Written by DAP NEWS
Phnom Penh Municipal Police on Tuesday reacted strongly to criticism from the political opposition and NGOs. The claims that recent crimes in Phnom Penh were caused by police neglect and corruption are unjustified, police sources said.
Police claimed that a recent spate of armed robberies, car and motorbike jackings, murders, bag snatchings, muggings, assaults, sneak thievery and burglaries in Phnom is not caused by corruption and lax weapons controls, as some allege.
Khieu Sopheak, Interior Ministry spokesman, on Tuesday told DAP News Cambodia that Phnom Penh’s police are making efforts to ensure order and safety and curb crime.
“We prepared to place weapons checkpoints very often,” Khieu Sopheak said. “However, we admit that crimes do take place, but we are making every effort to control these cases.” Khieu Sopheak also appealed for local citizen’s cooperation. he reiterate that “No country is without any crimes taking place at all.”
“Low crime does not mean no crime,” Khieu Sopheak said, “We cannot fulfill people’s desire, but so far we are doing our best to control crimes happening.”
Phnom Penh Police Commissioner Touch Naroth (pictured) on Tuesday told DAP News Cambodia that “it is usual that crimes take place in our society, but we are still making efforts to control and curb these crimes.”
“So far, we can determine and make clear for offenders who committed the crimes. If we neglect for just minutes, it will take place once, and recently the crimes were perpetrated on women who cannot fight back.”
Touch Naroth claimed crimes are actually decreasing year-on-year.
Yim Sovann, Sam Rainsy Party’s (SRP) spokesman, on Tuesday said that crime and corruption are closely related.
“The crimes took place for three reasons. Firstly, it is corruption. Secondly, it is a court system which releases criminals by paying money. Lastly, it is poverty and unemployment which drives those people to commit crimes,” he explained.
“To reduce and eliminate these crimes, the court system must be prepared properly,” he added.
Ou Virak, Cambodian Human Right Center director, had similar views.
“These happen as weapons controls have not been done properly,” said Ou Virak. “In Phnom Penh, a black market has sold outlawed weapons.”
Touch Naroth said such criticism was opposition party officials who “never have good views and images of the government.”
“If they know so clearly about crime, they should cooperate with the police,” Touch Naroth advised.
Phnom Penh Municipal Police on Tuesday reacted strongly to criticism from the political opposition and NGOs. The claims that recent crimes in Phnom Penh were caused by police neglect and corruption are unjustified, police sources said.
Police claimed that a recent spate of armed robberies, car and motorbike jackings, murders, bag snatchings, muggings, assaults, sneak thievery and burglaries in Phnom is not caused by corruption and lax weapons controls, as some allege.
Khieu Sopheak, Interior Ministry spokesman, on Tuesday told DAP News Cambodia that Phnom Penh’s police are making efforts to ensure order and safety and curb crime.
“We prepared to place weapons checkpoints very often,” Khieu Sopheak said. “However, we admit that crimes do take place, but we are making every effort to control these cases.” Khieu Sopheak also appealed for local citizen’s cooperation. he reiterate that “No country is without any crimes taking place at all.”
“Low crime does not mean no crime,” Khieu Sopheak said, “We cannot fulfill people’s desire, but so far we are doing our best to control crimes happening.”
Phnom Penh Police Commissioner Touch Naroth (pictured) on Tuesday told DAP News Cambodia that “it is usual that crimes take place in our society, but we are still making efforts to control and curb these crimes.”
“So far, we can determine and make clear for offenders who committed the crimes. If we neglect for just minutes, it will take place once, and recently the crimes were perpetrated on women who cannot fight back.”
Touch Naroth claimed crimes are actually decreasing year-on-year.
Yim Sovann, Sam Rainsy Party’s (SRP) spokesman, on Tuesday said that crime and corruption are closely related.
“The crimes took place for three reasons. Firstly, it is corruption. Secondly, it is a court system which releases criminals by paying money. Lastly, it is poverty and unemployment which drives those people to commit crimes,” he explained.
“To reduce and eliminate these crimes, the court system must be prepared properly,” he added.
Ou Virak, Cambodian Human Right Center director, had similar views.
“These happen as weapons controls have not been done properly,” said Ou Virak. “In Phnom Penh, a black market has sold outlawed weapons.”
Touch Naroth said such criticism was opposition party officials who “never have good views and images of the government.”
“If they know so clearly about crime, they should cooperate with the police,” Touch Naroth advised.
2 comments:
The police in Cambodia are nothing more than a criminal organization licensed by the government to extort money from the population.
I've never seen the police 'investigate' a crime. They either stop innocent people who are easy prey to extort money from or they wait until someone needs an 'official' decision at which point the police are able to extort yet more money.
Most Cambodians when confronted by a legal problem choose the police as a last resort as they know it will cost them money they can not afford to spend, and nothing will actually be done, particularly if stolen property is involved. If by some chance the police recover stolen property, then you'll have to pay to get it back aswell.
The police also stop working at 5 every evening. After that it is free for anyone to commit crime. It is amazing that crime rates are not higher than they are.
So, rates of crime cannot be going down. Most Cambodians don't report crime as they know it will be a waste of their time and money to involve the police. It can take hours just to find the right person to talk to. And forget it if the crime happens near lunchtime or dinnertime.
Such a situation may, therefore, give the police the impression that crime is going down. In reality, people are just realizing that the police are useless and dealing with problems in their own way.
The police are affiliated with the government party. Therefore, you can't trust their decisions to be fair.
Ultimately, if you want your house to be secure, you have to pay a private security company to do it.
This is one reason why Cambodians don't 'follow' the law. They see it as an obstacle put in the way by the police and their supporters to extract money from the population. If the police behaved like police and actually served and protected the people, then people might start to see the laws as important to a safe and secure society.
You are right. I agree with you.
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