Friday, 29 January 2016

Effects of Chinese slowdown on Cambodian real estate not all bad

While the future is uncertain, local experts believe current construction business will be as usual. Pha Lina

PPP 28 Jan, 2016 Siv Meng

Cambodian experts still find myriads of reasons for and against the impacts that China’s slower-than-anticipated economic growth could have on the Cambodian real estate market while the overall results remain obscure.

Ann Sothida, deputy director of CBRE Cambodia, who has worked with many Chinese investors, told Post Property on Tuesday that backlashes to the local real estate industry would be minimal – under the condition things do not get worse in China.

“I have asked the Chinese investors about this matter and they told me that they would not postpone their construction projects [in Cambodia]. Yet, they would delay the projects if ongoing construction projects in China would demand extra efforts,” she said.

However, she added that those looking to invest overseas from the Chinese mainland may become hesitant until the storm calms.

“When there is a problem in [China], [the investor] would consider putting off the investment in foreign countries,” she said.

Echoing Sothida, Touch Samnang, project manager of OCIC, said that for the Chinese-dominated Diamond Island, “no projects are on hold” and it is “business as usual.”

However, he did note that sales had recently dipped.

“I heard about the economic crisis in China, but I don’t have any details of it,” he said.

Okvau gold deposit could have a fat cousin

PPP 28 Jan, 2016 Cam McGrath

Australian mining firm Renaissance Minerals has identified an anomaly during geophysical surveys of its Samnang prospect in northeastern Cambodia that hints at a possible large-scale gold deposit, the company said in an ASX announcement yesterday.

Surveys conducted using 3D induced polarisation on its Okvau tenement in Mondulkiri province identified a high concentration of chargeable material, indicating a substantial body of sulphides along a 500-metre strike zone, it said.

Earlier shallow test drilling at the upper margins of the anomaly showed “highly encouraging” results, with gold concentrations of up to 6.6 grams per tonne.

Taken on their own, the limited survey results are highly speculative. But the anomaly lies within half a kilometre of Renaissance’s Okvau deposit, where extensive survey has defined a 1.13-million ounce gold resource.

If the Samnang prospect is an extension of the structures that define the Okvau deposit, Renaissance could be looking at a valuable piece of real estate.

“The IP anomaly identified at Samnang is analogous with a chargeable anomaly associated with the mineralisation at the Okvau deposit, although appears to be more extensive,” the company said of the survey data.

Justin Tremain, Renaissance’s managing director, said shallow test drilling of the Samnang prospect conducted several years ago returned “mixed results”. The new 3D induced polarisation survey gives a clearer picture of the geology, particularly at depth.

“The chargeable anomaly identified by the geophysical survey is encouraging as it indicates the presence of sulphides, which can have gold mineralisation associated with them,” he said.

Tremain said that further test drilling would be needed to determine the potential gold resource, but the latest findings have given room for optimism.

“Given that we now have a higher level of confidence in the prospect having significant sulphide mineralisation and we have had some encouraging, albeit mixed, results from previous shallow [less than 100 metres] drilling, we are encouraged by the potential the prospect has,” he said.

ASX-listed Renaissance raised $1.7 million in an equity placement last August to fund exploration aimed at growing out the resource of its Okvau deposit.

The company’s scoping study estimates that the project’s mineral resource is sufficient to support annual production of 93,000 ounces of gold over an approximately eight year mine life.

Mining site accident kills one, injures one in Mondulkiri

A survivor of a mine collapse in Mondulkiri receives treatment yesterday. Photo supplied

28 Jan, 2016 Phak Seangly

An accident at a Mondulkiri mine that only last year obtained one of the Kingdom’s first community mining licences has left one man dead and another seriously injured.

According to a Mines and Energy Ministry spokesman, a pulley rope hauling a bucket of debris up an 8-metre mineshaft snapped yesterday, dropping its load on Lim San, 21, and En Nay, 31, killing San. Both hail from Tbong Khmum province.

The shaft, located in Poutong village in the Prey Meas forest, is owned by Lim San’s uncle, Heng Sambath, 41.

“The dead victim is my nephew who lived with me since he was young. I am very sorry for the incident since he is my own nephew,” Sambath said.

For many years, the shaft, along with many like it in the area, operated illegally. Last year, the Ministry of Mines and Energy advised the miners to apply for a community mining licence.

Ministry spokesman Meng Saktheara said that, based on preliminary reports, it appears the accident was the result of negligence on the part of Sambath.

Saktheara explained that safety regulations demand that the digging and transportation of material take place in separate locations. Sambath’s shaft, he said, had both activities taking place on the same spot.

“The big mistake is that the digging and transporting site is the same; they should not be with each other like that. Therefore, it caused death,” he said.

Ex-officer testifies on navy activities at sea

People follow proceedings at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia during Case 002/02 earlier this month. ECCC

PPP 28 Jan, 2016 Igor Kossov

Former Khmer Rouge military officer Prum Sarat yesterday described confrontations with Vietnamese forces in Cambodian waters, which led to the detention of Vietnamese civilians.

Sarat, who commanded a naval vessel with 38 crew members under Case 003 suspect Meas Muth’s Division 164, said that he wasn’t aware of any Vietnamese civilians living on islands disputed between Vietnam and Cambodia. But he did see what appeared to be captured civilians while docking at one of the islands.

“I did not witness the arrest but witnessed Vietnamese sitting there . . . There were five or six of them,” he said. “Their hands were not tied up because they could use their hands to eat rice.”

He said that while his boat was too large to capture Vietnamese vessels, two smaller Khmer Rouge boats had that assignment.

“Both units were in charge of capturing Vietnamese fishermen and seizing boats,” he said. “My unit had no directive to seize boats – if we fired, we had to sink them straight away.”

According to Sarat, the territorial waters of Democratic Kampuchea were a “hot battlefield”, with both sides taking prisoners. He said that in early 1975, Vietnamese forces captured several dozen Khmer Rouge troops by cutting them off from their supply lines. These POWs were returned to Cambodia in 1977.

When asked about the shift in policy that led to Vietnam being painted as enemies, Sarat said “the upper level trained us to distinguish enemies inside and outside [Cambodia]. The outside first enemy was the yuon and the second enemy was within the ranks, those considered traitors.”

Prosecutor Vincent de Wilde consistently pressed Sarat on his personal involvement in arrests of Vietnamese at sea, but Sarat denied receiving orders to hunt Vietnamese armed forces or civilians during his naval command, saying only that soldiers and sailors were instructed to be “vigilant” and “ready to fight”.

The alleged genocide of the Vietnamese is one of the main charges in the current Case 002/02 against ex-regime leaders Nuon Chea and Khieu Samphan.

Hospital excursions frequent for Sok Bun

Real estate tycoon Sok Bun poses next to a model of a planned development last year. Photo supplied

PPP 28 Jan, 2016 Niem Chheng

Sok Bun, the real estate tycoon jailed after being caught on camera viciously beating former TV presenter Ek Socheata in July, has been receiving medical care outside of prison for a variety of ailments.

According to Dr Chhoeung Yav Yen, deputy director of the Khmer-Soviet Friendship Hospital, the tycoon has been receiving treatment at his hospital on and off over the past three months. Bun applied for a medical transfer in December.

Yen said yesterday that along with suffering from stress, the accused tycoon “could not sleep”, had “fat around his liver” and a cyst.

“[Bun] has gained weight. This morning when we gave him a check up, he had a heart problem. And he suffers when the weather is cold,” added the doctor.

Yen would not say how long Bun had spent in the hospital during his visits.

“Some diseases need long treatment, some only a short time. Our team just performs according to our technical expertise,” he said. “We are not involved with his court case.”

Nuth Savana, spokesman for the General Prison Department, confirmed that Bun was leaving prison for care, though did not know how often.

“When the doctors at the prison can’t treat a prisoner, according to law they may get treatment outside by getting permission from prosecutors and . . . the Prison Department,” said Savana.

Legal expert Sok Sam Oeun said that legally, a transfer such as Bun’s could only take place if the prisoner was suffering from serious or life-threatening injuries. “There must be a good reason,” he said.

HRW slams NGO Law, court cases in report

PPP 28 Jan, 2016 Stuart White

In what has become a yearly tradition, Human Rights Watch levelled a broadside of criticisms at the Cambodian government yesterday, accusing it in its annual report of enacting “draconian” legislation and granting itself broad “arbitrary powers” to suppress dissent.

The global report’s Cambodia section details a litany of alleged abuses including, among other things, the suppression of civil society, the jailing of more than a dozen opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party activists, the mob bashing of two CNRP lawmakers and the pursuit of politically motivated court cases against party members, including leader Sam Rainsy.

“Prime Minister Hun Sen’s government launched new assaults on human rights in Cambodia” in 2015, the reportreads, before going on to accuse Hun Sen personally of “increasingly undermin[ing] human rights”.

The government’s controversial NGO Law received particular attention in the report, which characterised it as giving authorities broad powers to “arbitrarily deny NGOs registration and shut them down”.

“The law is aimed at critical voices in civil society . . . Its restrictions on the right to freedom of expression go well beyond the permissible limitations allowed by international human rights law,” it reads.

Also mentioned was a telecommunications law pushed through the National Assembly that, according to the report, “gives government arbitrary powers” to secretly monitor telecommunications.

The report also spends considerable time outlining government non-cooperation in the Khmer Rouge tribunal’s Cases 003 and 004, and the government’s repeated detention of “undesirables” at Phnom Penh’s notorious Prey Speu social affairs centre.

CNRP spokesman Yim Sovann yesterday said that the report “reflects the reality in Cambodian society”, and added that his party would take steps to curtail restrictive legislation once it had “enough power”.

The report comes just over a year after 30 Years of Hun Sen, a HRW report that detailed decades’ worth of allegations of abuses against the premier.

“Instead of devoting his time as prime minister to equitably improving the health, education, and standard of living of the Cambodian people, Hun Sen has been linked to a wide range of serious human rights violations,” that report reads.

Spokespeople for the government could not be reached to respond to the accusations yesterday, however the prime minister himself has in the past accused HRW Asia director Brad Adams of being biased against him.

Thursday, 28 January 2016

ប្រធានគណបក្សកុម្មុយនិស្តវៀតណាមឈ្នះអាសនៈក្នុងគណៈកម្មាធិការសំខាន់បានយ៉ាងងាយស្រួល

School of Vice: Despite its strictly centralised national leadership style, Vietnam's Communist Party sees the benefit and necessity in reshuffling its talents and resources among the party's highest ruling leadership and decision-making echelons from time to time; a reflection of the old Soviet type of observing the moods, factions and consensus within the party. Yet, it is unclear how much of actual 'democratic' change is allowed - if at all - as a result of this kind of exercise and formality which could simply be a means by which the party hopes to freshen up its image and rid itself of 'unhealthy' elements within its powerful organs; or simply a means by which the old guards consolidate themselves in power within the party .

Certainly, there appears to be in place a distinct collective leadership structure and consensus at the heart of this party which implies that national policies and decisions will have been arrived at following a due process of reflection and discussion among its central committees and organs, rather than being a feature of the diktats and whims of the "Strongman" with hundreds of hand-picked sycophantic "advisers" to tell him what to do; the kind of situation facing Cambodia at present time, notwithstanding her constitutional pretensions to multi-party democracy and the like.

27 មករា 2016 voa

លោក Nguyen Phu Trong ប្រធានគណបក្សកុម្មុយនិស្តវៀតណាម នៅក្នុងការបោះឆ្នោតប្រធានគណៈកម្មាធិការកណ្តាល នៅថ្ងៃទី២៦ ខែមករា ឆ្នាំ២០១៦។

កាលពីថ្ងៃអង្គារ អគ្គលេខាធិការគណបក្សកុម្មុយនិស្តវៀតណាមបានឈ្នះឆ្នោតទទួលកៅអីមួយនៅក្នុងគណៈកម្មាធិការសំខាន់មួយ ដែលជាជំហានទីមួយឆ្ពោះទៅកាន់ការរក្សាទុកតំណែងលោកជាប្រធាននៃក្រុមមេដឹកនាំជាសមូហភាពនៃប្រទេសវៀតណាម។

ក្រុមប្រតិភូមួយចំនួនបាននិយាយថា អគ្គលេខាធិការគណបក្សលោក Nguyen Phu Trong បានទទួលសំឡេងគាំទ្រជាង៨០ភាគរយពីក្រុមប្រតិភូនៅក្នុងសមាជគណបក្សដើម្បីឱ្យបានជាប់ឆ្នោតនៅក្នុងគណៈកម្មាធិការកណ្តាលគណបក្សដែលជាសរសរមួយក្នុងបណ្តាសរសរស្តម្ភពីរនៃគណបក្សគ្រប់គ្រងប្រទេស។

នៅពេលនេះគេរំពឹងថា លោកនឹងជាប់ឆ្នោតនៅក្នុងការិយាល័យនយោបាយថ្មីរបស់គណបក្ស ដែលត្រូវបានចាត់ទុកថាគ្រាន់តែជាការបង្គ្រប់កិច្ចនៅក្នុងអន្តរកាលអំណាចត្រូវសម្របសម្រួលដែលកើតមានឡើងរៀងរាល់ប្រាំឆ្នាំម្តង។

រដ្ឋធម្មនុញ្ញនៃប្រទេសវៀតណាមផ្តល់សិទ្ធិឱ្យគណបក្សកុម្មុយនិស្តគ្រប់គ្រងប្រទេសហើយប្រជារាស្ត្រនៃប្រទេសវៀតណាម៩៣លាននាក់គ្មានមុខនាទីដោយផ្ទាល់ក្នុងការបោះឆ្នោតជ្រើសរើសពួកមេដឹកនាំគណបក្សទេ។

ការបោះឆ្នោតជ្រើសតាំងលោក Trong មិនមែនគ្មានបញ្ហាទេ។ លោកបានប្រឈមមុខនឹងការប្រកួតប្រជែងក្នុងរយៈពេលខ្លីមួយពីសំណាក់នាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រី Nguyen Tan Dung ដែលជាអ្នកកាន់តំណែងទីពីរបន្ទាប់ពីលោកដែលមានមហិច្ឆតាសម្រាប់តំណែងកំពូលនេះ។

Long-awaited Hun Sen Boulevard slated for completion in mid-2016

Drainage piping along Road 371. Hong Menea

PPP 28 Jan, 2016 Siv Meng

The much-anticipated Hun Sen Boulevard – which will be the largest road in Phnom Penh once completed – is to be finished in the middle of this year, said Meas Virya, head of ING Holdings technical department.

The 60-metre wide road will be accompanied by a 15-metre wide curbside. The total length of 9 kilometres will run from the north to the south of Phnom Penh starting from the intersection of Kbal Tnal and Prek Kompeus commune in Dangkor district, he said.

While Virya said that the company is still negotiating a settlement with about 60 families who are affected by the construction project, the majority of the residents have already agreed on the proposed compensation.

The road also stretches over areas Boeung Tompun and Boeung Choeung Ek, as well as part of Kandal province. Another road that runs through from the Kandal provincial office to the Cambodia Beer Khmer Brewery is also 20 per cent completed, said Virya.

In addition to the Hun Sen Boulevard, the half-completed 2.14 kilometre Oknha Hun Neang Boulevard will run from the east to the west of Phnom Penh, stretching from Chak Angre Krom to Road 371.

Hun Sen Boulevard is essential to the infrastructural development of the city, said City Hall spokesperson Long Dimanche, as it is the main link from Phnom Penh’s centre to the south of the city, which will significantly cut down on traffic congestion along National Road 2.

Malaria money available as Global Fund dispute ends

A young boy sleeps under a mosquito net in Phnom Penh late last year. In December, an agreement was struck that will see Cambodia gain access to millions of dollars of aid to combat malaria. Pha Lina

PPP 28 Jan, 2016 Charles Rollet and Alessandro Marazzi Sassoon

Cambodia can now access millions of dollars in aid money to fight malaria after a months-long dispute with the Global Fund over travel expenses was resolved, with the fund ultimately giving up on its demand that officials submit receipts.

Last October, the Post reported that the National Malaria Centre (CNM) was refusing to sign a $12 million Global Fund grant it could have accessed since July because it declined to provide detailed travel expenses, while a $9 million grant from August 2014 was almost untouched.

The news came amidst fears that potentially drug-resistant malaria strains were developing in the Kingdom.

The impasse ended in December, according to Dr Luciano Tuseo, head of the WHO’s malaria programme in Cambodia. However, details on the agreement itself were scant.

But in an interview with the Post yesterday, Ieng Mouly, chairman of the country coordinating committee of the Global Fund for Cambodia and the National Aids Authority, said the agreement included a range of financial requirements – except receipts.

“For the national programmes, to not complicate things, we asked the Global Fund to follow the same procedures as government trips to the field. These government missions require no receipts,” he said.

Mouly said Cambodian officials did not want to provide receipts because of the difficulty of obtaining them in remote corners of Cambodia.

Police deny shooting at Veng Sreng

Thu, 28 January 2016 ppp

Mech Dara

Men sit with their hands bound after being arrested by military police for their involvement in deadly clashes on Veng Sreng Boulevard in 2014. RFA

Despite the absence of the defendants and their lawyers, the Appeal Court yesterday heard the case of 13 demonstrators convicted over a violent minimum wage protest on the capital’s Veng Sreng Boulevard in January 2014, where security forces allegedly shot to death at least four people and wounded many others.

Appeal Court judge Chay Chandaravan confirmed the hearing went ahead, though the group, who were released from custody in May 2014, after being handed suspended sentences for intentional violence, were not in attendance.

Instead, police and military officers present at the rally were given the chance to testify against the men, according to Licadho’s Am Sam Ath, who was in the court room.

“Only police and military police testified, putting the blame and responsibility on the workers,” Sam Ath said, adding that the prosecutor also pushed for the conviction to be upheld.

របាយការណ៍៖ កម្ពុជាប្រឈមនឹងការធ្លាក់ទៅក្នុងរបបផ្ដាច់ការ

របាយការណ៍៖ កម្ពុជាប្រឈមនឹងការធ្លាក់ទៅក្នុងរបបផ្ដាច់ការ
ដោយ សាន សែល
2016-01-27

School of Vice: Is Kampuchia not already in the grip of dictatorship/single-party rule?

តំណាងរាស្ត្របក្សសង្គ្រោះជាតិទាំងពីររូប ដែលត្រូវបាតុករមួយក្រុម វាយដំឲ្យរបួស នៅមុខបរិវេណរដ្ឋសភា នៅថ្ងៃទី២៦ ខែតុលា ឆ្នាំ២០១៥។

RFA/Uon Chhin

តំណាងរាស្ត្របក្សសង្គ្រោះជាតិទាំងពីររូប ដែលត្រូវបាតុករមួយក្រុម វាយដំឲ្យរបួស នៅមុខបរិវេណរដ្ឋសភា នៅថ្ងៃទី២៦ ខែតុលា ឆ្នាំ២០១៥។
RFA/Uon Chhin
សន្ទស្សន៍ប្រជាធិបតេយ្យនៃភ្នាក់ងារស៊ើបអង្កេតសេដ្ឋកិច្ច (The Economist Intelligence Unit) ដែលបានចេញផ្សាយនៅខែមករា បង្ហាញថា ប្រទេសកម្ពុជា កំពុងប្រឈមនឹងការធ្លាក់ទៅក្នុងរបបផ្ដាច់ការ។ សន្ទស្សន៍នេះរកឃើញថា ស្ថានភាពប្រជាធិបតេយ្យនៅកម្ពុជា ក្នុងឆ្នាំ២០១៥ ធ្លាក់ចុះ បើប្រៀបធៀបទៅនឹងបណ្ដាឆ្នាំកន្លងទៅ។

ប្រទេសកម្ពុជា ទទួលបានចំណាត់ថ្នាក់ទី១១៣ ក្នុងចំណោម ១៦៧ប្រទេស នៅក្នុងសន្ទស្សន៍ប្រជាធិបតេយ្យរបស់ភ្នាក់ងារស៊ើបអង្កេតសេដ្ឋកិច្ច។ បើប្រៀបធៀបទៅនឹងឆ្នាំ២០១៤ ស្ថានភាពប្រជាធិបតេយ្យនៅឆ្នាំ២០១៥ ថយចុះ។

នៅឆ្នាំ២០១៥ ប្រទេសកម្ពុជា ទទួលបានពិន្ទុសរុបចំនួន ៤,២៧ គឺស្ថិតក្នុងក្រុមប្រទេសរបបកូនកាត់ប្រជាធិបតេយ្យពាក់កណ្ដាល ផ្ដាច់ការពាក់កណ្ដាល។ តាមពិន្ទុនេះ ប្រទេសកម្ពុជា ហៀបនឹងធ្លាក់ចូលទៅក្នុងប្រទេសរបបផ្ដាច់ការ។ នៅឆ្នាំ២០១៤ កម្ពុជានៅចំណាត់ថ្នាក់ទី១០៣។

នាយិកាមជ្ឈមណ្ឌលសិទ្ធិមនុស្សកម្ពុជា (CCHR) អ្នកស្រី ចក់ សុភាព មិនភ្ញាក់ផ្អើលនឹងការរកឃើញនេះទេ។ សកម្មជនសិទ្ធិមនុស្សរូបនេះថ្លែងថា ការអនុម័តច្បាប់ស្ដីពីអង្គការសមាគម ច្បាប់សហជីព និងសេចក្ដីព្រាងច្បាប់ឧក្រិដ្ឋកម្មលើប្រព័ន្ធអ៊ីនធឺណិត រឹតត្បិតសេរីភាពសង្គមស៊ីវិល និងប្រជាពលរដ្ឋដែលគំរាមកំហែងដល់លទ្ធិប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ៖ «»។

កម្ពុជា ថៃ ជួបប្រជុំពង្រឹងកិច្ចសហប្រតិបត្តិការតាមព្រំដែន

កម្ពុជា ថៃ ជួបប្រជុំពង្រឹងកិច្ចសហប្រតិបត្តិការតាមព្រំដែន
Thu, 28 January 2016 ppp
វង្ស សុខេង

ភ្នំពេញៈ មន្ត្រីជាន់ខ្ពស់ក្រសួងការពារជាតិកម្ពុជានឹងចាកចេញទៅកាន់ប្រទេសថៃនៅថ្ងៃព្រហស្បតិ៍នេះដើម្បីទៅចូលរួមក្នុងកិច្ចប្រជុំគណៈកម្មាធិការព្រំដែនទូទៅលើកទី ១១ ដែលមានរយៈពេលបីថ្ងៃក្នុងគោលបំណងដើម្បីពង្រឹងកិច្ចសហប្រតិបត្តិការរវាងប្រទេសទាំងពីរនៅតាមព្រំដែនរួមចម្ងាយប្រហែល ៨០០ គីឡូម៉ែត្រ។

គណៈប្រតិភូនេះដឹកនាំដោយលោកឧត្តមសេនីយ៍ផ្កាយ ៤ នាង ផាត រដ្ឋលេខាធិការក្រសួងការពារជាតិ។ នៅពេលដែលទៅដល់នៅទីក្រុងបាងកកគណៈប្រតិភូនឹងជួបប្រជុំជាមួយនឹងសមភាគីនៃក្រសួងការពារជាតិថៃ។

លោក ឈុំ សុជាតិ អ្នកនាំពាក្យក្រសួងការពារជាតិថ្លែងថាគណៈប្រតិភូនឹងពិភាក្សាគ្នាអំពីឧក្រិដ្ឋកម្មឆ្លងដែនក្នុងនោះរួមមានការរត់ពន្ធគ្រឿងញៀន ការជួញដូរមនុស្ស ការកាប់ឈើខុសច្បាប់ និងការរត់ពន្ធវត្ថុបុរាណ។

ការិយាល័យអង្គការសហប្រជាជាតិស្តីពីគ្រឿងញៀន និងឧក្រិដ្ឋកម្មបានប៉ាន់ប្រមាណថាឧក្រិដ្ឋកម្មឆ្លងដែនបង្កើតប្រាក់យ៉ាងហោចណាស់ ១០០ ពាន់លានដុល្លារក្នុងមួយឆ្នាំនៅតំបន់អាស៊ីអាគ្នេយ៍។ ការជួញដូរមនុស្សគឺជាបញ្ហាធ្ងន់ធ្ងរក្នុងប្រទេសថៃ និងកម្ពុជា។

សមត្ថកិច្ចបន្តបង្ក្រាប បែរជាឈើបន្តឆេះ

សមត្ថកិច្ចបន្តបង្ក្រាប បែរជាឈើបន្តឆេះ
Thu, 28 January 2016 ppp
ផាក់ ស៊ាងលី

ឈើត្រូវគេដុតនៅក្រុមហ៊ុនវៀតណាម ប៊ិញហ្វៀក១ ។ រូបថត សហការី

មណ្ឌលគិរីៈ ខណៈដែលគណៈកម្មការបង្ក្រាបបទល្មើសព្រៃឈើកំពុងតែបន្តប្រតិបត្តិការបង្ក្រាបបទល្មើសនោះបែរជាឈើក្នុងដីសម្បទានសេដ្ឋកិច្ចចំនួនពីរផ្សេងទៀតដែលត្រូវបានរដ្ឋាភិបាលដកហូតអាជ្ញាប័ណ្ណហើយនោះត្រូវបានភ្លើងឆេះជាបន្តបន្ទាប់ហើយត្រូវបានសមត្ថកិច្ចអះអាងថាបណ្តាលមកពីភ្លើងឆេះព្រៃប៉ុន្តែសង្គមស៊ីវិលយល់ឃើញផ្ទុយពីនោះ។

បញ្ហាភ្លើងឆេះឈើជាបន្តបន្ទាប់ក្នុងដីសម្បទានកាលពីសប្តាហ៍មុន និងសប្តាហ៍នេះត្រូវបានលោកឧត្តមសេនីយ៍ វង្ស ពិសេន មេបញ្ជាការរងកងរាជអាវុធហត្ថលើផ្ទៃប្រទេសដឹកនាំកម្លាំងជិះឧទ្ទម្ភាគចក្រទៅមើលក្នុងតំបន់នោះ។ ប៉ុន្តែមិនមានព័ត៌មានណាមួយត្រូវបានគេប្រាប់ឲ្យដឹងនោះទេ។

ខណៈអ្នកដុតបំផ្លាញឈើក្នុងក្រុមហ៊ុនវៀតណាម ប៊ិញហ្វៀក១ មិនទាន់ត្រូវបានរកឃើញនោះស្រាប់តែឈើជាច្រើនគំនរផ្សេងទៀតនៅក្នុងក្រុមហ៊ុន ដាយណាម និងក្រុមហ៊ុន កសិកម្មខ្មែរអង្គរ ត្រូវបានឆេះកាលពីដើមសប្តាហ៍នេះ។

លោក សាក់ សារ៉ាង មេបញ្ជាការកងរាជអាវុធហត្ថខេត្តមណ្ឌលគិរីបានអះអាងថាការឆេះឈើនៅពីរក្រុមហ៊ុនក្រោយនេះបណ្តាលមកពីឧប្បត្តិហេតុភ្លើងឆេះព្រៃដែលមិនទំនងជាមកពីគេលួចដុតដូចនៅក្រុមហ៊ុន ប៊ិញហ្វៀក១ នោះទេ។

លោកថា៖ «អាហ្នឹងមិនមែនគេលួចដុតទេវាជាភ្លើងឆេះព្រៃរាលដាល។ នៅ ប៊ិញហ្វៀក ប្រហែលគេលួចដុតតែនៅខ្មែរអង្គរ និងដាយណាមហ្នឹងវាភ្លើងឆេះព្រៃទេ»។ ទោះយ៉ាងណាលោកមិនអាចប៉ាន់ស្មានពីចំនួនឈើដែលត្រូវបានឆេះនោះទេ។

លោក សាក់ សារ៉ាង បន្តថាលោក និងកងកម្លាំងរបស់លោកបានទៅបាញ់ទឹកពន្លត់ភ្លើងទាំងនោះពេញមួយថ្ងៃដើម្បីកុំឲ្យរាលដាលទៅកន្លែងផ្សេងទៀត។

Report that New ELCs Were Granted to Logging Barons ‘False’

Khmer Times / May Titthara

Wednesday, 27 January 2016

General Sao Sokha, deputy chief of the Armed Forces, leads delegation to inspect a timber storage facility in Kratie province. Supplied.

In an open letter to the Ministry of Environment, the Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR) asked yesterday for confirmation of a January 19 report in the Cambodia Daily that said new economic land concessions (ELCs) had been given to two tycoons despite a ban on granting ELCs.

The January 19 report “Try Pheap Gets New ELC Amid Freeze, Governor Says” quoted Mondulkiri governor Eng Bunheang as saying that Try Pheap and Lim Bunna, two logging magnates, would be given ELCs in a wildlife sanctuary, after the land had been taken back from other companies that had violated their ELC contracts.

Chak Sopheap, executive director of the CCHR, asked how the land could be granted to the tycoons, after a directive issued in 2012 by Prime Minister Hun Sen said that no new ELCs would be granted. She also voiced concerns about new land grants leading to deforestation. “If the companies are not being given a new ELC,” she said, “please explain what land rights have been given to those companies, and ensure that there won’t be more deforestation.”

Sao Sopheap, spokesman for the Ministry of Environment, said he had assured her that the article in the Daily was factually incorrect.

“I explained the facts to the Cambodia Daily reporter when he interviewed me,” Mr. Sopheap said. “I told them there was no more exploitation of ELCs. The ministry gave the right to the two companies to only gather timber [collected] by two other companies before them... Khmer Angkor Agriculture and Dai Nam companies.”

Trial of ex-municipal court boss Maltey set to begin

Trial of ex-municipal court boss Maltey set to begin
Thu, 28 January 2016 ppp
Mech Dara

Ang Maltey, former president of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, speaks during a press conference in Phnom Penh last year. Hong Menea

Disgraced former Phnom Penh Municipal Court president Ang Maltey is set to be tried today at Kandal Provincial Court for allegedly giving an Audi SUV taken from a convicted drug trafficker to his son.

Yesterday, Kandal prison chief Chab Sineang said the former judge had returned to his cell after a stint in hospital in order to attend the hearing, which will be presided over by deputy provincial court judge Ngoun Vuthy.

Maltey, who faces an embezzlement charge in the case, was arrested in August following an investigation into his conduct as a judge.

The probe followed Maltey’s ousting as court president in February last year, after Prime Minister Hun Sen suggested he had taken a bribe to release the parents of tycoon Thong Sarath, who is accused of plotting the murder of Ung Meng Cheu.

The former judge has not been charged over the alleged bribe, though his bodyguard and Sarath’s mother have.

Ministry of Justice spokesman Chin Malin said Maltey was being prosecuted in Kandal to avoid bias in the case.

“He used to work in Phnom Penh, his old subordinates are there. There are people who love him and people who hate him, which might affect the decision,” Malin said. “To make it fair and balanced, we sent the case to another court.’

របាយការណ៍ Transparency International៖ អំពើពុករលួយនៅកម្ពុជានៅតែខ្ពស់

របាយការណ៍ Transparency International៖ អំពើពុករលួយនៅកម្ពុជានៅតែខ្ពស់

ប្រទេសកម្ពុជានៅតែជាប្រទេសដែលមានកម្រិតអំពើពុករលួយខ្ពស់បំផុតនៅឆ្នាំ២០១៥។ នេះបើយោងទៅតាមការផ្តល់ពិន្ទុរបស់អង្គការតម្លាភាពអន្តរជាតិ។

ពីស្តាំទៅឆ្វេង៖ លោក ព្រាប កុល នាយកប្រតិបត្តិនៃអង្គការតម្លាភាពកម្ពុជា និងលោក ឱក សេរី សោភក្តិ៍ ប្រធានក្រុមប្រឹក្សាភិបាលនៃអង្គការតម្លាភាពកម្ពុជា ធ្វើសន្និស្នីទព័ត៌មានអំពីការចេញផ្សាយសន្ទស្សន៍នៃការយល់ឃើញអំពីអំពើពុករលួយ (CPI)

27 មករា 2016

ភ្នំពេញ—Hul Reaksmey

ប្រទេសកម្ពុជានៅតែជាប្រទេសដែលមានកម្រិតអំពើពុករលួយខ្ពស់បំផុតនៅឆ្នាំ២០១៥។ នេះបើយោងទៅតាមការផ្តល់ពិន្ទុរបស់អង្គការតម្លាភាពអន្តរជាតិ។ មន្ត្រីរដ្ឋាភិបាលកម្ពុជាថ្លែងថា ការផ្តល់ពិន្ទុនេះ មិនបានឆ្លុះបញ្ចាំងឲ្យឃើញពីការខិតខំរបស់រដ្ឋាភិបាលកម្ពុជាក្នុងការប្រយុទ្ធប្រឆាំងអំពើពុករលួយនោះទេ។

មន្ត្រីនៃរាជរដ្ឋាភិបាលកម្ពុជាបានច្រានចោលការផ្តល់ពិន្ទុរបស់អង្គការតម្លាភាពអន្តរជាតិ ដែលបានផ្តល់ពិន្ទុឲ្យប្រទេសកម្ពុជា២១ពិន្ទុលើ១០០នៅក្នុងសន្ទស្សន៍នៃការយល់ឃើញអំពីអំពើពុករលួយ (CPI) ក្នុងឆ្នាំ២០១៥កន្លងទៅ ដែលនៅតែមានកម្រិតដូចគ្នាទៅនឹងឆ្នាំ២០១៤។

ពិន្ទុ២១នេះជាការកំណត់ថា ប្រទេសកម្ពុជានៅតែជាប្រទេសមួយដែលមានកម្រិតអំពើពុករលួយខ្ពស់បំផុតនៅឡើយ។ ការផ្តល់ពិន្ទុដោយអង្គការតម្លាភាពអន្តរជាតិនេះធ្វើឡើងដោយផ្អែកលើសន្ទស្សន៍នៃការយល់ឃើញពីអំពើពុករលួយ ដែលត្រូវបានគេប្រើយ៉ាងទូលំទូលាយសម្រាប់វាស់វែងទំហំនៃអំពើពុករលួយ។

សន្ទស្សន៍នៃការយល់ឃើញលើអំពើពុករលួយឆ្នាំ២០១៥។

លោក សុខ ឦសាន អ្នកនាំពាក្យនៃគណបក្សប្រជាជនកម្ពុជា ថ្លែងប្រាប់ VOA ថា ការផ្តល់ពិន្ទុនេះមិនបានឆ្លុះបញ្ចាំងដល់កិច្ចខិតខំរបស់ប្រទេសកម្ពុជាក្នុងការទប់ស្កាត់អំពើពុករលួយនោះទេ។ លោកថ្លែងថា៖

«ខ្ញុំមិនចាប់អារម្មណ៍រឿងពិន្ទុទេ។ បញ្ហាសំខាន់គឺលើលទ្ធផលថា តើយើងប្រៀបធៀបពីមុននឹងឥឡូវហ្នឹងវាមានការថយចុះកម្រិតណា? អាហ្នឹងបានយើងមើលដឹង។ បើចាំបាច់តែពិន្ទុ បានយើងធ្វើ វាមិនកើតទេ»។

Thai bank buys local MFI in mammoth deal

Thu, 28 January 2016 ppp

Ananth Baliga

A security guard directs customers to parking at a Hattha Kaksekar Limited branch in central Phnom Penh yesterday afternoon. Pha Lina

In what may be the biggest deal in Cambodia’s financial sector history, Thailand-based Bank of Ayudhya has reached an agreement to acquire the local microfinance institution (MFI) Hattha Kaksekar, with the deal expected to be valued at upwards of $140 million.

In a statement released yesterday, the Thai bank, commonly referred to as Krungsri, confirmed the agreement to buy Cambodia’s fourth-largest microfinance institution, paving the way for its entry into the Kingdom’s crowded and highly competitive micro-lending sector.

Hout Ieng Tong, president and CEO of Hattha Kaksekar (HKL), said negotiations were still under way for the final sale figure, but that it would exceed $140 million, making it the biggest-ever buyout in the sector.

“We needed to execute our expansion plans and were looking for a new partner to do this,” Ieng Tong said, adding that the MFI was approached by the Thai bank.

Krungsri’s takeover of HKL, which hinges on approval from the National Bank of Cambodia (NBC) and could take six months to complete, will not result in any structural changes, Ieng Tong said.

He said the management and staff were expected to remain intact, and the new partner would help accelerate the firm’s expansion plans.

“The plan is actually to recruit more staff because we have to expand a lot this year,” he said. “Our original plan was to add six more branches, but with this new partner we may get the chance to expand more than six.”

Judiciary hampers TI corruption score

Thu, 28 January 2016 ppp

Lay Samean and Shaun Turton

Cambodia's public institutions are viewed as the most corrupt in Southeast Asia, according to the annual Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), which was launched yesterday.

The latest CPI, which ranks the perception of state corruption across the world, showed the Kingdom scored the same rating as last year, 21 out of 100, making Cambodia the worst performer in ASEAN, falling behind Myanmar, whose rating crept up one point to 22 (with zero being “highly corrupt” and 100 “very clean”).

TI Cambodia chairman Ok Serei Sopheak said widely perceived corruption within Cambodia’s judiciary was a major reason the Kingdom failed to make any improvements.

“Justice is really dragging down everything,” Sopheak said, explaining that the World Justice Project’s Rule of Law Index 2015, in which Cambodia was ranked 98th out of 102 countries, was used to assess the country’s justice sector.

“The other indicators are either staying at the same level or going up . . . The justice situation is getting worse.”

Cambodia’s legal system is routinely criticised amid reports of widespread bribery and political influence.

ជនរងគ្រោះដីធ្លី នៅខេត្តសៀមរាប

Thailand: A dozen die in frigid weather

Unusual cold snap takes the lives of 12 Thais overnight from exposure and respiratory illness, government says.

27 Jan 2016 aj

Thailand and other Asian regions are experiencing unusually cold weather [Narong Sangnak/EPA]

At least 12 people died overnight in Thailand as unusually cold weather gripped the semi-tropical Southeast Asian nation, officials said Wednesday.

The deaths were caused either by exposure or respiratory illnesses, an official from the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation told the DPA news agency.

Two other people died earlier in Chai Nat province, also related to the drop in temperature.

A cold front has swept through Thailand, sending temperatures below 5 degrees Celsius in some areas, more than 10C less than the average low for this time of year.

A high-pressure front has also caused flooding and high storm surges in the country's south, with more than 3,000 households affected, according to the department.

Severe weather warnings were issued in several northeastern provinces and the military government provided local residents with aid, including jackets and food.

Much of the rest of Asia was also shivering.

In Hong Kong, the mercury dipped to its lowest point in six decades. The rest of southern China also recorded unusually cold weather, with record-breaking low temperatures in many places.

In Japan, the unusual cold spell brought sleet as far south as Okinawa, a subtropical island known for its mild winters. Another southern island, Amami Oshima, recorded its first snow in more than a century.

Vietnam Stays The Course In 2016

2016-01-27 rfa

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung (R) retakes his seat after casting his ballot as Vietnam Communist Party Secretary General Nguyen Phu Trong (L) sits on the podium during the election of the new Central Committee on January 26, 2016.

AFP

“They have to reflect the wish of all people. That is why civil society groups have to protest the party in the selections of the three most important posts, but of course the communist government still continues their repression.”

Vietnam’s ruling Communist Party re-elected party chief Nguyen Phu Trong to a second term as general secretary, likely putting an end to any attempt to reform the one-party state’s human rights abuses, observers tell the RFA’s Vietnamese service.

Vietnam’s 12th party congress named Trong to its 19-member Politburo -- the all-powerful body that handles the day-to-day affairs of the government and the party. He was then immediately chosen as the general-secretary and the country’s de-facto leader. The announcement was made on the official Vietnam News Agency's website.

By selecting Trong and a slate of hard-liners, the ruling Politburo is signaling an unwillingness for the Communist Party to make any immediate shift toward a more representative and less repressive government, Jennifer Dunham, research director at the independent watchdog organization Freedom House, told RFA’s Vietnamese Service .

“The election maintains the same level of repression of the media, of civil society activism and restrictions on the Internet,” she said. “With the appointment of the new secretary general, any kind of hoped-for reform probably won’t happen because he’s one of the old guard and will likely continue the policies of his predecessors.”

Catholic priest Phan Van Loi described the elections as a sham saying the moves are “only for show.”

“We see that as an abuse of power -- a violation of the people’s rights because those three posts are for governing the country,” he told RFA. “They have to reflect the wish of all people. That is why civil society groups have to protest the party in the selections of the three most important posts, but of course the communist government still continues their repression.”

A Change of Guard

Friday, 29 January 2016

Effects of Chinese slowdown on Cambodian real estate not all bad

Effects of Chinese slowdown on Cambodian real estate not all bad