By Khmerization
Source: everyday.com
Opposition parties as well as civil society have expressed their concerns about Prime Minister Hun Sen's "army-private sector partnerships" initiative in which private businesses fund and financially support a particular army unit, reports everyday.com.
Last week, Prime Minister Hun Sen announced a new programme in which businesses will partner with units of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) to provide charitable support.
Civil society and opposition parties said the partnerships will give private companies uncontrolled powers to use the army to advance their interests and to conduct illegal businesses. "It should not be done like this because foreign companies will feel afraid that they are involved in (Cambodian) politics. It is not a problem for local businesses because they have done this in the past and got benefits in return from the government", said Mr. Son Chhay (pictured), MP from the opposition Sam Rainsy Party.
Mr. Son Chhay said that the government should not depend on private funding of the army, it instead should concentrate on tax collections from private businesses to fund the army. "The army should not depends on the private sectors. The government should strengthen its tax collections and use these money by itself is a better option", he added.
Mr. Ny Chakriya, investigator for the human rights group Adhoc, said the army-private sector partnerships will help lift the morale of the army, but he is concerned that some dodgy and rogue private companies will use this opportunity to conduct illegal businesses. He stresses that the government should closely monitor some dishonest businesses who work with the army to conduct various (illegal) activities.
Nick Owen, a Cambodia specialist at the Economist Intelligence Unit, noted that even if the programme is ostensibly voluntary, companies may feel compelled to participate, fearing unfavourable treatment by the government if they do not. The companies, in turn, may feel entitled to enlist military forces to pursue their own projects.
“There may be a feeling on the part of those companies that if they’re donating to the military, they may expect services in return,” Owen said.
Government officials rejected these criticism. Phay Siphan, spokesman for the Council of Ministers, called Mr. Hun Sen's initiatives as a "culture of sharing". He said the companies’ support would likely come in the form of food, shelter and support for military families.
However, he admitted that receiving a financial supports from private sources also pose a problem. “When the military starts receiving revenues from sources that aren’t under the government’s complete control, you do get these issues of transparency,” he said.
“We call it generosity,” Phay Siphan said.
Source: everyday.com
Opposition parties as well as civil society have expressed their concerns about Prime Minister Hun Sen's "army-private sector partnerships" initiative in which private businesses fund and financially support a particular army unit, reports everyday.com.
Last week, Prime Minister Hun Sen announced a new programme in which businesses will partner with units of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) to provide charitable support.
Civil society and opposition parties said the partnerships will give private companies uncontrolled powers to use the army to advance their interests and to conduct illegal businesses. "It should not be done like this because foreign companies will feel afraid that they are involved in (Cambodian) politics. It is not a problem for local businesses because they have done this in the past and got benefits in return from the government", said Mr. Son Chhay (pictured), MP from the opposition Sam Rainsy Party.
Mr. Son Chhay said that the government should not depend on private funding of the army, it instead should concentrate on tax collections from private businesses to fund the army. "The army should not depends on the private sectors. The government should strengthen its tax collections and use these money by itself is a better option", he added.
Mr. Ny Chakriya, investigator for the human rights group Adhoc, said the army-private sector partnerships will help lift the morale of the army, but he is concerned that some dodgy and rogue private companies will use this opportunity to conduct illegal businesses. He stresses that the government should closely monitor some dishonest businesses who work with the army to conduct various (illegal) activities.
Nick Owen, a Cambodia specialist at the Economist Intelligence Unit, noted that even if the programme is ostensibly voluntary, companies may feel compelled to participate, fearing unfavourable treatment by the government if they do not. The companies, in turn, may feel entitled to enlist military forces to pursue their own projects.
“There may be a feeling on the part of those companies that if they’re donating to the military, they may expect services in return,” Owen said.
Government officials rejected these criticism. Phay Siphan, spokesman for the Council of Ministers, called Mr. Hun Sen's initiatives as a "culture of sharing". He said the companies’ support would likely come in the form of food, shelter and support for military families.
However, he admitted that receiving a financial supports from private sources also pose a problem. “When the military starts receiving revenues from sources that aren’t under the government’s complete control, you do get these issues of transparency,” he said.
“We call it generosity,” Phay Siphan said.
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