While claiming that no investors who came to Cambodia were crooks, Keat Chhon and CPP MP Ho Non forgot the recent fiasco by the Long Chhin development company (Photo: Sralanh Khmer newspaper)CPP MP attacks Sam Rainsy on the National Assembly floor
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Kampuchea Thmei newspaper
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
During a session of the National Assembly (NA) on 16 January 2008, to discuss about the ratification of the agreement between Japan and Cambodia on the liberalization and protection of Japanese investment in Cambodia, opposition leader Sam Rainsy sustained a heavy verbal attack from a CPP MP who was angered by Sam Rainsy’s accusation that a number of investors coming to do business in Cambodia are criminals.
Sam Rainsy raised, during the debate on the draft law, that a number of investors coming to do business in Cambodia are merely criminal mafia groups who violate human rights, grab people’s lands, and the government keeps on allowing these people to buy lands in Cambodia, thereby making Cambodians loose their lands.
At the same time, Sam Rainsy also discussed about the corruption in the illegal logging, and about land disputes also. Sam Rainsy’s statements generated anger in CPP MP Ho Non. Unable to hold her anger, Ho Non asked Heng Samrin’s authorization to come to the podium and debate against Sam Rainsy.
Ho Non said that the issues raised by Sam Rainsy are all contrary to the truth. She said that Sam Rainsy has an angel mouth, but a devil heart, meaning that Sam Rainsy makes the population loves him, but in reality, he was the one who destroyed the interests of the population instead.
Ho Non said that this law does not contain any clause on the destruction of the population’s interest, but that it was written to prevent criminal businessmen. However, she said that investors, like those investors from Japan, have a good intention by investing in Cambodia in order to provide jobs for the people, so that they can improve their livelihood, and thereby reduce poverty as prescribed by the government policy. However, Ho Non said that Sam Rainsy is preventing such things from happening by accusing investors as mafia who come to Cambodia to grab lands from the people.
Ho Non said that Sam Rainsy wants to destroy the achievements of the government which are acknowledged by the people, especially, with the approaching election, and as a CPP MP, she said that she cannot accept Sam Rainsy’s statement.
Keat Chhon, the minister of economy and finance, chimed in with Ho Non, calling Sam Rainsy’s accusation saying that investors coming to Cambodia are mafia, is too strong. Keat Chhon said that if Sam Rainsy does not hold his parliamentary immunity, he would be sued because if the mafia come to seek refuge in Cambodia after perpetrating their crimes elsewhere, there will be several organizations which will follow up on such cases.
Keat Chhon added that some of the people arrested in the past were not investors, but that they were illegal criminals from other countries who came to hide in Cambodia.
Sam Rainsy raised, during the debate on the draft law, that a number of investors coming to do business in Cambodia are merely criminal mafia groups who violate human rights, grab people’s lands, and the government keeps on allowing these people to buy lands in Cambodia, thereby making Cambodians loose their lands.
At the same time, Sam Rainsy also discussed about the corruption in the illegal logging, and about land disputes also. Sam Rainsy’s statements generated anger in CPP MP Ho Non. Unable to hold her anger, Ho Non asked Heng Samrin’s authorization to come to the podium and debate against Sam Rainsy.
Ho Non said that the issues raised by Sam Rainsy are all contrary to the truth. She said that Sam Rainsy has an angel mouth, but a devil heart, meaning that Sam Rainsy makes the population loves him, but in reality, he was the one who destroyed the interests of the population instead.
Ho Non said that this law does not contain any clause on the destruction of the population’s interest, but that it was written to prevent criminal businessmen. However, she said that investors, like those investors from Japan, have a good intention by investing in Cambodia in order to provide jobs for the people, so that they can improve their livelihood, and thereby reduce poverty as prescribed by the government policy. However, Ho Non said that Sam Rainsy is preventing such things from happening by accusing investors as mafia who come to Cambodia to grab lands from the people.
Ho Non said that Sam Rainsy wants to destroy the achievements of the government which are acknowledged by the people, especially, with the approaching election, and as a CPP MP, she said that she cannot accept Sam Rainsy’s statement.
Keat Chhon, the minister of economy and finance, chimed in with Ho Non, calling Sam Rainsy’s accusation saying that investors coming to Cambodia are mafia, is too strong. Keat Chhon said that if Sam Rainsy does not hold his parliamentary immunity, he would be sued because if the mafia come to seek refuge in Cambodia after perpetrating their crimes elsewhere, there will be several organizations which will follow up on such cases.
Keat Chhon added that some of the people arrested in the past were not investors, but that they were illegal criminals from other countries who came to hide in Cambodia.
