all the poor, free of charge. This measure will help dramatically cut the currently appalling death rate.

47. Implementing a nutritional food distribution program (providing vitamins, minerals, proteins) for school children from poor families to develop their body, mind, and general health.

60. Raising the living standard for rubber plantation workers throughout the country with decent wage, accommodation, and health care facilities. The workers have their right to form a union in order to better defend their interests like other workers in any other industry. Their children are to receive proper schooling.

CPP

The public-health domain must target to improve the health and the well-being of the people by increasing the measures of prevention of the diseases and the systems of public-health preservation ,being participated from the community, and encouraging the expansion of the health-system of private service . Priorities are provided for the works of reduction or cancellation of epidemic diseases, and the rural public-health .

The CPP concerns about the preservation of the women and children's health by means of promoting the service of maintenance of the mothers and children in which include the preventive vaccines for the children's diseases, the education for the pregnant, the practice of the program of the birth-extension and food-assistance .

The CPP consolidates the implementation of the labor-law in order to guarantee workers and employees-rights and interests, to guarantee working security, safety and health, especially by means of consolidating the professional organizations of the employers and of the workers and employees, thus briging them to create good relations in the implementation of the labor-law . Meanwhile, the regular inspection at the factories, enterprises, manufacture and service centers has to be concerned , according to the rule of the labor-law

Education

SRP

10. Carrying out a civics and democracy education program at school that covers the rights and duties of all citizens for an effective participation in good governance and social development

21. Implementing an affirmative action to provide equal opportunity for all. Girls are encouraged, just like boys, to attend and remain at school, through measures to help children and their parents. Young girls will receive incentives to take part in professional training programs in order to secure a decent employment.

55. Encouraging teachers to work in remote areas with generous incentives in addition to their basic salaries. Rural children will have access to proper education just like their counterparts in large cities.

60. Raising the living standard for rubber plantation workers throughout the country with decent wage, accommodation, and health care facilities. The workers have their right to form a union in order to better defend their interests like other workers in any other industry. Their children are to receive proper schooling

65. Enforcing absolutely free and full time primary and secondary
education in State schools.

68. Increasing opportunities for capable students to undertake long-term studies in all fields in western educational institutions. This overseas study program is to be funded by a portion of international aid earmarked for technical assistance and education

68. Increasing opportunities for capable students to undertake long-term studies in all fields in western educational institutions. This overseas study program is to be funded by a portion of international aid earmarked for technical assistance and education

CPP

The Cambodian People's Party is rely proud of its numerous achievements, realized in the purpose of developing the I m-al areas, taking part in relief assistance to the cool people, such as the establishment of thousands of the school -buildings,

All Cambodian citizens and all ethnic people, although they had any past history or position in the society, have to enjoy equality of rights and obligations before laws and equality of interests about social affairs, culture, education, health affairs and other sectors . The CPP enhances the value of social moral and human honor and dignity, and acts against the discrimination among people, the contempt and discrimination towards the ethnic people, the social -classes division, the violence , violation and oppression, which weaken national unity and bring the society towards the uncivilization.

The education and training the human resources in the scope of national identity and international standard is a priority of the Paltry in the process of rehabilitation and development . The target of this policy constitutes the development on knowledge and practice . Therefore, the education and Paining must continue to do the best for achieving the 3 following points of the orientation:
+ Highly concern to solve the scholarship-requirement of all the cycles, from the nursery-school to the after-university by providing them priority of general knowledge education and professional training .
The Cambodian People's Patty continues to strive urging the rural development, especially by means of agricultural development, irrigation systems, rural roads and bridges construction, school, hospitals and pagodas building, and development centers establishment in order to gradually improve the well-being, the living standard of the rural people so that the living-gap between the people living in the countrysides and towns has to incessantly be reduced .
Shrive to fulfill the obligation of primly-cycling education, definitively annul the analphabetisation and gradually make in practice the universalization the basis general education in according to " the education for everybody "
Encourage the building of private establishments in all cycles, both on the general education and skilled and professional Gaining ill order to take part in the educational development.
Increase the capability to absorb as much as possible the quantity of students for the professional training-schools and the universities . Concern to help poor-students so that they are able to continue their scholarship.
+ Continue to improve the quality of the education and training up to the international standard.
+ Connect the education and Raining to the requirement of all fields of national rehabilitation and development The education and training must be fit to the real jobs and related to the market of labors
The CPP considers the youth as the replacing-force for the sake of national rehabilitation and development The works for the youngsters are to deal with watching over, educating ,h-training and organizing them . especially for those who are out of scholarship to become honest, skilled ,healthy ,morally people and to be able to get certain jobs in the society .
The CPP improves and holds up the national tradition and custom it maintains the national prerogatives, patrimonies, art, language scripture . tradition and custom so that they au-e able to remain for ever . integrate the art and culture with the educational system in order to upgrade the general knowledge on the cultural inheritance and national identity, to promote the pride of the nation, individual and community All of these are the fundamental spirit of the maintenance of the national culture, the prevention of the process of flowing in of the evil culture from outside, the inspiration by selecting the foreign cultures which are useful for development of the national culture, for upholding the familial value and social moral.

The CPP connects the pagoda-affairs and religious activities to the education of moral, inviolence, and to the warm relationship in the society . it prevents the religious discrimination Exploitation which lead to the social division .

The CPP highten the cooperation between the State and the associations, the national and the international organizations for the sake of taking care of the orphans, widows, war-victims, retired people, invalids, unfamiliar old people, miserable people living in towns and cities as well as the families' members who have defected from the KR hardliners to return living in the national society, and in order to create the conditions to enable to appropriately live by receiving the mental and professional education, the capital and other means .

Housing

SRP

4. Speeding up the decentralization process to uphold democracy and raise living standard at the grass roots level. Roles, authorities, and responsibilities for the administration at provincial, district, commune, and village levels are to be specified in accordance with the concept of decentralization that requires elections at all levels.

40. Carrying out a housing project for the poor and the homeless on Stateowned land and buildings. As part of a vast social program, the project offers low-rent or free accommodations to the most destitute people.

48. Providing housing and pensions for the handicapped, to ensure decent living conditions and dignity for this most destitute segment of the population.

CPP

Silent

Cost of living, standard of living

SRP

41. Prohibiting monopoly in production and distribution of electricity. In areas where public utilities are not available, citizens have the right to form an association to produce and distribute electricity. The price for electricity produced by any private entity cannot exceed a ceiling to be negotiated with the authority and consumers representatives.

42. Reducing the current petrol retail price of 2,500 riels per liter to 1,500 riels (as at 29 March, 2003). The retail prices of petrol and other petroleum products are to be maintained at comparable levels with those in neighboring countries, like Thailand. This measure will greatly improve the ordinary people’s living standard, and help eliminate petrol smuggling

51. Promoting agricultural produce by farmers (rice, corn, soybean, sesame, tobacco, sugar cane, palm sugar, rubber latex, etc) in local and overseas markets for fair prices to improve their livelihood. The following initiatives will be taken :
- Securing full market freedom for buyers and sellers.
- Eliminating any monopoly, or any practice that artificially
depresses prices for farm produce.
- Reducing the influence of middlemen.
- Improving road and transport system.
- Modernizing the stock management and distribution
system for farm produce to protect farmers’ income.
- Providing farmers with up-to-date information about local
and overseas markets.

60. Raising the living standard for rubber plantation workers throughout the country with decent wage, accommodation, and health care facilities. The workers have their right to form a union in order to better defend their interests like other workers in any other industry. Their children are to receive proper schooling

61. Imposing a moratorium on the eviction of small vendors from existing market places. Any new development to replace the current market place is to be approved by the concerned vendors after considering technical aspects, purchase price or rent of each new stall in the proposed alternative building. Taxes and levies payable by the small vendors are to be reduced

99. Implementing rural development programs with priority given to the border areas. Building roads and taking other initiatives in order to lift standard of living for people in the border areas contribute to the defense of Cambodia’s territorial integrity.

CPP

-The Cambodian People's Party continues to widely open and do the best to promote the investments both internally and externally in order to increase the quantity of jobs for the society. It encourages all forms of economy to carry out their competitive activities in the production and exploitation with equal rights before the State laws and in the line with the orientation of development of the country . The CPP concerns of creating favorable conditions for the workers, small businessmen to ensure their living conditions. It continues to strive to rescue the victims ,to aid the poor people and the pool students so that the latter could attend the scholarship

The CPP encourages the trade-liberalization by targeting economic forms in the trade sector to run their businesses in the line with the policy and the State-laws . The CPP creates favorable conditions so that the goods are capable to freely circulate through out the country, to regionally furnish each other and to reduce the gap of prices between the produced region and consumed one, and between the municipality and the countryside

The CPP urges the development of the potential of electricity-energy, especially the hydro-electric in order to provide the power -consumption with low price and to transform the electrical sector to be a real economic basis on the service of the development of the other sectors .

The Cambodian People's Patty continues to strive urging the rural development, especially by means of agricultural development, irrigation systems, rural roads and bridges construction, school, hospitals and pagodas building, and development centers establishment in order to gradually improve the well-being, the living standard of the rural people so that the living-gap between the people living in the countrysides and towns has to incessantly be reduced .

The CPP urges the rehabilitation of the transportation-infrastructure for the service of economic development, national defense, tourism and social living-standard improvement .

The CPP make in practice the policy of saving and using the national budget with great transparent, honest and efficient manner, thus making balance between the requirement for the macro-economic stability and for the economy-increasing support, improving the wages of the civil servants, the living condition of the people and the social environment.

The CPP's policy on the social affairs is aimed to generally improve the living conditions of everybody in the society both materially and spiritually, to make in practice rights and interests of the people of all ages and all ethnic people, and first of all to reduce to a minimum level the social catastrophe, to create favorable conditions for the poor people and the martyrs which are the majority in the society so that they are able to connect themselves to the current of economic development in order to build up a situation of progress for all of the national community's members

The CPP highten the cooperation between the State and the associations, the national and the international organizations for the sake of taking care of the orphans, widows ,war-victims, retired people, invalids, unfamiliar old people, miserable people living in towns and cities as well as the families' members who have defected from the KR hardliners to return living in the national society, and in order to create the conditions to enable to appropriately live by receiving the mental and professional education, the capital and other means .

The CPP concerns about the working-capability rehabilitation of the handicappers by providing the high-technology artificial limbs as well as braining the appropriate skills so that they are able to work and live . The CPP develops the war veterans by means of establishing the troopers' development center in some regions in order to solve the living conditions of the families of the sacrificed fighters . the handicappers and the break-up troopers .

The CPP are interested to develop the remote regions of the ethnic people . especially in the north-east region, in order to push economic, social, cultural and living conditions-development up to the common prosperity of the national community. Therefore, the physical infrastructure must be worried about in those areas .
-The process of the national restoration and development on all fields had progressively developed, thus linking to the living -standards improvement of all strata of people, in which the rural development had speedily forwarded.

As with their party leaders’ speeches, the programs are long on promises but short on specific proposals on how to accomplish those noble goals, although, admittedly, general party manifestos usually don’t contain precise and detailed plans. And the CPP could well do with a good translator. What they put on the Internet is pure gobbledygook and gibberish.

The parties might want to publish those election platforms so the public can see the differences in goals, not only in their candidates. These plans need to be in simple and understandable language for the average (still mostly under-educated) citizen.

It would be interesting to know how they want to stimulate the economy, how they will go about generating 200,000 and 300,000 new jobs a year for school and college graduates, how they will implement a policy for a minimum wage of $70 a month. (The program dates back to 2003 and would need to be amended to reflect current conditions.)

The same goes for health care for all, (today there is not one single health insurance company in Cambodia), affordable housing (not those overpriced projects currently being built), raising the standard of living and keeping the cost of living in check. How? How?

Hun Sen harps on his long-standing reign, and how good a leader he has been, and that there is no reason to change a good leader.

Sam Rainsy lambastes the government for its mismanagement of the country, its corruption, for allowing illegal immigrants into the country, and keeps deploring the plight of the poor, the factory workers.

What Cambodia needs now is real leadership, not speeches. It needs a path out of its misery, it needs reconciliation.

Isn’t it high time for real actions rather than all those empty words and unproductive fights?

2 Opposition Members Arrested in Sihanoukville [for helping poor people involved in land disputes in Sihanoukville]

By Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
09 January 2008

Sihanoukville police arrested two members of the Sam Rainsy Party Wednesday, in what party officials called an act of political intimidation.

Chan Keng, 37, and Ngin Sat, 42, were arrested at their office, party members said, though they did not outline the charges against the men.

Human rights workers said the men were likely arrested for participation in several land disputes stemming from the ouster of 50 families from a Sihanoukville neighborhood in November.