About that #@$!&^% KI-Media...

KI-Media is a nest of extremists. This is an ignorant anti-Khmer government group, a racist group. They create concerns for Cambodia, but they have no intention to return back to Cambodia at all, i.e. they are nationalists who fled their country.

As for the documents that you want to publish here, they must be reviewed [by KI-Media first]. They will surely post them if these documents contain distortions against the ruling party, or if they are racist, or if they contain exaggerations, etc… For articles that speak the truth reflecting the development, especially the achievements that Cambodia made, KI-Media would not post them at all. In summary, they only post information that will make Cambodians disunite.

Dear Sir/Madam,

Not being as eloquent as you are, we only have a few questions to ask: now that KI-Media gave prominence to your criticisms on us – criticisms which we fully acknowledge and thank you for them – we are wondering: what media in Cambodia – besides the less than one handful of independent newspapers – will accept to publish articles critical of the government? Do you think DAP-news, Rasmei Kampuchea, Koh Santepheap and such will publish such articles? As for the government achievements at the rate of more than $1 billion in yearly foreign aid, I am sure you saw them being broadcasted daily on the CPP-leaning media (radio, TV, etc…), did you not? Now did you ever stop to think why these media never broadcast anything much about the opposition at all?

We look forward to hear from you.

Sincerely,

KI-Media team

Equal Information returns for the coming commune elections

26 Feb 2007
Cambodian Press Review

Equal Information, a joint program by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and National Television of Kampuchea (TVK), which provides vying political parties with fair access to state-run TV and radio stations to air political platforms during campaigns for the April 1 commune elections, will begin from March 16 to 30, according to newspapers.

The program will starts at 7:30 pm and runs for 15 minutes after the daily news show on TVK, according to a joint press release by the Ministry of Information and the UNDP on February 23, reports Rasmei Kampuchea. On Saturdays, the program, which allows political parties to monitor election campaign activities in communes throughout the country, will broadcast news briefs.

In the previous commune elections, Equal Information was very successful because, according to the UNDP’s statement, even opposition parties that were not favoured by TV stations found their voice in the program, reports Cambodge Soir, adding that the percentage of broadcasting time in the Equal Information for each party has not defined yet.

The allowance percentage will be announced before the start of the election campaign, according to Kampuchea Thmey.

Meanwhile Information Minister Khieu Kanharith and UNDP country director Anne-Isabelle Degryse-Blateau signed on February 26 a memorandum of understanding on the broadcasting of weekly events, a TV program that aims to connect the public with their government and communities, reports Rasmei Kampuchea The new program will embark at the end of the 2007 commune election and last until the 2008 general election.

The programs are funded by Australia, Sweden, the UNDP and European Union, Kampuchea Thmey reported Saturday.

Speaking at the annual convention of the Ministry of Interior on February 22, which was attended by hundreds of governors and police chiefs, Prime Minister Hun Sen called on law enforcement to ensure high security and order for the commune elections so that they proceed freely and fairly, reported Kampuchea Thmey.