Oknha Kith Meng made four proposals during the Asean Summit

Oknha Kith Meng (back row, right) and other business leaders posed with the presidents and prime ministers of the Asean countries (front row).

Koh Santepheap newspaper
3rd March, 2009
Reported in English by Khmerization

The 14th Asean Summit began on 28th February in Hua Hin, Thailand. While political and security agenda have been the main focus of the summit, economic and trade issues have been very vital for the survival of the grouping as a force to be reckoned with. This is evidenced with the appeals of some member countries which called for an EU-style grouping.

Thailand, the host of the summit, wants to focus mainly on the strategy to tackle business and the global financial crisis that is affecting all member countries.

As a result, private business leaders have been invited from each of the 10 Asean countries, with Cambodia sending Oknha Kith Meng, Chairman of the Royal Group of Companies and president of the Cambodian Chambers of Commerce, as its representative.

Oknha Kith Meng has a vision for a long-term economic success of the grouping. To withstand the present global economic meltdown, building infrastructure, economic cooperation and, to a certain extent, economic integration must be focused, he envisaged.

On behalf of the Cambodian business community, Oknha Kith Meng had put forward four proposals as the keys to Asean's success:

1. Propose that all Asean countries form mixed multi-national companies so that trade activities will be inter-linked which will provide mutual benefits to all Asean countries.

2. All members of Asean must build transport infrastructures to increase efficiency of trade activities.

3. Asean as a group must create an "Asean Monetary Fund" so that local as well as international companies can benefit from the fund.

4. All products produced in Asean countries must bear Asean logo.

Oknha Kith Meng believes that the four proposals put forward above are the key responses to withstand global financial and economic crisis as well as increasing effectiveness and efficiency of all businesses in the Asean countries.