Hun Sen seen flanked by a huge number of generals (Photo: Global Witness)Criticisms over the huge number of high ranking military officers
12 September 2007
By Moeung Tum
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
The People Power Party (PPP) called on the ministry of defense to review the growing huge number of high ranking military officers.
The PPP officially made this request in a letter dated 12 September, in which it indicated that while under the current condition where Cambodia only have only 100,000 soldiers, Cambodia counts more than 10,000 officers (officers, superior officers, generals).
Kan Virak, PPP president, said that, normally, a second lieutenant officer in any country has the duty to oversee 100 army troops. Therefore, Kan Virak considers it a shame that Cambodia which has a population of 14 million people, counts such a huge number of army officers, and some of these officers who hold the rank of captains and up are not even 25-year-old yet.
Kan Virak added that the huge number of army officers brings bad consequence to Cambodia. “This affects the honor of the country, in particular among other countries under development. Developed countries are undervaluing our country, because with the number of our population, and the number of our military troops, we have so many generals, so many superior officers, and some of our superior officers and officers are way too young. Frankly speaking, this shows about our inability. The second problem is the national budget … the monthly salary of a military chief is not 40,000 to 100,000 riels ($10 to $25) like a soldier, the monthly salary of a military chief is at least 150,000 riels ($37.50) and up, this is just for a second lieutenant all the way to a captain. For superior officers (major and up) and generals, they even get perks such as car, gasoline, and other things. This severely affects the national budget.”
Kan Virak believes that this issue exists because of the prevalence of corruption in Cambodia, and because of the clan system.
The ministry of defense did not provide its reply against the criticisms and the request by the PPP on these issues it raised.
The PPP officially made this request in a letter dated 12 September, in which it indicated that while under the current condition where Cambodia only have only 100,000 soldiers, Cambodia counts more than 10,000 officers (officers, superior officers, generals).
Kan Virak, PPP president, said that, normally, a second lieutenant officer in any country has the duty to oversee 100 army troops. Therefore, Kan Virak considers it a shame that Cambodia which has a population of 14 million people, counts such a huge number of army officers, and some of these officers who hold the rank of captains and up are not even 25-year-old yet.
Kan Virak added that the huge number of army officers brings bad consequence to Cambodia. “This affects the honor of the country, in particular among other countries under development. Developed countries are undervaluing our country, because with the number of our population, and the number of our military troops, we have so many generals, so many superior officers, and some of our superior officers and officers are way too young. Frankly speaking, this shows about our inability. The second problem is the national budget … the monthly salary of a military chief is not 40,000 to 100,000 riels ($10 to $25) like a soldier, the monthly salary of a military chief is at least 150,000 riels ($37.50) and up, this is just for a second lieutenant all the way to a captain. For superior officers (major and up) and generals, they even get perks such as car, gasoline, and other things. This severely affects the national budget.”
Kan Virak believes that this issue exists because of the prevalence of corruption in Cambodia, and because of the clan system.
The ministry of defense did not provide its reply against the criticisms and the request by the PPP on these issues it raised.
