Compiled by Kem Thol (aka Miss K)
Posted online
Foreword: I had partially compiled some problems in which Cambodia is facing. I am seeking help from everybody to make me understand how do we Khmer are going to solve these problem while we have diverse political parties, and each of which is claiming to be the best. As I understand SROK Khmer has multitude of perplexing and serious tribulations including:
Information
Information is not always easy accessible and 80% of the population does not have TV, Radio, and do not read news paper at all. People are also not always aware that the information exists and therefore there is a risk of collecting and distributing information adequately. There is also a lack of clarity about what data or information sets are free/confidential/publicly available. Sharing of data/information in and between different departments/institutions is not a common habit. The foreign advisers/consultants are often the bridge between the different departments and are always sourcing various information/data. More time can then be invested in the actual use (reading/analyzing) and implementation, monitoring and evaluation and therefore improve the quality and the use of these efforts. This is very time consuming and not optimal.
Technology
There is a little news in the Technological Development area, people can use cell phone almost everywhere; and internet accessing can be accommodated at most cities in most of the provinces. The water, electricity, transport and telecommunication services have major impacts on Cambodian living standard and on the investment climate and where electricity is available; firms and individual consumers face some of the highest energy costs in the world. Cambodia has high telecom charges relative to other countries in the region. Cambodia has failed to reap all the benefits of competition and private telecommunication sector because each private license or cooperation agreement has been promulgated in a non-transparent manner that does not encourage competition. "The most important reforms are questions of political will".
Budget deficits
Despite attempts to increase revenues in 2006, the projected budget deficit (excluding grants) for the year, at 7.3% of GDP, will remain at around the prior-year level of 7.6% due to difficulties in raising revenues in an environment of slower economic growth. The budget deficit is likely to crease further to 8.3.0% in 2007 and 8.7% in 2008 as compliance with tax laws and customs procedures have not been improved, and as anti-smuggling actions are not reinforced. Spending will moderate on health, education, rural development, and agriculture. The ability of domestic-financed capital expenditures to influence development activity during the forecast period of 2007 will be limited by the need to repay arrears.
National Debts
According to official estimate, Cambodia's national debt of $8.07 billion above its GDP, which was $4.30 billion last year. It includes $1.6 billion owed to multilateral organizations such as the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Asian Development Bank, and at least $3.9 billion that Cambodia received in bilateral loans from its former ally, the former Soviet Union. Cambodia owes another $1.7 billion to the United States and at least $2.8 billion to China. At this time, rice planting nationwide is running at only 24% of the average. As farmers are affected by flood and drought like this year, food crisis could lead to an ever heavier debt burden for Cambodia. Cambodia's ability to service these debts is in serious doubt.
Bureaucracy
Several Business firms have been complaining against the regulations affecting their organization as "unpredictable." Regulations are generally regarded as constraining: Cambodia's bureaucracy is politicized, cumbersome, and inefficient, and this creates problem for both potential and existing businesses. The lack of transparent, predictable, and enforceable laws and administrative procedures contributes to an environment where decisions can be made in an arbitrary or improper manner without due regard to the economy, efficiency, the long term sustainability of the project, or the interests of consumers and the wider public. Trade facilitation practices in Cambodia stand out in having high official and unofficial costs, delays, uncertainty and discretion-a critical problem for a country that must rely on exports for growth.
Ill Legal Business
Logging, Mining, Medicine Smuggling, Animals Smuggling, Illegal Drug, Human Trafficking, Gambling, Weapons Trade, and Angkor Antiques have been smuggled from Cambodia to Thailand, and around the world.
Corruption
The rule of law and a system of checks and balances in Cambodia exists mostly on paper. In reality, the legislature - consisting of the National Assembly and the Senate - remained extremely weak and highly politicized. As the supreme law-making body, the legislature is still subservient to the executive branch and dominated by the CPP. Civil liberties remained largely unprotected. The court systems are powerless in cases where high-ranking military officers confiscated lands from members of ethnic minorities in provinces far from the capital city. Impunity remained a serious problem.
Crime
Robbery, Rape, Human Trafficking, and Copyright Violation, Cambodia has a high crime rate, including street crime. Military weapons and explosives are readily available to criminals despite authorities' efforts to collect and destroy such weapons. Armed robberies occur frequently in Phnom Penh and else where in the country. Foreign residents and visitors are among the victims. Victims of armed robberies are reminded not to resist their attackers and should surrender their valuables, since any perceived resistance may be met with physical violence, including lethal force. Local police rarely investigate reports of crime against tourists, and travelers should not expect to recover stolen items.
Punishment
The judiciary lacked independence because most of its staff, particularly judges, are appointed by the CPP and, as such, are not expected to make judgments in the interest of justice, but rather based on personal power and wealth. Perpetrators of political violence are never brought to justice. Victims of political violence and non-CPP elements charged with criminal activities are often severely punished. Judges found it much easier to rule against non-CPP elements and members of opposition parties than against members of the ruling party CPP. Prisoners are still subjected to torture as well as deprivation of medical care and are often denied access to family members.
Ecology
Deforestation, Illegal Mining, River and Pond Land filled. Environmental issues are another reason for the lack of sustainability of economic growth. The economic, social and environmental cost of deforestation is estimated to have exceeded $900 million per year. Cambodia lacked adequate environmental policy, did not have an effective law on the environment and remained weak as far as enforcement is concerned.
Environmental Pollution
River, Canal, Chemical Waste Dumping Sites, Solid Waste Landfills, Electric Power Plants, Municipal Incinerators, Industrial Plants. In Cambodia, environmental cases could be divided into: public nuisance and private nuisance. Private nuisance arises mostly through smoke or noise emission from activities of factories which affect the neighboring residents, but the affected people are not used to bringing their complaints to the court and the disputes are usually settled by way of reconciliation in which the environmental agency plays the role of a mediator.
Education
The state of Cambodian higher education is a tricky elephant to describe. There are many causes for concern but also for hope. The mismatch between higher education provision and labor force demands has produced an oversupply of poorly trained graduates that have the potential to threaten social stability. The relevance and quality of many of the degrees being granted have produced serious concerns. Opinions vary widely, perhaps as a result of the lack of accurate published information about higher education in Cambodia. Pessimists tend to see how far from international standards the present situation is, and the numerous obstacles in the way of ever achieving them. A number of private academic institutions were founded, but many are of poor quality and seemed unable to prepare students for future careers. In addition, the number of public and private institutions of higher education multiplied.
Maltreatment of Children
Child Prostitute, Child Labor, Child Slavery, and Less Schooling, Children are forced out of school and into labor to help their families, they are often denied the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and skills needed for gainful employment, thereby perpetuating the cycle of poverty. Children with little or no schooling will be in a weak position in the labor market, at much greater risk of joining the ranks of unemployed and the poor, harming not only the welfare of individual children, but also slowing broader national poverty reduction and development efforts.
Property Rights Dispute
Cambodia became increasingly market-oriented during the review period of 2006, but private property remained unprotected, especially in rural areas. Property rights and the right to the acquisition of property are cited in the constitution, but there is no clear guidance concerning policy directions and implementation. Forced confiscation of land continues. Thousands of indigenous villagers in northeastern provinces, such as the Ratanakiri province, face the loss of their ancestral lands, as they have come under growing pressure to sell them. The number of land disputes in 2007 is six time that of 2003 across the country. Many land disputes cases are remain unresolved.
Inflation
Inflation is likely to rise from 4.5% in 2005 and swell further to 6.20% in 2007 as a gradual slowdown in agricultural output amplify food price inflation, while higher world prices for oil add to imported inflation. Helping contain inflation is not a commitment by the Hun Sen government to avoid recourse to domestic bank financing of the budget deficit. A significant appreciation of the riel is also likely during the forecast period 2007 as this would have impacted on competitiveness, since most costs in Cambodia, including wages, are denominated in US dollars.
International Political Conflict
Illegal treaty was signed by the Hun Sen government, as such Land boundary disputes persist among Cambodian proves that Thailand and Vietnam moved or destroyed boundary markers; maritime boundary with Thailand and Vietnam is hampered by dispute over offshore islands; Thailand periodically obstructing access to Preah Vihear temple ruins awarded to Cambodia by ICJ decision in 1962; 2003 anti-Thai riots in Phnom Penh resulted in the destruction of the Thai Embassy, damage to 17 Thai-owned businesses.
Internal Political Conflict
Internal Political Conflict is rousing from Political Opportunist, Selfish, Egoism, Jealousy, Fame, Money, and Sex, and Tension is rising between the aging political elite, increasingly desperate to cling to power by political manipulation, and a younger generation of more qualified and capable officers, who are concerned with a sustainable future for higher education and are increasingly trying to introduce merit into decision making.
Ethnic Population
Vietnamese Population has been increased and will require a strong commitment from the Government to resolve this undivided attention issues.
Unemployment
The Nature of Manpower is a constant threat facing Cambodian young, old and graduated students alike, because it is simply not enough jobs available for them and no market opportunity for the farmers. Apart from local enterprises and markets, Cambodian laborers are sent to Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Indonesia and Japan. Most of these workers become victim of physical abuse, sex exploitation, and some were murdered.
Misdistributions of Necessary Resources
Our landscape have been shrinking, our border have been sliced off little by little to the West and to the East side of the country. The leftover is not a guaranty that the poor will be recognized a legitimate owner of the property because the Government, foreigner and concessionaire can come in and rob people at any time.
Agricultural Technology
There is growing international influence, perceived by some as assistance and by others as a threat to local interests, as well as rapid expansion, diversification crops, and the start of more orderly development in an agricultural system experiencing understandable growing pains.
Irrigation Systems
Majority of Irrigation systems are damaged or inadequate. Irrigation potential has never been estimated in terms of physical area which could be irrigated considering water and land resources. An assessment has not been made of the total potential cropped area if existing and past irrigation systems are not rehabilitated and improved. The total area would be 919 344 ha in the wet season and 487 020 ha in the dry season. Cambodia's rural areas are home to most of the country's poor, who face underdeveloped infrastructure and limited access to services. Many of the existing irrigation canals have long been dysfunctional, making farmland vulnerable not only to drought but also to frequent flooding.
Infrastructure
Limited road accessibility and heavily traveled roadways. Cambodia requires physical infrastructure. But Cambodia's legacy of civil strife makes this need far greater than that of most. Requiring everything from improved waterworks to electricity to irrigation canals, Cambodia faces a colossal challenge. Frequent perennial flooding is a reminder of the neglect of physical infrastructure. Floodwaters-rising to waist level in some areas-damage roads, cause health problems, and disrupt economic activities. The restoration of transportation links through the national highway system will enable economic activity to resume and will make it easier to distribute relief supplies throughout the country.
Labor Skill
The country's institutions for education, training, and research and development are quantitatively and qualitatively low. Government spending in education and training as well as in research and development remained low. Most populations are farmers, laborers with low skillful, under knowledge and labor disciplines. At present time, the total laborers are 1.9 million of people, which are still low against the total population. 70% of labor works in agricultural sector, 3.8% in industry and other in services. A critical shortage of qualified and professional personnel emerged as doctor, lawyer, technicians, engineers, skilled workers, and trained managers.
Domestic Market
The fundamentals of domestic market based competition still suffered because of an extremely weak regulatory framework and over imported commodity products and the financial system also remained woefully weak. Cambodia is unable to attract sufficient direct investment. Reasons for this are the limited extent of the domestic market, weak infrastructure, relatively high overhead expenses, an inefficient civil service, and a rudimentary legal system. The government seems to be incapacitated to reduce obstacles to investment and to create incentives, among other things by the future Export Processing Zones (EPZ). Cambodia is now likely to face an additional problem: global competition.
International Market
Monopolies and oligopolies are evident, some entrepreneurs established near-monopolies or monopoly-like positions for themselves. Most companies are very small. Only 1,000 had modern management and equipment. Foreign trade is still in the process of being liberalized, as Cambodia adopted a policy in line with ASEAN Free Trade Arrangements (AFTA) and the WTO requirements, but Cambodia proved unable to implement the rules she established. The country experienced trade deficits every year: -523 (2001), -564 (2002), -537 (2003) -692 (2004) -731 (2005) -756 (2006) and -782 (2007). The agricultural products and manufacturing industry still faces an uphill battle, as China and Vietnam whose currency is noticeably undervalued and whose workers are more skilled than those in Cambodia became increasingly competitive in the regional market. Other factors that still made Cambodia uncompetitive in the global economy included endemic corruption, high infrastructure costs and unskilled workers.
Import-Commodities
Cigarettes, Gold, Medicine, Construction materials, Textile, Petroleum Products, Electricity, Machinery, Motor vehicles and Agricultural Products.
Imports - partners:
Singapore, Vietnam, Japan, Australia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and USA.
Health Care
By any standards Cambodia's healthcare system is in a pretty dismal state. Reliable figures estimate that there is one doctor per 1,700 people. Cambodia's poor, when they get sick, can be more likely to flee public health care workers than to seek advice or treatment. Many will selftreat or call in traditional healers before showing up at government-run clinics. Cambodia's health care system remains rudimentary. The prevalence of infectious diseases and the growing problem of chronic disease are forcing Cambodia to face a significant health burden in the future.
Natural Disasters
Flood, Drought and Our Natural Resources have been relentlessly affected by an unusual changing in climate, elevation, soil, vegetation, population, and land usage due to the deforestation and illegal mining. Government does not have a practical Productive Capacity planning in place, and very few training had been given to the local farmers by NGO agencies and International agencies.
Political Repression
Killing, Kidnapping, Intimidation, and Jailing, Political repression is nothing new to Cambodia. The country's three national elections since 1993 have been invariably bloody affairs characterized by electoral fraud, intimidation and murder of non-CPP activists. Challenges to the status quo are met with vicious reprisals. In recent year political repression in Cambodia has dramatically increased with several arrests of human rights workers, journalists and trade unionists for defamation offences. The danger now is that, with Hun Sen tactical retreat in this particular case, the issue of human-rights violations in Cambodia will again fade from the International attention.
Poverty
Majority of Khmer are living in poverty including civil services, police and military officers due to low wage, corruption, absent of law, inflation, natural catastrophes, lack of local and domestic economic opportunity, and political dim-witted. The percentage of the population living below the poverty line grew from 36% in the late 1990s to 49% (about 5.6 million) in 2004, and it was predicted to increase to about 52% (6.3 million) in 2007. Infant mortality rates grew from 138 per 1,000 people in 2001 to 167 in 2007.
Unnecessarily Unsettling Societal Instabilities
Basic indicators of socio-economic development (based on the criteria of human development, gender equality, education levels and per capita income) showed no real progress. As such, Cambodia's level of a development remains extremely low. Income distribution, measured in terms of the GINI index, remains unchanged. The market-based (agricultural products) economy became less competitive and unsustainable. There were still several major impediments including endemic corruption; unskilled workers; weak absorptive capacity due to institutional weaknesses; and a substantial minimum capital requirement for foreign investment. Environmental degradation also became a rising challenge to sustainable economic development.
-----
KI-Media Note: Miss K is a prolific netizen, she posted a large number of articles about Cambodia ranging from economic, social to political situations.
Information
Information is not always easy accessible and 80% of the population does not have TV, Radio, and do not read news paper at all. People are also not always aware that the information exists and therefore there is a risk of collecting and distributing information adequately. There is also a lack of clarity about what data or information sets are free/confidential/publicly available. Sharing of data/information in and between different departments/institutions is not a common habit. The foreign advisers/consultants are often the bridge between the different departments and are always sourcing various information/data. More time can then be invested in the actual use (reading/analyzing) and implementation, monitoring and evaluation and therefore improve the quality and the use of these efforts. This is very time consuming and not optimal.
Technology
There is a little news in the Technological Development area, people can use cell phone almost everywhere; and internet accessing can be accommodated at most cities in most of the provinces. The water, electricity, transport and telecommunication services have major impacts on Cambodian living standard and on the investment climate and where electricity is available; firms and individual consumers face some of the highest energy costs in the world. Cambodia has high telecom charges relative to other countries in the region. Cambodia has failed to reap all the benefits of competition and private telecommunication sector because each private license or cooperation agreement has been promulgated in a non-transparent manner that does not encourage competition. "The most important reforms are questions of political will".
Budget deficits
Despite attempts to increase revenues in 2006, the projected budget deficit (excluding grants) for the year, at 7.3% of GDP, will remain at around the prior-year level of 7.6% due to difficulties in raising revenues in an environment of slower economic growth. The budget deficit is likely to crease further to 8.3.0% in 2007 and 8.7% in 2008 as compliance with tax laws and customs procedures have not been improved, and as anti-smuggling actions are not reinforced. Spending will moderate on health, education, rural development, and agriculture. The ability of domestic-financed capital expenditures to influence development activity during the forecast period of 2007 will be limited by the need to repay arrears.
National Debts
According to official estimate, Cambodia's national debt of $8.07 billion above its GDP, which was $4.30 billion last year. It includes $1.6 billion owed to multilateral organizations such as the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Asian Development Bank, and at least $3.9 billion that Cambodia received in bilateral loans from its former ally, the former Soviet Union. Cambodia owes another $1.7 billion to the United States and at least $2.8 billion to China. At this time, rice planting nationwide is running at only 24% of the average. As farmers are affected by flood and drought like this year, food crisis could lead to an ever heavier debt burden for Cambodia. Cambodia's ability to service these debts is in serious doubt.
Bureaucracy
Several Business firms have been complaining against the regulations affecting their organization as "unpredictable." Regulations are generally regarded as constraining: Cambodia's bureaucracy is politicized, cumbersome, and inefficient, and this creates problem for both potential and existing businesses. The lack of transparent, predictable, and enforceable laws and administrative procedures contributes to an environment where decisions can be made in an arbitrary or improper manner without due regard to the economy, efficiency, the long term sustainability of the project, or the interests of consumers and the wider public. Trade facilitation practices in Cambodia stand out in having high official and unofficial costs, delays, uncertainty and discretion-a critical problem for a country that must rely on exports for growth.
Ill Legal Business
Logging, Mining, Medicine Smuggling, Animals Smuggling, Illegal Drug, Human Trafficking, Gambling, Weapons Trade, and Angkor Antiques have been smuggled from Cambodia to Thailand, and around the world.
Corruption
The rule of law and a system of checks and balances in Cambodia exists mostly on paper. In reality, the legislature - consisting of the National Assembly and the Senate - remained extremely weak and highly politicized. As the supreme law-making body, the legislature is still subservient to the executive branch and dominated by the CPP. Civil liberties remained largely unprotected. The court systems are powerless in cases where high-ranking military officers confiscated lands from members of ethnic minorities in provinces far from the capital city. Impunity remained a serious problem.
Crime
Robbery, Rape, Human Trafficking, and Copyright Violation, Cambodia has a high crime rate, including street crime. Military weapons and explosives are readily available to criminals despite authorities' efforts to collect and destroy such weapons. Armed robberies occur frequently in Phnom Penh and else where in the country. Foreign residents and visitors are among the victims. Victims of armed robberies are reminded not to resist their attackers and should surrender their valuables, since any perceived resistance may be met with physical violence, including lethal force. Local police rarely investigate reports of crime against tourists, and travelers should not expect to recover stolen items.
Punishment
The judiciary lacked independence because most of its staff, particularly judges, are appointed by the CPP and, as such, are not expected to make judgments in the interest of justice, but rather based on personal power and wealth. Perpetrators of political violence are never brought to justice. Victims of political violence and non-CPP elements charged with criminal activities are often severely punished. Judges found it much easier to rule against non-CPP elements and members of opposition parties than against members of the ruling party CPP. Prisoners are still subjected to torture as well as deprivation of medical care and are often denied access to family members.
Ecology
Deforestation, Illegal Mining, River and Pond Land filled. Environmental issues are another reason for the lack of sustainability of economic growth. The economic, social and environmental cost of deforestation is estimated to have exceeded $900 million per year. Cambodia lacked adequate environmental policy, did not have an effective law on the environment and remained weak as far as enforcement is concerned.
Environmental Pollution
River, Canal, Chemical Waste Dumping Sites, Solid Waste Landfills, Electric Power Plants, Municipal Incinerators, Industrial Plants. In Cambodia, environmental cases could be divided into: public nuisance and private nuisance. Private nuisance arises mostly through smoke or noise emission from activities of factories which affect the neighboring residents, but the affected people are not used to bringing their complaints to the court and the disputes are usually settled by way of reconciliation in which the environmental agency plays the role of a mediator.
Education
The state of Cambodian higher education is a tricky elephant to describe. There are many causes for concern but also for hope. The mismatch between higher education provision and labor force demands has produced an oversupply of poorly trained graduates that have the potential to threaten social stability. The relevance and quality of many of the degrees being granted have produced serious concerns. Opinions vary widely, perhaps as a result of the lack of accurate published information about higher education in Cambodia. Pessimists tend to see how far from international standards the present situation is, and the numerous obstacles in the way of ever achieving them. A number of private academic institutions were founded, but many are of poor quality and seemed unable to prepare students for future careers. In addition, the number of public and private institutions of higher education multiplied.
Maltreatment of Children
Child Prostitute, Child Labor, Child Slavery, and Less Schooling, Children are forced out of school and into labor to help their families, they are often denied the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and skills needed for gainful employment, thereby perpetuating the cycle of poverty. Children with little or no schooling will be in a weak position in the labor market, at much greater risk of joining the ranks of unemployed and the poor, harming not only the welfare of individual children, but also slowing broader national poverty reduction and development efforts.
Property Rights Dispute
Cambodia became increasingly market-oriented during the review period of 2006, but private property remained unprotected, especially in rural areas. Property rights and the right to the acquisition of property are cited in the constitution, but there is no clear guidance concerning policy directions and implementation. Forced confiscation of land continues. Thousands of indigenous villagers in northeastern provinces, such as the Ratanakiri province, face the loss of their ancestral lands, as they have come under growing pressure to sell them. The number of land disputes in 2007 is six time that of 2003 across the country. Many land disputes cases are remain unresolved.
Inflation
Inflation is likely to rise from 4.5% in 2005 and swell further to 6.20% in 2007 as a gradual slowdown in agricultural output amplify food price inflation, while higher world prices for oil add to imported inflation. Helping contain inflation is not a commitment by the Hun Sen government to avoid recourse to domestic bank financing of the budget deficit. A significant appreciation of the riel is also likely during the forecast period 2007 as this would have impacted on competitiveness, since most costs in Cambodia, including wages, are denominated in US dollars.
International Political Conflict
Illegal treaty was signed by the Hun Sen government, as such Land boundary disputes persist among Cambodian proves that Thailand and Vietnam moved or destroyed boundary markers; maritime boundary with Thailand and Vietnam is hampered by dispute over offshore islands; Thailand periodically obstructing access to Preah Vihear temple ruins awarded to Cambodia by ICJ decision in 1962; 2003 anti-Thai riots in Phnom Penh resulted in the destruction of the Thai Embassy, damage to 17 Thai-owned businesses.
Internal Political Conflict
Internal Political Conflict is rousing from Political Opportunist, Selfish, Egoism, Jealousy, Fame, Money, and Sex, and Tension is rising between the aging political elite, increasingly desperate to cling to power by political manipulation, and a younger generation of more qualified and capable officers, who are concerned with a sustainable future for higher education and are increasingly trying to introduce merit into decision making.
Ethnic Population
Vietnamese Population has been increased and will require a strong commitment from the Government to resolve this undivided attention issues.
Unemployment
The Nature of Manpower is a constant threat facing Cambodian young, old and graduated students alike, because it is simply not enough jobs available for them and no market opportunity for the farmers. Apart from local enterprises and markets, Cambodian laborers are sent to Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Indonesia and Japan. Most of these workers become victim of physical abuse, sex exploitation, and some were murdered.
Misdistributions of Necessary Resources
Our landscape have been shrinking, our border have been sliced off little by little to the West and to the East side of the country. The leftover is not a guaranty that the poor will be recognized a legitimate owner of the property because the Government, foreigner and concessionaire can come in and rob people at any time.
Agricultural Technology
There is growing international influence, perceived by some as assistance and by others as a threat to local interests, as well as rapid expansion, diversification crops, and the start of more orderly development in an agricultural system experiencing understandable growing pains.
Irrigation Systems
Majority of Irrigation systems are damaged or inadequate. Irrigation potential has never been estimated in terms of physical area which could be irrigated considering water and land resources. An assessment has not been made of the total potential cropped area if existing and past irrigation systems are not rehabilitated and improved. The total area would be 919 344 ha in the wet season and 487 020 ha in the dry season. Cambodia's rural areas are home to most of the country's poor, who face underdeveloped infrastructure and limited access to services. Many of the existing irrigation canals have long been dysfunctional, making farmland vulnerable not only to drought but also to frequent flooding.
Infrastructure
Limited road accessibility and heavily traveled roadways. Cambodia requires physical infrastructure. But Cambodia's legacy of civil strife makes this need far greater than that of most. Requiring everything from improved waterworks to electricity to irrigation canals, Cambodia faces a colossal challenge. Frequent perennial flooding is a reminder of the neglect of physical infrastructure. Floodwaters-rising to waist level in some areas-damage roads, cause health problems, and disrupt economic activities. The restoration of transportation links through the national highway system will enable economic activity to resume and will make it easier to distribute relief supplies throughout the country.
Labor Skill
The country's institutions for education, training, and research and development are quantitatively and qualitatively low. Government spending in education and training as well as in research and development remained low. Most populations are farmers, laborers with low skillful, under knowledge and labor disciplines. At present time, the total laborers are 1.9 million of people, which are still low against the total population. 70% of labor works in agricultural sector, 3.8% in industry and other in services. A critical shortage of qualified and professional personnel emerged as doctor, lawyer, technicians, engineers, skilled workers, and trained managers.
Domestic Market
The fundamentals of domestic market based competition still suffered because of an extremely weak regulatory framework and over imported commodity products and the financial system also remained woefully weak. Cambodia is unable to attract sufficient direct investment. Reasons for this are the limited extent of the domestic market, weak infrastructure, relatively high overhead expenses, an inefficient civil service, and a rudimentary legal system. The government seems to be incapacitated to reduce obstacles to investment and to create incentives, among other things by the future Export Processing Zones (EPZ). Cambodia is now likely to face an additional problem: global competition.
International Market
Monopolies and oligopolies are evident, some entrepreneurs established near-monopolies or monopoly-like positions for themselves. Most companies are very small. Only 1,000 had modern management and equipment. Foreign trade is still in the process of being liberalized, as Cambodia adopted a policy in line with ASEAN Free Trade Arrangements (AFTA) and the WTO requirements, but Cambodia proved unable to implement the rules she established. The country experienced trade deficits every year: -523 (2001), -564 (2002), -537 (2003) -692 (2004) -731 (2005) -756 (2006) and -782 (2007). The agricultural products and manufacturing industry still faces an uphill battle, as China and Vietnam whose currency is noticeably undervalued and whose workers are more skilled than those in Cambodia became increasingly competitive in the regional market. Other factors that still made Cambodia uncompetitive in the global economy included endemic corruption, high infrastructure costs and unskilled workers.
Import-Commodities
Cigarettes, Gold, Medicine, Construction materials, Textile, Petroleum Products, Electricity, Machinery, Motor vehicles and Agricultural Products.
Imports - partners:
Singapore, Vietnam, Japan, Australia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and USA.
Health Care
By any standards Cambodia's healthcare system is in a pretty dismal state. Reliable figures estimate that there is one doctor per 1,700 people. Cambodia's poor, when they get sick, can be more likely to flee public health care workers than to seek advice or treatment. Many will selftreat or call in traditional healers before showing up at government-run clinics. Cambodia's health care system remains rudimentary. The prevalence of infectious diseases and the growing problem of chronic disease are forcing Cambodia to face a significant health burden in the future.
Natural Disasters
Flood, Drought and Our Natural Resources have been relentlessly affected by an unusual changing in climate, elevation, soil, vegetation, population, and land usage due to the deforestation and illegal mining. Government does not have a practical Productive Capacity planning in place, and very few training had been given to the local farmers by NGO agencies and International agencies.
Political Repression
Killing, Kidnapping, Intimidation, and Jailing, Political repression is nothing new to Cambodia. The country's three national elections since 1993 have been invariably bloody affairs characterized by electoral fraud, intimidation and murder of non-CPP activists. Challenges to the status quo are met with vicious reprisals. In recent year political repression in Cambodia has dramatically increased with several arrests of human rights workers, journalists and trade unionists for defamation offences. The danger now is that, with Hun Sen tactical retreat in this particular case, the issue of human-rights violations in Cambodia will again fade from the International attention.
Poverty
Majority of Khmer are living in poverty including civil services, police and military officers due to low wage, corruption, absent of law, inflation, natural catastrophes, lack of local and domestic economic opportunity, and political dim-witted. The percentage of the population living below the poverty line grew from 36% in the late 1990s to 49% (about 5.6 million) in 2004, and it was predicted to increase to about 52% (6.3 million) in 2007. Infant mortality rates grew from 138 per 1,000 people in 2001 to 167 in 2007.
Unnecessarily Unsettling Societal Instabilities
Basic indicators of socio-economic development (based on the criteria of human development, gender equality, education levels and per capita income) showed no real progress. As such, Cambodia's level of a development remains extremely low. Income distribution, measured in terms of the GINI index, remains unchanged. The market-based (agricultural products) economy became less competitive and unsustainable. There were still several major impediments including endemic corruption; unskilled workers; weak absorptive capacity due to institutional weaknesses; and a substantial minimum capital requirement for foreign investment. Environmental degradation also became a rising challenge to sustainable economic development.
-----
KI-Media Note: Miss K is a prolific netizen, she posted a large number of articles about Cambodia ranging from economic, social to political situations.
17 comments:
To Miss K,
All problems you've raised are real but much more critical than you have described and totally unsolvable. All the knots, whether they be social, political or economical, are tightened up harder and harder everyday by both the CPP and its masters in Hanoi. No individuals, no groups, no institutions, no organizations and no political parties can undo those knots. Only People Power can.
Therefore, I strongly suggest that People Power be raised, discused, planned and executed at full steam as it is the only hope the whole Khmer race has at this stage. To say otherwise is to mislead the Khmer public.
Yours sincerely,
Miss K,
Congratulations! You've done a great job.
By identifying and compiling all these problems, you've helped solve half of them already. I'm very confident you and all of us can address the other half.
I would suggest KI media post this article every day for debate.
LAO Mong Hay, Hong Kong
Solve haft of the problem??????? I am going to commite sourcide and rebone as a dog!
To Dr. LAO Mong Hay,
All Khmer nationals, no matter where they live and no matter which political party they either join or support, know as much as Miss K and you do about all the problems raised above. Would this kind of knowledge help solve 50% of those problems? You've said it would. You must be joking.
Support for this kind of mentality will never be in short supply. In fact, it constitutes a national shame and it suits Hanoi's expansionism just fine.
Come on Dr. LAO Mong Hay, everybody knows who you are and everybody knows that you can give much much deeper insight into Cambodia's current situation than saying what you have just said. Please muster all your inner strength and speak the truth. And please stop entertaining Sam Rainsy, Kem Sokha, Ranariddh, Sisowath Thomico, Norodom Chakrapong and the like that they can do something to reverse the bleak future we are faced with right now. Please stop it, okay.
The only thing left for us to speak about is People Power, period.
People Power?
The concept of People Power is too broad! Rich people, middle class people, and poor people and homeless people ...which one?
To 10:34AM from 6:23AM,
The whole world knows what People Power really means. For your information, however, People Power means popular uprising which in turn means spontaneous show of discontent towards a totalitarian regime (like the present CPP-led government) from the overwhelming majority of the weak, the poor, the defenceless and the oppressed, but definitely not from the rich, the powerful and the mafiosi ring members. Have you got that? I sincerely hope you have.
Mr. 6.23AM,
I did mean every word I wrote. No joke!
In my lifetime (I'm now 62), I've heard the same claim "I know, we know this or that..", but where are facts and figures to support those claims. Miss K did. And this perhaps the hardest work to address problems, identifying and compiling them.
I was in the army for a year, and we had to know the enemy (ies). We had to develop our intelligence to identify them and gather information about them to be able to develop our operation strategy and plan either or both to defend ourselves and to attack them.
I wrote Miss K herself and the rest of us can solve the other half of the problems:
Let's get down to the business of addressing the problems Miss K. identified and compiled. Let me play the role of Socrates and use Descartes’ methodology of dividing a problem into different, smaller compenents before solving it, and then ask Miss K., and for that matter, Mr. 6:23AM as well, to address those problems one by one if and when she, or you Mr. 6:23, AM were elected prime minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia:
I start off with corruption.
Miss K. said:
1. The rule of law and a system of checks and balances in Cambodia exists mostly on paper.
2. In reality, the legislature - consisting of the National Assembly and the Senate - remained extremely weak and highly politicized.
3. As the supreme law-making body, the legislature is still subservient to the executive branch and dominated by the CPP.
4. Civil liberties remained largely unprotected.
5. The court systems are powerless in cases where high-ranking military officers confiscated lands from members of ethnic minorities in provinces far from the capital city.
6. Impunity remained a serious problem.
How would Miss K., or you, Mr. 6:23AM, go about addressing each of the 6 smaller questions or problems she had raised?
Question/problem 1: The rule of law and a system of checks and balances in Cambodia exists mostly on paper.
Answer/solution?
Question/problem 2: In reality, the legislature - consisting of the National Assembly and the Senate - remained extremely weak and highly politicized.
Answer/solution?
Question/problem 3: As the supreme law-making body, the legislature is still subservient to the executive branch and dominated by the CPP.
Question/answer 4: Civil liberties remained largely unprotected.
Answer/problem?
Question/problem 5: The court systems are powerless in cases where high-ranking military officers confiscated lands from members of ethnic minorities in provinces far from the capital city.
Question/problem 6: Impunity remained a serious problem.
Answer/answer?
I would like to add:
If all these 6 smaller questions or problems were addressed, would all these answers and solutions be sufficient to solve the problem of corruption?
I’ll join in the search for answers or solutions next time.
LAO Mong Hay, Hong Kong
PS: To Mr.6:23AM. You claimed that I was entertaining Mr. so and so. In fact, I entertain all people, including you and Miss K., who have ideas about our country and the whole of humanity.
Dr. LAO Mong Hay
I may share my immature idear to your Question/Answer 1:
Question/problem 1: The rule of law and a system of checks and balances in Cambodia exists mostly on paper.
Answer/solution?
Because Hun Sen is a Dictatorship; He has a variety of motives and objectives underlying his domination such as power, position, wealth, reshaping the society, and the like.
Hun Sen often claim special authorization from higher powers; as such he is the only god who can save Cambodia
Hun Sen travel with large entourages bodyguards to protect him.
Hun Sen like to use lethal force to reconcile with his opponent
Hun Sen have fetishes for certain objects
Hun Sen like extravagant ceremonies
Hun Sen like to work in secrecy
Hun Sen like to promote himself
Hun Sen think he known his judgment
Vote him out!
Dump him into the deepest ocean!
Miss K
To Miss K and Dr. LAO Mong Hay from 6:23AM,
Frankly speaking, the more I read your comments, the less I understand both of you. There must be something wrong coming out of either you or me. Please let me talk about myself first.
I am a few years older than Dr. LAO Mong Hay. I am straight-forward and honest. I am kind, considerate and compassionate. I love my country and my people more than anything else. But I rarely entertain anybody because I speak my mind. Dr. LAO Mong Hay and I know each other very well. For safety reason, however, I can't reveal my name. Sorry!
Miss K and Dr. LAO Mong Hay,
I know full well that both of you use your academic knowledges and skills to analyze problems and to eventually address them. And this is the problem with both of you. De Bono's lateral thinking, or the priciple of cause and effect, never works with the Khmer Rouge, nor will it work with the CPP-led regime. Both regimes are communist. Both regimes practise dictatorship. For human dignity, liberty, freedom of expression, human rights and liberal democracy, Hun Sen and the CPP won't give a damn. Political parties and elections are allowed to simply give illusions to the whole world that there is democracy in Cambodia. But soon after a positve step towards democracy is made, Hun Sen never thinks twice about crushing it down.
Hun Sen and the CPP never listen to reasons and the proofs are plenty: The non-observance of the Paris Peace Accords, the resurrection of the four bilateral but treacherous treaties with Vietnam by the adoption of the 2005 supplemental treaty, empty promises given to the donor community, the plundering of state assets, corruption, deforestation, extortion, intimidastion, land grabbings, killings, no real attempts to examine, adopt and promulgate the anti-corruption law, no real separation of powers, no competent and independent judiciary and the list goes on and on.
Nevertheless, Miss K and Dr. LAO Mong Hay still waste their time trying to address those problems.
Chers amis, cela est ce qu’on appelle un coup d’épée dans l’eau! Je ne vous comprens pas du tout.
Dear 4:15 AM
Let make my self clear, I had never believe in Khmer politicians, because I believe many of those people who go into politics do it for their personal self-aggrandizement, even though they don’t admit that, even to themselves, and these politicians are a liar; it’s their job that is why politicians love being in office more than life itself.
I completely concur with people here asking for People Power, I am however not in supporting for arm up rising, but I would refuse to support all these political parties forcing them to unit. The reason I stand on this position is that I have been analyzing our political strength and weakness on SEVEN critical areas namely: Operation, Communication, Information, Technical, Logistical, Strategy, and Tactical aspect, the evidences are clear, there is no way these political party can rebuild our country nor stand up high again the Siem and the Vietcong alone, but people are still being dense by these politicians, and people are still being unintelligent to support them. I am hoping that by uniting these political parties, people will have a lot of room to work toward our real goal, and it also prove to me that we are practicing People Power.
Please tell me what are we going to do with this People Power concept?
Miss K,
To Miss K from 6:23AM or 4:15AM,
People's anger that has been around for 6 or 7 years now can be likened to a powder keg. What you need to do is to strike a match. I mean that those angry people who are in the millions only need guidance and a good leader. They won't need arms as armed struggle would give the current regime an excellent excuse to firstly kill a lot of people, and secondly, strengthen their dictatorial foundation.
Miss K, Mr. 4:15AM and Mr. 1:01PM,
Your solution to question/problem 1 Miss K had raised is removal of Samdech Hun Sen through people power. It's a solution.
But has the removal of leaders been really a solution? In Cambodia, leaders have been removed on a number of occasions, and new leaders did not seem to be any better, and corruption (Miss K has raised) seemed to get worse. In the Philippines, power people overthrew leaders on two separate occasions, but new leaders have not proved any better (visit www.ahrchk.net and go to the Philippines, to see for yourself).
Who is going to replace Hun Sen? What such a replacement is going to do? Does he have any team to implement his policy, programme, policy, strategy, projects to address that problem?
Some of our fellow Cambodians (old generation) still feel that the devil they know (the Sangkum Reatr Nyum) is better than the devil they don't know (Lon Nol). Our people welcomed the Khmer Rouge in the hope of having peace, only to to be slaughtered by rhem. The survivors welcomed the Vietnamse, only to be oppressed and subjugated by those foreign tyrants. They voted for FUNCINPEC, only to witness its incapacity and corruption. They last voted for CPP, to live as "happy, free slaves" under its rule.
Let's look at some foreign models for solutions:
The American founding fathers did not trust leaders (even among founding fathers themselves) at all when they founded the American nation. They trusted the institutions and they devised a constitution that enshrines all these institutions with all the checks and balances, with a genuinely independent judiciary (Supreme Court).
Jean Monet, one of the founding fathers of the European Union, went for people to bring about change and for institutions to sustain and enbed that change, and the European governments have since been building the institutions of the European Union.
How to get such people to become such leaders who would bring about change and then build the institutions to sustain and embed that change for the better?
Let's refer to a French scholar for a solution:
Monstesquieu disntinquishes three regimes: monarchy, democracy and tyranny of despotism. Monarchy is based on honour; democracy on virtues of the people; tyranny on fear.
These days Cambodia is ruled very much by fear. Do we and the rest of our people have the required virtues? Have virtues been instilled in us and our people through school curriculum and in the family?
Andre Comte-Sponville lists the following as the "great vertues"in his book "A Short Treatise on the GREAT VIRTUES: The uses of Philosophy in Everyday Life" (Original French: "Petit Traite des Grandes Vertus", Mr. 4:15AM, please have a look: politeness, fidelity, prudence, temperance, courage, justice, generosity, comapssion, mercy, gratitude, humility, simplicity, tolerance, purity, gentleness, good faith, humour, and love.
Buddha preached four great virtues: loving kindness (metta), compassion (karuna), sympathic joy (muddita), and equanimity (upekha).
Let's not blame our people for their ignorance. Blame their leaders instead, for failing to instill all virtues in them or for having none of these virtues themseves.
Look at some of our fellow commentators on this blog, incliudinjg Mr. 4:15AM. Do we have any courage (which is one of the great virtues) to make themselves known?
In my lifetime (62 years), Cambodian society, Cambodian family, and Cambodian school curriculum and school activities, have not promoted courage among the young. They have always instilled fear in them since they were born. "Don't cry, ,or the wild cat woudl eat you"; don't be more clever than me, or I kick you dead"; "small fries die because of their mouth"; "eggs cannot fight with rocks"; "the skin of the brave is easily torn, that of the cowards is tough"; etc...
How can we have leaders, who anyway come from among the people in the first place, when these people do not have the virtues required for leadership? How can our MPs challenge the powerful or the government if they don't have courage? At one time I thought Sam Rainsy and Cheam Channy were brave men when they led demonstrations in defiance of the government to protest injustices. Now they are cowed by their jail sentences.
Is Cambodian society not corrupt from top to bottom? Go to the market and check the weight of the merchandise you buy. You cannot be sure you'd get the right weight! I have encountered such open and honest cheating myself.
Perhaps we need to start with "moral cleansing or, in French, "assainissement moral" with the incalcation in us and the rest of our people all those virtues befitting democracy. It would be a very long and arduous enterprise.
In parallel, let's build up our institutions for the rule of law and democracy. I would start from the criminal justice system (the police, the courts and the prisons). If this system is independent and impartial, people can challenge their rulers in court without fear. That the beginning of the rule of law which is the foundation of democracy and humann rights, and of the elimination of corruption.
Angkor Wat was not build in a day. Identifying and compiling the problems that Miss K had done, I repeat, has solved half of the problems. The other half can be addressed. Let's have the courage to face all of them, from generation to generation (not ending with my generation of 62 years old, though).
We should praise ourselves for having this kind of challence in our history. A problem has one or more solutions. And the solutions are there for use to discover, to find.
Let's continue our debate on the same same problem and/or the other problems Miss K. has raised.
Please, KI-Media, keep reposting Miss K's article and , if possible, all debates on them. I think Miss K has focus our attention on the right problems.
Please Miss K., try to provide answers to the other questions/problems under Corruption.
LAO Mong Hay, Hong Kong
Miss K, Mr. 4:15AM and Mr. 1:01PM,
Your solution to question/problem 1 Miss K had raised is removal of Samdech Hun Sen through people power. It's a solution.
But has the removal of leaders been really a solution? In Cambodia, leaders have been removed on a number of occasions, and new leaders did not seem to be any better, and corruption (Miss K has raised) seemed to get worse. In the Philippines, power people overthrew leaders on two separate occasions, but new leaders have not proved any better (visit www.ahrchk.net and go to the Philippines, to see for yourself).
Who is going to replace Hun Sen? What such a replacement is going to do? Does he have any team to implement his policy, programme, policy, strategy, projects to address that problem?
Some of our fellow Cambodians (old generation) still feel that the devil they know (the Sangkum Reatr Nyum) is better than the devil they don't know (Lon Nol). Our people welcomed the Khmer Rouge in the hope of having peace, only to to be slaughtered by rhem. The survivors welcomed the Vietnamse, only to be oppressed and subjugated by those foreign tyrants. They voted for FUNCINPEC, only to witness its incapacity and corruption. They last voted for CPP, to live as "happy, free slaves" under its rule.
Let's look at some foreign models for solutions:
The American founding fathers did not trust leaders (even among founding fathers themselves) at all when they founded the American nation. They trusted the institutions and they devised a constitution that enshrines all these institutions with all the checks and balances, with a genuinely independent judiciary (Supreme Court).
Jean Monet, one of the founding fathers of the European Union, went for people to bring about change and for institutions to sustain and enbed that change, and the European governments have since been building the institutions of the European Union.
How to get such people to become such leaders who would bring about change and then build the institutions to sustain and embed that change for the better?
Let's refer to a French scholar for a solution:
Monstesquieu disntinquishes three regimes: monarchy, democracy and tyranny of despotism. Monarchy is based on honour; democracy on virtues of the people; tyranny on fear.
These days Cambodia is ruled very much by fear. Do we and the rest of our people have the required virtues? Have virtues been instilled in us and our people through school curriculum and in the family?
Andre Comte-Sponville lists the following as the "great vertues"in his book "A Short Treatise on the GREAT VIRTUES: The uses of Philosophy in Everyday Life" (Original French: "Petit Traite des Grandes Vertus", Mr. 4:15AM, please have a look: politeness, fidelity, prudence, temperance, courage, justice, generosity, comapssion, mercy, gratitude, humility, simplicity, tolerance, purity, gentleness, good faith, humour, and love.
Buddha preached four great virtues: loving kindness (metta), compassion (karuna), sympathic joy (muddita), and equanimity (upekha).
Let's not blame our people for their ignorance. Blame their leaders instead, for failing to instill all virtues in them or for having none of these virtues themseves.
Look at some of our fellow commentators on this blog, incliudinjg Mr. 4:15AM. Do we have any courage (which is one of the great virtues) to make themselves known?
In my lifetime (62 years), Cambodian society, Cambodian family, and Cambodian school curriculum and school activities, have not promoted courage among the young. They have always instilled fear in them since they were born. "Don't cry, ,or the wild cat woudl eat you"; don't be more clever than me, or I kick you dead"; "small fries die because of their mouth"; "eggs cannot fight with rocks"; "the skin of the brave is easily torn, that of the cowards is tough"; etc...
How can we have leaders, who anyway come from among the people in the first place, when these people do not have the virtues required for leadership? How can our MPs challenge the powerful or the government if they don't have courage? At one time I thought Sam Rainsy and Cheam Channy were brave men when they led demonstrations in defiance of the government to protest injustices. Now they are cowed by their jail sentences.
Is Cambodian society not corrupt from top to bottom? Go to the market and check the weight of the merchandise you buy. You cannot be sure you'd get the right weight! I have encountered such open and honest cheating myself.
Perhaps we need to start with "moral cleansing or, in French, "assainissement moral" with the incalcation in us and the rest of our people all those virtues befitting democracy. It would be a very long and arduous enterprise.
In parallel, let's build up our institutions for the rule of law and democracy. I would start from the criminal justice system (the police, the courts and the prisons). If this system is independent and impartial, people can challenge their rulers in court without fear. That the beginning of the rule of law which is the foundation of democracy and humann rights, and of the elimination of corruption.
Angkor Wat was not build in a day. Identifying and compiling the problems that Miss K had done, I repeat, has solved half of the problems. The other half can be addressed. Let's have the courage to face all of them, from generation to generation (not ending with my generation of 62 years old, though).
We should praise ourselves for having this kind of challence in our history. A problem has one or more solutions. And the solutions are there for use to discover, to find.
Let's continue our debate on the same same problem and/or the other problems Miss K. has raised.
Please, KI-Media, keep reposting Miss K's article and , if possible, all debates on them. I think Miss K has focus our attention on the right problems.
Please Miss K., try to provide answers to the other questions/problems under Corruption.
LAO Mong Hay, Hong Kong
What is the point of "People Power" when 90% of Cambodian populations are dirt poor and helpless and they don't even know their right according to Cambodian law and constitution? If Cambodian people do understand their right under the law and constitution and do you think that the dictator will respect any of Cambodian people’s right and power according to the law and constitution? Of course not!
Honestly Cambodian people have too non-violent and have too much inertia to do anything!
Now how many dictators around the world will step down from power peacefully without a fight or the use of non-violent? None! None! None! So why the Cambodian people still hang on to the concept of using “non-violent People Power” to deal with a dictator? "People Power" with the use of violent method to over throw the dictator is the only way to go!
Otherwise, Cambodia will continue to face the same predicament over, over, and over!
Dear: Dr. LAO Mong Hay
Question/problem 2: In reality, the legislature - consisting of the National Assembly and the Senate - remained extremely weak and highly politicized.
Answer/solution?
Before I begin to discuss these problems with you, I would like to thank you for giving me the opportunity to meet you and to joint you in search of a best solution to help Cambodia. I also want to make it clear with you that I am strongly convinced that the ability to solve the Cambodia problem lie on people power, not lie on political party nor lie on political party principle, nor lie on political party leader. How much problems we people solved is what I am going after. Another word, I am looking for the quantity and quality of the resolve problems for the people and for Cambodia.
My political philosophy base on four principles: Political Unity, Political Justice, Political Economy, and Political Non-Violence.
I strongly believe that democratic power resides in Khmer people power themselves and this democratic power is entrusted for the time being to those whom Khmer people may choose as their representatives. In fact, parliaments have no power or even existence independently of the Khmer people. I also strongly believe that political unity can help Khmer political parties for joint policy making, and help to make sure decisions are made by qualified majority, rather than by the consensus of the criminal ones. The importance of political unity is to increases the more competencies, autonomy, and capacity for action to help Khmer needs. In reality, political unity will reduce multi-dimensional conflict structure, in turn; encourage Khmer people to adapt, to participate in rebuilding Cambodia, and loosening of the links between the Enemies and the Evil Ruling Elites.
To answer your question, I would like to present you what the legislature I hope for, the idea of the Democratic Society is that Elected Representatives -- whether members of a parliament, members of assembly, members of senator, or members of congress -- are there at the National Assembly to serve the people. The Elected Representatives must adhere to the democratic principle to perform a number of roles essential to the functioning of a healthy democracy. Those functions are:
1) Elected legislatures are the principal forum for deliberating, debating, and passing laws in a representative democracy. Elected legislatures are not so-called rubber stamp parliaments merely to approve the decisions of an authoritarian leader, or to please their political party leader.
2) Oversight and investigation powers allow legislators to publicly question government officials about their actions and decisions, and otherwise serve as a check on the power of various government ministries -- especially in the presidential system of governing where the legislature is separate from the executive.
3) Legislators must approve the national budgets, conduct hearings on pressing issues, and confirm executive appointees to courts and ministries. And, legislative committees must provide lawmakers a forum for these public examinations of national issues.
4) Legislators may support the government in power or they may serve as a loyal political opposition that offers alternative policies and programs as long as these programs and policies are to benefit the people and the country.
5) Legislators have a responsibility to articulate their views as effectively as possible. But Legislators must work within the democratic ethic of tolerance, respect, and compromise to reach agreements that will benefit the general welfare of all the people -- not just their political supporters or not just their political party. Each legislator must be alone to decide on how to balance the general welfare with the needs of a local constituency.
6) Legislators must provide constituents with a sympathetic hearing for their individual complaints and problems -- along with help in getting assistance from large government bureaucracies. To do this, they often maintain a staff of trained aides.
Regards,
K
To Miss K and Dr. LAO Mong Hay,
Beautiful writings, bravo! They should be nominated for either Nobel Peace Prize or Hollywood's next Academy selection. I have the feelings that you'll win something for sure. But Cambodia and the Khmer race will lose unfortunately.
My dear friends, my most sincere advice to you is this: Tic toc, tic toc, tic toc, tic toc, tic toc... The clock is ticking and ti's ticking fast towards the full implementation of Ho Chi Minh's strategy of annexing Cambodia and Laos as second and third Vietnamese states respectively in order to fulfil his expansionist dream of forming the so-called "Indochinese Federation". Laos is definitely gone. Cambodia will be gone before 2015, and you are still talking about Cambodia's ancient history. Therefore, let me kneel down from a distance and beg both of you to please go and join the Discovery Channel research team and do your studies about, firstly, how many vulcanic eruptions did it take before the Dangrek mountainous chain emerged, and secondly, how did the Khmer-Mon race evolve in South-east Asia since time immemorial up until now. This kind of knowledge is so necessary and so important to us, because without it, we cannot start taling about what we want to talk about right now.
Oh God! Please help Buddha not to seek only his own fulfilment and leave behind billions of souls to suffer without any hope of deliverance!
How come both of you have this kind of perception about solving Cambodia's currently critical problems? I don't understand you at all. So I would like to excuse myself from this forum. Bye!
Mr. Kong Hean,
I'm very sad to lose you in this important search for solutions to problems Miss K. has raised.
Can we not agree to disagree?
Miss K.,
How would you go about getting the Khmer people to exercise their power? You'd probably need an organisation. How to use that power for their benefit? You'd probably need an organisation. You'd probably need organised groupments and institutions. These can be political parties and state institutions that are known under different names these days.
I agree entirely with the rest of your answer/solution to this particular problem. At the moment our constitution has already determined some of the points you have mentioned such as the parliamentary supervision of government policies and actions. Every week there should be one day reserved for questions and answers, but MPs have so far not enforced this constitutional provision. The opposition has raised this issue but they are drowned by the majority which belonged to the ruling party, and MPs of this party do not want to change the practice. In fact, that omission is unconstitutional. But who can officially declare that it is unconstitutional when the Constitutional Council is controlled by the same party, and the King has not nominated members according to the constitution and these members are not well qualified for the job to challenge the majority that are from the ruling party?
MPs from the ruling party have more resources and, like it or not, they are more closer to their constituents. They also have resources to help them. Good for them!
MPs from the opposition are not well qualified to serve. I'm not so sure they know the functioning of and the decision-making process in each government department. How could they control or supervise the executive without such a detailed practical knowledge? They need to make more efforts to get that knowledge. Anyway, many of the tasks of the government are well beyond them.
Each MPs are given resources to employ aides, but these aides are not so qualified either. Nepotism is a contributing factor.
I stop at this point and will continue at another time.
You're on the right tract. Please continue to write, to raise issues, to find solutions to them. I'll contribute to your endeavours.
Compile your writings. One day I will see them in a book form. Who knows?
LAO Mong Hay, Hong Kong
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