Vong Sokheng
Photo by: Pha Lina
Prime Minister Hun Sen speaks yesterday during a ground-breaking ceremony for the Cambodian-Chinese friendship bridge, which will span the Tonle Sap river in Phnom Penh.
Prime Minister Hun Sen yesterday added his two cents to the ongoing debate on what Cambodia’s debt to China actually is, declaring it stands at only US$2 billion.
At a ground-breaking ceremony marking the beginning of construction on Phnom Penh’s Cambodia-China Friendship Bridge, the premier rejected estimates he claimed unspecified opposition parties had made that the debt stood at $6 billion.
The premier’s $2 billion figure included a $500 million loan he recently secured during a 10-day visit to the burgeoning superpower.
“I met with Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao and had a fruitful negotiation, and I requested to the premier to help support the 2012 budget for seven projects which [total] approximately US$500 million,” he said.
“We need [to borrow] US$500 million per year from China to support a secure budget, and there is no country in the world that does not owe debt,” he added.
Last month, senior ruling party lawmaker Cheam Yeap said Cambodia owed China about $4 billion out of a total $7 billion the Kingdom owes in total foreign debt.
Sam Rainsy Party spokesman Yim Sovann said yesterday he thought that figure was closer to the mark but cautioned it was unreliable because the government provides scant information about state finances.
He said instead of endlessly borrowing money from foreign countries, the government should try and eliminate widespread corruption in the collection of taxation.
“If you look at the tax collection rate as a percentage of GDP, it’s about 12 percent, and if you look at our neighbouring countries [Vietnam and Thailand], it’s about 20 percent,” he said.
“[Value Added Tax] is very high, 10 percent in Cambodia. In Thailand, it’s only 7 percent, in Vietnam, only 7 percent, but the tax collection [in Cambodia] is very low, that means corruption.”
Hun Sen also took yesterday’s media opportunity to blast comparisons made between him and deposed Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi – which have appeared as cartoons on the opposition-affiliated news blog KI-Media.
“Do not consider Hun Sen will have the same fate as Gaddafi,” he warned, after wishing a safe re-entry to the unmanned Chinese spacecraft Shenzhou-8, which blasted off on November 1.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY DAVID BOYLE
4 comments:
I guess that figure is lower supposed to make Cambodian children happier? What a moron. You put our children in debts yet you got the nerve to feel good about it. You selling your soul to the devil.
Stop borrowing the money from China, Ah Stupid and Dumb idiot, Hun Sen. This idiot has a small brain and does not know how to improve the Khmer Kingdom within 30 years. This stupid idiot took the money for his selfish and ugly family members who are crooks.
Ah coward Decho Hun Sen, Mr Sam Rainsy asks you to sue him at France court about you murdered Khmer people. Why don't you dare to do it as you have done at Cambodia court?
Being a strong man as well as Prime Minister of one country, you should not be coward to face the real justice at France court or International court. Unless, you are the real murderer in Cambodia that is the reason why you fear of Mr Sam Rainsy at real and fair justice court.
Decho Hun Sen rubbed Cambodian people well being, health care, dignity and sell Cambodia out to Vietnam in cheap price as long as he can stay in power. Isn't true Samdach Decho Hun Sen?
How many Cambodian people lives have you killed in your life so far? Can you being honest telling the true?
As one Prime Minister of one country his job is bully his own people from talking about Paris Peace agreement 1991 and Vietnam take Cambodia area. Why?
Samdach Decho Hun Sen Why does you so scare of the truth? Why do you so scare of Mr Sam Rainsy when he asks you to sue him at France court? You are strong man as you claim in TV screen.
Samdach Decho Hun Sen shouldn't scare of Mr Sam Rainsy because Mr Sam Rainsy has no weapon mass destruction as you do. You are the murderer; you must be strong in facing with Mr Sam Rainsy at France court as Mr Sam Rainsy invited you to do so.
Samdach Decho billion dollars Hun Sen, PLease face Mr Sam Rainsy as Mr Sam Rainsy invited you through the world media. You used to win on Mr Sam Rainsy many times in Cambodia court of justice. There is no reason why you should be worry about...if you have never killed anyone in Cambodia. Isn’t it Decho Sen?
Cambodian people hope to see Samdach Decho Hun Sen will has gut as a leader or a man to sue Mr Sam Rainsy at France court as Mr Sam Rainsy invited Samdach decho many times through Radio and world media.
Be a man Decho Sen! One in your life be a man Decho Sen! Be a man to face Mr Sam Rainsy at France court and international court.
We are personal bodyguards of Samdach Decho would like to see Decho Hun Sen be a man with Mr Sam Rainsy at France Court. Otherwise, Samdach Decho is not worthy to protect because why do we have to die for protecting a traitor, a murderer, a blood sucker. Isn’t it true Samdach Decho Hun Sen? Do you agree with that?
Ah coward Decho Hun Sen, Mr Sam Rainsy asks you to sue him at France court about you murdered Khmer people. Why don't you dare to do it as you have done at Cambodia court?
Being a strong man as well as Prime Minister of one country, you should not be coward to face the real justice at France court or International court. Unless, you are the real murderer in Cambodia that is the reason why you fear of Mr Sam Rainsy at real and fair justice court.
Decho Hun Sen rubbed Cambodian people well being, health care, dignity and sell Cambodia out to Vietnam in cheap price as long as he can stay in power. Isn't true Samdach Decho Hun Sen?
How many Cambodian people lives have you killed in your life so far? Can you being honest telling the true?
As one Prime Minister of one country his job is bully his own people from talking about Paris Peace agreement 1991 and Vietnam take Cambodia area. Why?
Samdach Decho Hun Sen Why does you so scare of the truth? Why do you so scare of Mr Sam Rainsy when he asks you to sue him at France court? You are strong man as you claim in TV screen.
Samdach Decho Hun Sen shouldn't scare of Mr Sam Rainsy because Mr Sam Rainsy has no weapon mass destruction as you do. You are the murderer; you must be strong in facing with Mr Sam Rainsy at France court as Mr Sam Rainsy invited you to do so.
Samdach Decho billion dollars Hun Sen, PLease face Mr Sam Rainsy as Mr Sam Rainsy invited you through the world media. You used to win on Mr Sam Rainsy many times in Cambodia court of justice. There is no reason why you should be worry about...if you have never killed anyone in Cambodia. Isn’t it Decho Sen?
Cambodian people hope to see Samdach Decho Hun Sen will has gut as a leader or a man to sue Mr Sam Rainsy at France court as Mr Sam Rainsy invited Samdach decho many times through Radio and world media.
Be a man Decho Sen! One in your life be a man Decho Sen! Be a man to face Mr Sam Rainsy at France court and international court.
We are personal bodyguards of Samdach Decho would like to see Decho Hun Sen be a man with Mr Sam Rainsy at France Court. Otherwise, Samdach Decho is not worthy to protect because why do we have to die for protecting a traitor, a murderer, a blood sucker. Isn’t it true Samdach Decho Hun Sen? Do you agree with that?
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