Government
Kem Ley foundation registered
The Ministry of Interior has officially registered a newly created “Kem Ley Foundation Association” after months of processing the application. Chhim Kan, director of the Interior Ministry’s Department of Associations and Political Parties, yesterday confirmed the association’s registration had been successful. ...
Yon Sineat and Leonie Kijewski
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/kem-ley-foundation-registered
Cambodia drops in graft index, taking bottom spot in Asean for third year running
A global corruption perceptions index has ranked Cambodia 161st out of 180 countries, with the report specifically pointing to weak press freedoms and NGO protections as facilitators of graft – issues that commentators have repeatedly raised as concerns in the Kingdom. ...
Ananth Baliga and Niem Chheng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/cambodia-drops-graft-index-taking-bottom-spot-asean-third-year-running
Monitors ready for Senate vote
With the absence of independent election monitors like Comfrel and Nicfec, Sunday’s Senate elections will be monitored by a hodgepodge of associations, with some representing the pharmacy, travel and hospitality industries, and another run by Hun Many, son of Prime Minister Hun Sen. ...
Niem Chheng and Ananth Baliga
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/monitors-ready-senate-vote
Cambodia’s budget process slightly more transparent, but issues remain: report
Cambodia’s budget process was slightly more transparent last year than in previous years, according to a new report, though scant information is provided to the public over the course of the budget process, with few opportunities for public engagement and limited oversight in its creation. ...
Alessandro Marazzi Sassoon
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/cambodias-budget-process-slightly-more-transparent-issues-remain-report
Can Cambodia stay competitive with so many public holidays?
Cambodia likely became the country with the largest number of public holidays in the world on Tuesday, raising questions about the ability of Cambodia to stay economically competitive with so many mandatory leave days. ...
Brendan O’Byrne and Hor Kimsay
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/can-cambodia-stay-competitive-so-many-public-holidays
Government’s efforts to decentralise continue
In the past two decades, the government has transferred about $2 billion to lower level administrations in an effort to decentralize.The figure was revealed yesterday during the first day of a two-day conference on decentralization on Koh Pich. ...
Khy Sovuthy
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/50109838/governments-efforts-decentralise-continue/
Government officials, including PM, continue to dispute Post story on Germany's ending of preferential visa treatment
Prime Minister Hun Sen and a spokesman for the ruling party yesterday joined a chorus of government officials attacking the veracity of an article published by The Post on Monday stating that Germany had cancelled preferential visa treatment for private travel by certain high-ranking Cambodian ...
Leonie Kijewski
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/government-officials-including-pm-continue-dispute-post-story-germanys-ending-preferential
Japan pledges $7.5 million for Cambodian elections despite legitimacy concerns
Amid widespread international condemnation of Cambodia’s upcoming elections, Japan pledged an additional $7.5 million worth of equipment for the July polls this morning. The grant, signed by Foreign Affairs Minister Prak Sokhonn and Japanese Ambassador Hidehisa Horinouchi, will provide “ballot boxes as well as other ...
Mech Dara and Andrew Nachemson
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/japan-pledges-75-million-cambodian-elections-despite-legitimacy-concerns
Hun Sen threatens to boycott Asean summit proceedings if faced with 'pressure'
Prime Minister Hun Sen today threatened to boycott next month’s Asean-Australia Special Summit in Sydney – and to “beat” demonstrators outside who burn his image – after apparently being supplied leaked telephone calls between opposition members predicting forthcoming international “pressure”. ...
Ben Sokhean
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/hun-sen-threatens-boycott-asean-summit-proceedings-if-faced-pressure
Tourists up 54 percent in Chinese New Year
The number of tourists, local and international, traveling in Cambodia during the three-day Chinese New Year holiday increased by 54.5 percent in 2018, reaching 864,770, according to a report released yesterday by the Ministry of Tourism. ...
Sum Manet
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/50109672/tourists-54-percent-chinese-new-year/
Land dispute rep to appear before court
A representative of more than 100 families involved in a land dispute with a rubber company is seeking the help of a local rights group after being ordered to appear before the Oddar Meanchey Provincial Court on Friday. ...
Phak Seangly
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/land-dispute-rep-appear-court
Hun Sen claims glowing review by UN
Prime Minister Hun Sen yesterday claimed that Cambodia received an exceedingly positive review during a yearly assessment with United Nations representatives, even as the UN published a statement slamming recent legal amendments. ...
Ben Sokhean and Andrew Nachemson
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/hun-sen-claims-glowing-review-un
New national holiday to remember victims
The government has set May 20 as a National Day of Remembrance, an official national holiday to commemorate the victims and suffering that occurred during the Democratic Kampuchea regime. According to a government sub-decree signed by Prime Minister Hun Sen on February 14, the holiday was ...
Pech Sotheary
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/50109655/new-national-holiday-remember-victims/
UN urges rethink of constitution changes
UN rights experts yesterday urged the government to reconsider constitutional amendments, including a law that forbids insulting the monarchy, saying the changes were too vague and failed to meet international standards. Parliament last week adopted a law that forbids insulting the monarchy, along with other amendments ...
Ven Rathavong
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/50109667/un-urges-rethink-constitution-changes/
US committed to maintaining good relations
The United States is committed to maintaining bilateral relations with Cambodia in order to resolve some outstanding issues.Foreign Affairs Minister Prak Sokhonn met with US Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen, chairman of the US House Appropriations Committee, at the ministry yesterday where they mainly discussed relations between ...
Khuon Narim
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/50109640/us-committed-maintaining-good-relations/
Industries left guessing as Cambodia fails to release customs data for 2017
When government-aligned Fresh News reported on Sunday that bilateral trade between the US and Cambodia had increased to $3.46 billion last year, up more than 8 percent from the year before, they weren’t using Cambodian government data. Nor was the state-run Agence Kampuchea Presse using government ...
Hor Kimsay
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/industries-left-guessing-cambodia-fails-release-customs-data-2017
Government acts to end monopolies in abattoir business
In a bid to increase fair competition in the abattoir business, the Ministry of Agriculture issued a new directive last week that eradicates exclusive rights to operate abattoirs in Cambodia. ...
Sok Chan
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/50109451/government-acts-end-monopolies-abattoir-business/
Koh Kong probing filling in of mangrove forest
The illegal filling of a mangrove forest in Peam Krasaop Wildlife Sanctuary is being investigated, Koh Kong provincial authorities said yesterday, though officials say they still don’t know who is behind the crime. Sok Sothy, deputy provincial governor, said the sand dredging and filling in of ...
Phak Seangly
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/koh-kong-probing-filling-mangrove-forest
Agricultural communities to rise
In an effort to increase agricultural production and raise living standards for farmers, the Ministry of Agriculture is prioritising the creation of agricultural communities throughout the nation. In 2017, there were 880 agricultural communities across the country, of which, Takeo province had 100, Battambang 77, and ...
Chea Vannak
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/50109450/agricultural-communities-rise/
‘Little’ campaigning done for Senate polls
The National Election Committee said yesterday that three political parties standing for next week’s Senate election have done very little campaigning, while NGOs said it was a consequence of the main opposition party being dissolved. According to an NEC press release, the three parties that have ...
May Titthara
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/50109501/little-campaigning-done-senate-polls/
UN unemployment project expanded
The Ministry of Labour and United Nations yesterday pledged to continue working on a project that is aiding young women and men in their search for decent and productive employment opportunities. ...
Sen David
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/50109497/un-unemployment-project-expanded/
CPP issues local-level diktats
Ruling Cambodian People’s Party working groups are being handed a list of 10 diktats from Prime Minister Hun Sen, bringing the party’s recent vows to increase surveillance and restrict dissent to the local level. ...
Mech Dara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national-politics/cpp-issues-local-level-diktats
Date set for annual clean city day
The government has set February 27 as annual National Clean City Day to remind people to care for the country’s urban areas. Prime Minister Hun Sen made the announcement in a letter to mark the 6th anniversary of National Clean City Day, which has been ...
Mom Kunthear
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/50109302/date-set-annual-clean-city-day/
Germany puts pressure on Cambodia, ending preferential visa treatment for Hun family and high-ranking officials
In a response to a parliamentary inquiry, the German government on Wednesday laid out a number of measures it has quietly taken over recent months to pressure the Cambodian government following its crackdown on media outlets, NGOs and the political opposition. ...
Leonie Kijewski
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national-politics/germany-puts-pressure-cambodia-ending-preferential-visa-treatment-hun-family-and