Cambodia To Establish Electric-Powered Car Plant

(Photo: AFP)

PHNOM PENH, March 21 (Bernama) -- A local Heng Development Co., and a Hong Kong-Chau Leong Enterprise on Monday signed a joint- venture of US$20 million to build a electric-powered car manufacturing plant branded 'Angkor' in Cambodia, reports Xinhua news agency.

The agreement was inked among Sieng Chan Heng, director general of Heng Development Co., Li Yue Liang, director general of Hong Kong-Chau Leong Enterprise, and a Cambodian innovator Nhean Phaloek, witnessed by Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Men Sam On.

Of the US$20 million joint venture, Heng Development Co., holds 80 percent while Hong Kong-Chau Leong Enterprise holds the rest, said Sieng Chan Heng during the signing ceremony.

Hybrid cars for Cambodia

Eco-business.com

Cambodia, December 29 - Cambodian business Heng Development Co Ltd is planning to invest up to US$20 million to build a car factory for manufacturing hybrid electric vehicles, according to a company director.

Seang Chan Heng, general director of Heng Development, claimed the company was forming a joint venture with a German firm to support the new project, but declined to name the partner until the official launch.

Construction of the factory was expected to begin next month on a 20-hectare plot of land in Kandal Strung, 20 kilometres south of Phnom Penh, and would be finished within six months, she told The Post yesterday.

“We hope that this new auto-maker factory will be able to produce mini-cars for sale in local and international markets,” she said.

The company has two mini-passenger car models – a two-seater and a four-seater.

Nhean Pholet, a well-known mini-car maker in Cambodia has been employed by Heng Development, which until now has only sold and distributed tractors, cement and land.

He said the company’s mini-car model will follow the models that he previously produced himself, including the fingerprint-scanner doors which can recognise 60 fingerprints and use an electronic card, instead of a metal key, to start the engine.

“We are motivated by many consumers with our new car design and hope that we will be able to produce more cars for sale in the future,” he said.

Seang Chan Heng said the factory would employ about 300 workers and produce up to 1,000 plug-in electric hybrid vehicles in the first year, using parts imported from Germany, Japan, and Hong Kong.

The starting price for the final product would be around US$5,000 for the two-seater in the local market.

She was confident there would be demand for the cars and expected the first batch would be ready for purchase in 2012.

“Our partners have already ordered about 1,000 vehicles from us, so we aren’t worried about having a market for our products,” she said.

Heng Sophorn, director of the Department of Industry at the Ministry of Industry, Mines, and Energy, said yesterday he welcomed the establishment of the factory, highlighting that it signalled progress in Cambodia’s industry sector.

“We highly appreciate this kind of car production because it doesn’t only reduce cost, but it also helps to reduce the impact on the environment,” he said, adding that it was the first of its kind in Cambodia.

Kandal villagers put a curse on the Heng Development Co. for grabbing their lands

Villagers from 7 communes who are embroiled in a land dispute with the Heng Development Co. are  putting a curse on the latter (All Photos: RFA)

The Heng Development Co. used to lose their legal case, but yet it still insist on grabbing the villagers'  land

The villagers accused the Heng Development Co. of arresting the villagers and sending them to jail...

... as well as shooting and injuring several villagers

The villagers answer to questions asked by the press

Villagers in Kandal Land Dispute Pray to Buddha for Help

Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Phnom Penh Friday, 24 September 2010

The villagers, from seven communes in Takhao town, Kandal Stung district, have been in conflict with the Heng Development Co. since 2005.

“In the past, I sought the help of the law, but local authorities don’t help resolve people’s problems. I respect the law every minute, but the court and district and provincial authorities don’t respect their own laws.”

More than 400 villagers engaged in a land dispute with a Kandal province developer held a Buddhist ceremony on Friday, praying for protection of 450 hectares of land they expect to be pushed from next month.

The villagers, from seven communes in Takhao town, Kandal Stung district, have been in conflict with the Heng Development Co. since 2005. Representatives said Friday they have lived on the land since 1983.

“In the past, I sought the help of the law, but local authorities don’t help resolve people’s problems,” said Soa Rong, 60, who prayed to Buddha and her ancestors in Friday’s ceremony. “I respect the law every minute, but the court and district and provincial authorities don’t respect their own laws.”

Takhao resident Uong Sim, 48, said the company had taken two hectares of her land.

“I would like to pray to the ancestral spirits, Buddha, God and my late great grandparents to help protect my land and to take my land back for me for farming,” she said. “Every day the people suffer poverty and live in hope of farming. But now there’s no land.”

A company official said it was following a 2006 decision of the Kandal court that provided 210 hectares to the company. The remaining 240 hectares remain in dispute.

Men Makara, a coordinator for the rights group Adhoc, said the prayer ceremony followed several unsuccessful demonstrations.

“Finally, the people decided to seek Buddha and other gods to help them,” he said.

$10,000 offer to tear down a pagoda from the "Thmil" Heng Kamtech Wat Co.

Villagers snub $10,000 offer for pagoda

Friday, 27 August 2010
May Titthara
The Phnom Penh Post

KANDAL province villagers involved in a land dispute with a prominent development company say they cannot accept an offer of US$10,000 in exchange for tearing down a cherished pagoda.

In an article published yesterday in the Nokor Wat Daily newspaper, the head of the Heng Development Company is quoted as offering the villagers $10,000 in compensation for destroying the pagoda. Company director Sieng Chanheng owns Nokor Wat Daily.

“All people who know they have done wrong have to move from that land,” Sieng Chanheng was quoted as saying in the newspaper. “The company will provide $10,000 after they have torn down the pagoda.”

Sieng Chanheng could not be reached for comment yesterday.

But villagers and members of the local pagoda committee say the offer is unacceptable.

Kong San, a member of the Tuol Tamork pagoda committee, said villagers would never agree to tear down the pagoda. They want to keep the temple for devout Buddhists, Kong San said.

“Even if they offer us a million dollars, we will not agree,” he said.

The dispute involves 2,676 families in seven communes of Kandal Stung district who say they have lived and farmed on more than 1,000 hectares of the land since 1986. Company representatives, on the other hand, say they bought the land in 1996 for commercial rice cultivation. The villagers say they have been given until August 30 – Monday – to clear off the land.

“We are ready if the company comes to tear down the pagoda,” said Chea Hy, a representative of the villagers.

Rights advocates say the villagers have been treated unfairly in this case.

Men Makara, a coordinator with local rights group Adhoc, said the company needs to find a resolution for all the villagers and not just the pagoda.

“Villagers need the company to find a resolution for them in all communes that are affected, not only the pagoda,” Men Makara said. “It is an injustice for them when the company talks only about the pagoda.”

Business as usual in Deum Ampil: Soy Sopheap accused of accepting bribes from businesses in exchange for favourable coverage

Information Minister Khieu Kanharith (centre), businessman Kith Meng (right) and others walk through the audio recording suite at the Nokor Wat Media Centre after its inauguration on Friday. (Photo by: Sovan Philong)

Deum Ampil ex-backer speaks

Monday, 12 July 2010
Chhay Channyda
The Phnom Penh Post

THE former financial backer of the Deum Ampil Media Centre has presented her version of the events that led to its abrupt scale-back earlier this month.

Speaking after the official launch of the new Nokor Wat Media Centre, Sieng Chanheng accused Deum Ampil’s former director general, Soy Sopheap, of managing the company’s finances in a reckless manner and accepting bribes from businesses in exchange for favourable coverage.

“Soy Sopheap was not faithful to my company, which was the financial supporter of DAP,” said Sieng Chanheng, also the owner of the Heng Development Company.

On July 1, Soy Sopheap announced that Deum Ampil would suspend operations for Deum Ampil newspaper, Radio FM 93.75 and Morokot magazine, citing a lack of funds. The media centre’s website is still being updated.

He said at the time that he decided to go ahead with the suspension after he was asked by Sieng Chanheng to cut the total expenses of the operations in half, in part by laying off many of his 110 staff members.

Sieng Chanheng has denied asking Soy Sopheap to cut expenses, though she has acknowledged losing tens of thousands of dollars each month on her Deum Ampil investment.

At the launch of the Nokor Wat Media Centre on Friday, she said Deum Ampil’s finances were in order until Soy Sopheap assumed control of them from her daughter, former deputy director general Dim Sopheavy.

At that point, she said, Soy Sopheap began increasing salaries for his preferred employees and entering into arrangements with companies that allowed him to pocket tens of thousands of dollars.

“I always heard rumours that there were some companies or individuals paying money to DAP every month,” she said. “I never wanted a situation where when people paid you money, you wouldn’t write bad things about them.”

Last month, she said, she came across a list of 15 “groups” that had paid Soy Sopheap US$60,000. “I tried to correct him then, but he did not listen to me,” she said.

Soy Sopheap declined to answer questions for this article.

Sieng Chanheng went on to express regret that the two had parted on bad terms. “I like Soy Sopheap, who is brave and has courage,” she said. “That is why I invested in this media organisation with him – he had the knowledge, and I had the money to open DAP.”

Information Minister Khieu Kanharith said Friday that Prime Minister Hun Sen had requested that his ministry support the Nokor Wat Media Centre as it begins operations. He said this was evidence of the government’s interest in promoting “breaking news that the readers will like to read”.

Sieng Chanheng said Dim Sopheavy would assume the role of editor in chief of the new media centre, but that other top positions had yet to be filled.

Police break up land protesters in front of Hun Xen's villa in Phnom Penh

Report by Ouk Savborey, Radio Free Asia
Video by Uon Chhin

Villagers Say Military Police Halt Protest [-More land dispute protests to be held also in Siem Reap, Battambang, Kampot]

By VOA Khmer Stringers
Original reports from Phnom Penh
19 January 2009

Cambodian military police prevented a protest of villagers near the Kandal provincial home of Prime Minister Hun Sen early Monday, following a shooting incident Friday.

Nearly 40 representatives of villagers from Kandal Stung district, Kandal province, who are embroiled in a land dispute with the Heng Akphiwath Company, amassed near Hun Sen’s home, but military police dispersed them and ordered them to return home, human rights officials said.

“In the morning, a lot of villagers representing 292 families tried to hold a protest against Heng Akphiwath, but military policed armed [with weapons] and electric batons tried to block them and push them away,” said one protester, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The military police ordered villagers to stay in their homes or register with police if they planned to leave, the protester said.

Kandal Governor Chhun Sirun denied Monday that military police had blocked a protest.

“I went there this morning, but I did not see any protesters,” he said.

The attempted protest follows a shooting Friday in Kandal Stung, where villagers say military police are aiding Heng Akphiwath in a land grab.

Two men were injured by shots fired by the military police and remain in Meanchey hospital, in Takmao district, while another eight people were injured in ensuing violence.

One man was knocked unconscious, but was recovering at home Monday. Another man was arrested Friday, but was released on Sunday, after he gave $30 to military police, said Am Samath, an investigator for the rights group Licadho.

Officials from Heng Akphiwath Company declined to comment Monday.

Chhun Sirun said the military had fired in self defense, as villagers threatened them with knives and axes. The military police had not fired directly at villagers, but had fired at the ground, the wounded hurt by shrapnel, he said.

He said the incident was “small,” and military police had received reprimands from their commanders, he said.

Monday’s protest was only one among several this week: villagers in the provinces of Siem Reap, Battambang, Kampot also protesting land disputes.