Politiktoons No. 190 - The Missiles

Cartoon by Sacrava (on the web at http://politiktoons.blogspot.com and also at http://sacrava.blogspot.com)

In the banana kingdom ... monkeys beg for money only!

During the Pchum Ben season, monkeys are mainly seen begging for their owners on the staircase of Phnom Preah Reach-trop, however, during the Water Festival, some of them have been brought to beg in the captial, such as this one begging near Wat Unalom Pagoda (Photo: Everyday.com.kh)

The CPP asks for less aid ,,, while hoping to obtain more than what they ask for

Cambodia to seek less donor aid for 2009

PHNOM PENH, Dec. 3 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia will reduce the amount of aid requested from donors in the coming year, as the global financial crisis puts a pinch on the Kingdom's foreign backers, national media reported Wednesday.

The government will seek less than 600 million U.S. dollars in official direct assistance (ODA), Cheam Yeap, Cambodian People's Party (CPP) lawmaker, was quoted by the Phnom Penh Post as saying.

"Last year the government requested 602 million U.S. dollars, but they ended up giving us more 690 million U.S. dollars," he said ahead of a three-day meeting between donors and the government that begins Wednesday.

Cheam Yeap said that the global financial crisis could prevent countries from maintaining their normal levels of assistance.

The effects of the global economic recession will be one focus of the Cambodian Development Cooperation Forum, an annual event which is supposed to provide the government, civil society and donor groups with an opportunity to review key public policy issues and their financial requirement.