Local chiefs still key to registration, study finds
Despite having access to other sources of information about the election process, including television and smartphones, Cambodia’s urban poor remain heavily reliant on potentially biased village-level officials when it comes to voter registration, according to a new report. ...
Ananth Baliga and Kong Meta
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/local-chiefs-still-key-registration-study-finds
Over 3.76B riel swapped in banknote exchange
The Central Bank announced on Monday that it exchanged 3.76 billion of old and worn Khmer riel banknotes (equivalent to $930,091) to new notes during its “Loving Riel Notes”, campaign which lasted five days during the Pchum Ben holiday. ...
Post Staff
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/over-376b-riel-swapped-banknote-exchange
Party-busting bill passed in ‘final blow’ to democracy
In what some are calling one of the most significant threats to democracy that Cambodia has faced in a generation, the CPP-controlled National Assembly on Monday voted to give the government and courts sweeping new powers over political parties. ...
Ben Sokhean and Zsombor Peter
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/party-busting-bill-passed-in-final-blow-to-democracy-125486/
Bird flu outbreak halted
Health officials in Svay Rieng province, which was hit by an outbreak of bird flu (H5N1) early this month, said the virus has been stopped and there was no sign of a continuing outbreak. ...
Pav Suy
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/35658/bird-flu-outbreak-halted/
NEC to probe invalid ballots
The National Election Committee will hold a meeting with political parties and civil society organisations next month to discuss the high number of invalid ballots in the commune elections. Of more than 7 million ballots cast, 133,484 were deemed invalid. ...
Khy Sovuthy
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/39698/nec-to-probe-invalid-ballots/
CNRP unifies message on 2018
CNRP chief whip Son Chhay sought to lay down a unified party line yesterday, saying the opposition would push through the current political upheaval and contest next year’s critical national election, setting straight conflicting statements coming from various party officials. ...
Niem Chheng, Ananth Baliga and Ben Sokhean
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/cnrp-unifies-message-2018
Interior Ministry identifies 70,000 ‘improper’ citizens, mostly ethnic Vietnamese
The Ministry of Interior is moving forward with a plan to revoke official documents from 70,000 individuals living in Cambodia, claiming they were “improperly” issued and mistakenly confer citizenship on “immigrants” – many of whom are ethnic Vietnamese born in Cambodia. ...
Ministry bans buying, selling of antibiotics without prescription
A Ministry of Health official yesterday said the ministry has banned the buying and selling of antibiotics without a prescription in an effort to curb the overuse that has led to an alarming level of antibiotic resistance in the Kingdom. ...
Yesenia Amaro
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/ministry-bans-buying-selling-antibiotics-without-prescription
CPP lawmaker accuses Sin Rozeth of supporting Rainsy’s movement, using restaurant as front for political activity
Ruling party lawmaker Chheang Vun has accused popular former opposition Commune Chief Sin Rozeth of supporting the Sam Rainsy-led “Cambodia National Rescue Movement” and using a restaurant she opened following the dissolution of her party to conduct political activity. ...
Soth Koemsoeun
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national-politics/cpp-lawmaker-accuses-sin-rozeth-supporting-rainsys-movement-using-restaurant-front
GDP to focus on government efficiency
The Grassroots Democracy Party yesterday suggested taking a pin to Cambodia’s inflated bureaucracy, saying it would campaign on a proposal to reduce the number of ministries from 23 to just 15 in order to improve efficiency and cut wasteful spending. ...
Ben Sokhean
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national-politics/gdp-focus-government-efficiency
Bamboo train blocked as land dispute erupts
A part of the new bamboo railway in Battambang province was blocked yesterday over of a dispute between the owner of the construction company that built the line and a man claiming the railway ran through his land near Banan mountain. ...
Khy Sovuthy
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/109301/bamboo-train-blocked-land-dispute-erupts/
Land rights NGO given green light to resume its operations
The Interior Ministry has decided to allow land rights NGO Equitable Cambodia to operate in Cambodia after suspending its activities in September. The announcement was made after a meeting between Interior Minister Sar Kheng and EU ambassador George Edgar on Friday. ...
Mom Sophon
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/50110492/land-rights-ngo-given-green-light-resume-operations/
Rubber prices in decline
The price that Cambodian rubber latex fetches overseas dropped by 10 percent since the beginning of the year, a fall that officials attribute to an oversupply of the commodity in global markets and the sluggish growth of the international economy. ...
May Kunmakara
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/50110169/rubber-prices-decline/
Smart eyes 41.5% stake sale for expansion
Malaysian telecom giant Axiata Group will consider divesting a portion of its stake in Cambodian mobile operator Smart Mobile in a bid to free up capital to “pursue opportunities”, including infrastructure expansion and future acquisitions, a company executive said yesterday. ...
Kali Kotoski and Cam McGrath
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/smart-eyes-415-stake-sale-expansion
CNRP eyes health checkup
Opposition lawmakers have requested Health Minister Mam Bunheng appear at the National Assembly to answer questions over graft, irregularities and poor services within his portfolio, including claims that officials from the National Malaria Centre misappropriated cash from the Global Fund. ...
Meas Sokchea
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/cnrp-eyes-health-checkup
Axiata sells 10% stake in Cambodia’s Smart
Axiata Group sold a 10 percent stake of its Cambodian subsidiary Smart Axiata to Japanese group Mitsui Co Ltd to form a strategic partnership and further the firm’s activity in the Kingdom, according to a company release on Friday. ...
Matthieu de Gaudemar
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/axiata-sells-10-stake-cambodias-smart
Gov’t funds return of ‘Shadow’ election monitors
A group accused of rubber-stamping autocratic elections in 2013 said on Tuesday it would return to observe the June 4 commune elections, with the airfare, accommodation and an excursion to Siem Reap province covered by the Foreign Affairs Ministry. ...
Ben Paviour
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/govt-funds-return-of-shadow-election-monitors-130302/
High demand for Chinese speakers
Chinese language skills are in growing demand from companies looking to hire in Cambodia’s job market as China’s influence in the Kingdom is increasingly felt both in the business and tourism sectors, online job portal Everjobs said yesterday. ...
Matthieu de Gaudemar
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/high-demand-chinese-speakers
CNRP’s Phnom Penh party head summoned over beating
Police have summoned the CNRP’s top party boss in Phnom Penh to appear for questioning today about a clash between a motorbike driver and a group of opposition supporters campaigning earlier this week in the capital. ...
Ben Sokhean
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/cnrps-phnom-penh-party-head-summoned-over-beating-130855/
Main parties cut into each other’s traditional strongholds
The ruling CPP is losing votes in remote provinces while making up ground on the opposition CNRP in Phnom Penh and surrounding areas, according to election data showing the two major parties cutting into each other’s leads in traditional strongholds. ...
Michael Dickison
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/main-parties-cut-others-traditional-strongholds-131132/