Phnom Penh, 02 January 2008: Description of Oknha medals at the Department of Decorations at the Council of Ministers (Photo: John Vink/Magnum)14 April 2008
By Duong Sokha
Ka-Set.info
Unofficial translation from French by Tola Ek
Click here to read the original article in French
Click here to read the original article in Khmer
Okhna is a prestigious title that all rich Cambodian aspires to bear. This honorific distinction created about 10 years ago is aimed at men and women who participate in the reconstruction and the development of the kingdom. These titles are mainly aimed at major businessmen and businesswomen who have connection with those ruling the country, and, also for those who know how to use these tiles to obtain preferential treatment.
On 05 April 1994, the two co-prime ministers at the time, Prince Ranariddh and Hun Sen, signed a sub-decree to create decorations aimed at local or foreign benefactors working for the welfare of Cambodia. Depending on the level of contribution paid to the government, three types of medals are given in exchange: gold, silver and bronze. The happy recipients of the gold medal – for those who donate $100,000 or more in cash or material – also receive the title of “oknha.”
According to Thien Mao, the director of the decoration department of the Council of Ministers, there would be 220 oknhas titles given out, among those featuring less than 10 women, and these titles inspire respect in the Cambodian society. In fact, this official number is way underestimated from the actual situation.
A title brought back to fashion
In the history of Cambodia, the title of oknha can be traced back to the 15th century, under the reign of King Chao Ponhea Yat (1421-1462), Miech Ponn, the advisor of the Khmer mores and customs of the Buddhist Institute, indicated.
“During the 15th and 16th centuries, the oknhas were district and provincial governors, as well as close advisors of the king in charge of royal affairs, the army, the justice and the agriculture,” Miech Ponn indicated based on his own research. He explained that this title would be closer to the current “His Excellency” used for ministers and provincial governors.
With the passing of time, the meaning of oknha also slipped. It is no longer those who are at the forefront of the political life of the country anymore who receive this title anymore. Thien Mao indicated that, in reference to the 1995 sub-decree, these titles are now given out to major sponsors of the state for their effort to rebuild the country.
Becoming okhna: The recipe on how to become one
Thien Mao explains in detail the process involved. “If one person finances the building of a school or a road in a province, the commune, district and provincial authorities can build up a request case sent to the Ministry of Interior in order to recognize this benefactor. When the Ministry has completed its study on the case, it sends the file to the decorations department through the Council of Ministers.
“I then check the documents, write a note certifying that the person indeed gave a donation and my department gives out our opinion, before passing it to the Council of Ministers.” Then, it is the Council of Ministers’ turn to look into this file which is handed next to the government secretary-general, and the head of the government who then transmits it to the king for signing.
No one ever been rejected for a medal
It is possible that the decoration department blocks a candidate if it judges that there are elements remaining to be clarified. The file is then turn back to the Ministry of Interior, and the local authorities which initiated the demand.
The evaluation of the donation amount can sometimes lead to headache. From one step of the chain to another, the accounting can differ from one another. The question of the pertinence of the donation is also raised. “Take for example, a person who donates to the authority 32 portable phones. Then we must study to see if this donation serves the public interest or only the interest of individuals. It is more delicate with this type of donations because they do not serve the public like schools or hospitals,” Thien Mao said, while adding that his department never refused any candidate yet. At most, he said that he invites those who originated the file to change their request.
Then, Thien Mao quickly revealed also that “some” obtain the gold medal and the oknha title by asking for it from Hun Sen directly, without resorting to send their request to his department, but he will not say any further on this issue.
Who are these oknhas?
All Cambodian and foreign businessmen who pay a share of their fortune to the state, most of the time, by directly funding projects such as for the construction of basic infrastructures. Almost all the entire elected members of the Phnom Penh chamber of commerce are part of the privileged family of oknhas.
Thien Mao indicated that, once they are nominated by a sub-decree, some of these oknhas would join the state apparatus by becoming senior government officials or Members of Parliament, and it is also true that almost all of the oknhas are members of the ruling CPP party.
According to Cheam Yeap, the CPP chairman of the finance committee of the National Assembly, the latter institution counts 3 oknhas as MP, whereas the Senate counts 6 oknhas. Because of the extent of their generosity and their competence, the government wants them to work for the development of the country by integrating them in state institution, Thien Mao stressed while indicating that “their parliamentary candidate, for example, is not incompatible with their oknha title.”
Abuses
When asked about those oknhas who abuse their title by violation the rights of other citizens, Thien Mao yelled out while claiming that the bearers of such distinction “cannot act in anyway they want.”
Nevertheless, news media regularly reported about land disputes pitting oknhas against simple villagers. These articles are not flattering the role of the oknhas. In 2007, a report by Oxfam indicated 23.08% of the lands in the kingdom are in the hand of oknhas who are often known to be primary land speculators.
Thien Mao did not deny that “some of them” were called to face justice because they used their title to better violate the law. He noted however that the number of cases were rare, before announcing that this issue does not pertain to his department, but rather to the justice department instead.
Ros Chantraboth, vice-president of the Royal Academy of Cambodia, deplores the bad faith of some oknhas who place themselves above the laws, thereby “tarnishing the honor” of this cast. He also estimates that only a handful of them are acting badly.
On his part, SRP MP Son Chhay denounces the corruption surrounding the procedure used to grant the oknha title. “Some only look to get this title to be able to elbow others in illegal dealings they want to conduct.”
A title that does not change anything?
Si Kong Triv, who became an oknha for more than 10-year stemming from a proposal by the government, does not see “anything extraordinary” about bearing this title. “There are many of us who have this title…,” he blurted out for explanation.
“It does not change anything to your dealing when you become an oknha! Everything depends on the circumstances. For me, for example, I became one in 1996, while the country was not yet pacified,” said Mong Reththy while adding that he provided more than $4 million for the construction of infrastructures. If one cannot use this title to do anything one wants, Mong Rithhy recognized, nevertheless that it is “like traveling on first class.”
The hierarchy of oknhas
Is the “Neak Onha” more prestigious than “Lok Oknha”? According to some, the prefix “neak” shows that a person receives this oknha title for a long time already, and they pocket more than the “lok oknhas” or other simple “oknhas.” Nevertheless, Thien Mao from the medals department indicated that the sub-decree (to nominate an oknha) does not stipulate such distinction. “Some boosted their rank by adding the prefix “neak”. But at its origin, in the sub-decree, there was only “oknhas” … This being said, we must establish a hierarchy for oknhas which will be determined according to the amount of their donations to the State and with the collaboration with the Royal Palace, Thien Mao suggested.
Some powerful oknhas
The sub-decree which determines who has the right to what medal for the national construction:
On 05 April 1994, the two co-prime ministers at the time, Prince Ranariddh and Hun Sen, signed a sub-decree to create decorations aimed at local or foreign benefactors working for the welfare of Cambodia. Depending on the level of contribution paid to the government, three types of medals are given in exchange: gold, silver and bronze. The happy recipients of the gold medal – for those who donate $100,000 or more in cash or material – also receive the title of “oknha.”
According to Thien Mao, the director of the decoration department of the Council of Ministers, there would be 220 oknhas titles given out, among those featuring less than 10 women, and these titles inspire respect in the Cambodian society. In fact, this official number is way underestimated from the actual situation.
A title brought back to fashion
In the history of Cambodia, the title of oknha can be traced back to the 15th century, under the reign of King Chao Ponhea Yat (1421-1462), Miech Ponn, the advisor of the Khmer mores and customs of the Buddhist Institute, indicated.
“During the 15th and 16th centuries, the oknhas were district and provincial governors, as well as close advisors of the king in charge of royal affairs, the army, the justice and the agriculture,” Miech Ponn indicated based on his own research. He explained that this title would be closer to the current “His Excellency” used for ministers and provincial governors.
With the passing of time, the meaning of oknha also slipped. It is no longer those who are at the forefront of the political life of the country anymore who receive this title anymore. Thien Mao indicated that, in reference to the 1995 sub-decree, these titles are now given out to major sponsors of the state for their effort to rebuild the country.
Becoming okhna: The recipe on how to become one
Thien Mao explains in detail the process involved. “If one person finances the building of a school or a road in a province, the commune, district and provincial authorities can build up a request case sent to the Ministry of Interior in order to recognize this benefactor. When the Ministry has completed its study on the case, it sends the file to the decorations department through the Council of Ministers.
“I then check the documents, write a note certifying that the person indeed gave a donation and my department gives out our opinion, before passing it to the Council of Ministers.” Then, it is the Council of Ministers’ turn to look into this file which is handed next to the government secretary-general, and the head of the government who then transmits it to the king for signing.
No one ever been rejected for a medal
It is possible that the decoration department blocks a candidate if it judges that there are elements remaining to be clarified. The file is then turn back to the Ministry of Interior, and the local authorities which initiated the demand.
The evaluation of the donation amount can sometimes lead to headache. From one step of the chain to another, the accounting can differ from one another. The question of the pertinence of the donation is also raised. “Take for example, a person who donates to the authority 32 portable phones. Then we must study to see if this donation serves the public interest or only the interest of individuals. It is more delicate with this type of donations because they do not serve the public like schools or hospitals,” Thien Mao said, while adding that his department never refused any candidate yet. At most, he said that he invites those who originated the file to change their request.
Then, Thien Mao quickly revealed also that “some” obtain the gold medal and the oknha title by asking for it from Hun Sen directly, without resorting to send their request to his department, but he will not say any further on this issue.
Who are these oknhas?
All Cambodian and foreign businessmen who pay a share of their fortune to the state, most of the time, by directly funding projects such as for the construction of basic infrastructures. Almost all the entire elected members of the Phnom Penh chamber of commerce are part of the privileged family of oknhas.
Thien Mao indicated that, once they are nominated by a sub-decree, some of these oknhas would join the state apparatus by becoming senior government officials or Members of Parliament, and it is also true that almost all of the oknhas are members of the ruling CPP party.
According to Cheam Yeap, the CPP chairman of the finance committee of the National Assembly, the latter institution counts 3 oknhas as MP, whereas the Senate counts 6 oknhas. Because of the extent of their generosity and their competence, the government wants them to work for the development of the country by integrating them in state institution, Thien Mao stressed while indicating that “their parliamentary candidate, for example, is not incompatible with their oknha title.”
Abuses
When asked about those oknhas who abuse their title by violation the rights of other citizens, Thien Mao yelled out while claiming that the bearers of such distinction “cannot act in anyway they want.”
Nevertheless, news media regularly reported about land disputes pitting oknhas against simple villagers. These articles are not flattering the role of the oknhas. In 2007, a report by Oxfam indicated 23.08% of the lands in the kingdom are in the hand of oknhas who are often known to be primary land speculators.
Thien Mao did not deny that “some of them” were called to face justice because they used their title to better violate the law. He noted however that the number of cases were rare, before announcing that this issue does not pertain to his department, but rather to the justice department instead.
Ros Chantraboth, vice-president of the Royal Academy of Cambodia, deplores the bad faith of some oknhas who place themselves above the laws, thereby “tarnishing the honor” of this cast. He also estimates that only a handful of them are acting badly.
On his part, SRP MP Son Chhay denounces the corruption surrounding the procedure used to grant the oknha title. “Some only look to get this title to be able to elbow others in illegal dealings they want to conduct.”
A title that does not change anything?
Si Kong Triv, who became an oknha for more than 10-year stemming from a proposal by the government, does not see “anything extraordinary” about bearing this title. “There are many of us who have this title…,” he blurted out for explanation.
“It does not change anything to your dealing when you become an oknha! Everything depends on the circumstances. For me, for example, I became one in 1996, while the country was not yet pacified,” said Mong Reththy while adding that he provided more than $4 million for the construction of infrastructures. If one cannot use this title to do anything one wants, Mong Rithhy recognized, nevertheless that it is “like traveling on first class.”
The hierarchy of oknhas
Is the “Neak Onha” more prestigious than “Lok Oknha”? According to some, the prefix “neak” shows that a person receives this oknha title for a long time already, and they pocket more than the “lok oknhas” or other simple “oknhas.” Nevertheless, Thien Mao from the medals department indicated that the sub-decree (to nominate an oknha) does not stipulate such distinction. “Some boosted their rank by adding the prefix “neak”. But at its origin, in the sub-decree, there was only “oknhas” … This being said, we must establish a hierarchy for oknhas which will be determined according to the amount of their donations to the State and with the collaboration with the Royal Palace, Thien Mao suggested.
Some powerful oknhas
- Kith Meng: president of the Phnom Penh Chamber of Commerce (PPCC), chairman of the Royal Group of companies (including Mobitel, ANZ Royal bank)
- Mong Reththy: CPP senator, PPCC vice-president, chairman of Mong Reththy Group
- Lav Meng Khin: CPP senator, PPCC vice-president, and president of Pheapimex
- Si Kong Triv: CPP senator, PPCC vice-rpesident, and president of KT Pacific Group
- Sok Kong: PPCC honorary president, general director of Sokimex and government advisor with the rank of state minister
- Men Sarun: CPP senator, PPCC vice-president and president of Mensarun Import-Export
The sub-decree which determines who has the right to what medal for the national construction:
- A financial or material donation with a value of more than $100,000 to the state provides for a gold medal and the oknha title
- A donation between $10,000 and $100,000 provides a gold medal only
- A donation between $5,000 and $10,000 provides a silver medal
- A donation between $1,000 and $5,000 provides a bronze medal
- A donation between $500 and $1,000 provides for a certificate from the Council of Ministers.
