Government
Protest against new wage of $95 is illegal: Labor Ministry
The Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training on Wednesday said that any activities made by the unions against the minimum wage of $95, agreed upon by the Labor Council, are against the law. After the wage talks yesterday, the Labor Council agreed to raise ...
The Cambodia Herald News Staff
http://www.thecambodiaherald.com/cambodia/detail/1?page=11&token=Y2RjMDY1MWE5NTl
US Government Clothes Producer Denies Abuses
A representative of the Zongtex Garment Manufacturing company in Phnom Penh on Tuesday denied employing workers as young as 15 to make U.S. government clothing, following an exposé by The New York Times on poor standards in factories producing U.S. government attire. On Sunday, The Times ...
Khy Sovuthy and Joshua Wilwohl
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/business/us-government-clothes-producer-denies-abuses-49654/
Courts Resurrect Land Disputes After Election
The Kompong Chhnang Provincial Court has summoned for questioning three villagers accused of torching in May a shed on disputed land granted to the wife of Mines and Energy Minister Suy Sem. The case is another example of courts resurrecting longstanding land disputes that had gone ...
Kuch Naren
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/courts-resurrect-land-disputes-after-election-49671/
Cambodia: Pro-opposition's trade unions rally against low wage hike for 2014
An estimated 3,000 garment workers from various factories rallied at the capital’s Freedom Park on Wednesday to protest against the low wage hike for 2014. The strike was led by pro-opposition trade unions. It happened a day after the government decided to raise a monthly minimum ...
Voice of Russia News Staff
http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2013_12_25/Cambodia-Pro-oppositions-trade-unions-rally-against-low-wage-hike-for-2014-4683/
Premier’s Vietnam Visit Draws Opposition Ire
Prime Minister Hun Sen is scheduled to pay a three-day visit to Vietnam later this week, a move criticized by opposition officials who say the premier should stay in Cambodia to deal with the country’s ongoing political deadlock. “What is necessary at this time is to ...
Sok Khemara
http://www.voacambodia.com/content/premier-vietnam-visit-draws-opposition-ire/1816809.html
EU clarifies rice comments
While the European Union Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht never told the Ministry of Commerce that Cambodian rice was “30 per cent” mixed with the same product from Vietnam, he did say Cambodia had to better ensure that its harvest was homegrown and not from ...
Eddie Morton and May Kunmakara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/eu-clarifies-rice-comments
CPP Rallies to Hun Sen; NEC Says Early Poll Not Possible
CPP lawmakers have lined up behind their prime minister, Hun Sen, insisting in recent statements that a new election the opposition is demanding will never happen, and would not even be legally possible. Experts familiar with the law, however, said legislation does allow for fresh elections, ...
Kuch Naren and Zsombor Peter
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/cpp-rallies-to-hun-sen-nec-says-early-poll-not-possible-49602/
Rice Trader Claims Being Wrongly Fined Bad Scale to Measure Her Truck
A rice trader on Monday filed a complaint with the Anti-Corruption Unit, Prime Minister Hun Sen’s Cabinet and three ministries alleging that officials in Kompong Cham province had wrongly fined her for an overweight truck after using improperly weighted scales. Saing Darlin had her truck impounded ...
Hul Reaksmey
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/business/rice-trader-claims-being-wrongly-fined-bad-scale-to-measure-her-truck-49631/
‘An act of coup d’etat’
Dozens of ruling party lawmakers have signed a letter calling opposition demands for a re-election or the resignation of Prime Minister Hun Sen an attempted coup. The letter, signed by 54 Cambodian People’s Party lawmakers including senior MP Cheam Yeap on Friday and released to the ...
Daniel Pye and Meas Sokchea
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/%E2%80%98-act-coup-d%E2%80%99etat%E2%80%99
Malaysia Fails to Guarantee Cambodian Maids’ Human Rights
The Ministry of Labor hopes that a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will see Cambodia resume sending domestic workers to Malaysia by February, but negotiations on the document have stalled after Malaysia recently rejected 90 percent of proposed provisions to protect workers’ rights. Most strikingly, Malaysia ...
Matt Blomberg and Khy Sovuthy
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/malaysia-fails-to-guarantee-cambodian-maids-human-rights-49629/
BIDV to open in Phnom Penh
A subsidiary of the Bank for Investment and Development of Viet Nam (BIDV) opened its seventh branch in Mean Chey District, Phnom Penh, on Sunday. The new branch is also expected to meet local demand and boost the development of trade and investment ties between ...
The Cambodia Herald News Staff
http://www.thecambodiaherald.com/cambodia/detail/1?page=13&token=YTY2YzNlODE3YTk
French give $26 million for irrigation
The French Agency for Development will provide $26 million in loans to the Cambodian government to rehabilitate irrigation systems across three provinces in the northwest. Speaking at the signing ceremony for the deal yesterday, Aun Pornmoniroth, the Minister of Economy and Finance, said the new systems ...
Chan Muy Hong
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/french-give-26-million-irrigation
Turkey, Czech open embassies in Cambodia
The countries of Turkey and the Czech Republic have opened permanent embassies in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, according to Koy Kuong, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation on Wednesday. ...
The Cambodia Herald News Staff
http://www.thecambodiaherald.com/cambodia/detail/1?page=11&token=MTNjNDhiOWY2MzY
Anti-Eviction Protesters Burn Tires, Block City Hall
About 30 anti-eviction protesters from the Boeng Kak lake community, along with 20 Buddhist monks, blocked the gates of Phnom Penh municipal hall and burned tires Monday demanding more compensation for evicted families, and calling for the removal of governor Pa Socheatvong. During the daylong demonstration, ...
Khuon Narim
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/boeng-kak-anti-eviction-protesters-burn-tires-block-city-hall-49608/
Turmoil marks year in labour
When unions and the Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia (GMAC) signed a memorandum of understanding in October last year, both sides were confident strikes in the Kingdom’s biggest export sector could be kept to a minimum. Not counting December, GMAC has recorded 131 strikes this ...
Shane Worrell
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/turmoil-marks-year-labour
Keep striking for $160, Rainsy urges
Ahead of today’s Ministry of Labour announcement of a minimum wage increase for Cambodia’s apparel sector, opposition leader Sam Rainsy yesterday urged striking workers in Svay Rieng province to hold out until their monthly salary is raised to $160. “[Garment] workers should not return to work ...
Mom Kunthear, Sean Teehan and James Hall
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/keep-striking-160-rainsy-urges
Hun Sen’s Son Says CNRP Is Paying Protesters
Hun Manith, the second son of Prime Minister Hun Sen, has suggested that the large turnout at the CNRP’s eighth consecutive day of marches through Phnom Penh on Sunday was the result of paying protesters to show up. An estimated 30,000 people gathered at Freedom Park ...
Alex Willemyns
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/hun-sens-son-says-cnrp-is-paying-protesters-49624/
Protesting monks leave City Hall after violence re-erupts: report
Hundreds of protesting monks, who participated with Boeng Kak residents in a rally held in front of Phnom Penh City Hall, left after violence re-erupts. They are demanding Phnom Penh governor Pa Socheat Vong provide more compensation to the evicted families in Boeng Kak. ...
The Cambodia Herald News Staff
http://www.thecambodiaherald.com/cambodia/detail/1?page=15&token=YWVkZWNmOGEwZTU
Cambodia Rejects Rice Contamination Claims by EU
The Cambodian government and rice exporters have dismissed allegations that rice exports to the European Union (EU) countries are contaminated with rice from Vietnam. Commerce Ministry representative told local sources that while it is true that some Cambodia rice is processed in Vietnam to match ...
Oryza News Staff
http://oryza.com/news/cambodia-rejects-rice-contamination-claims-eu
Cambodia's ruling party lawmakers say opposition staging coup against Hun Sen gov't
Cambodia’s ruling party lawmakers said the opposition’s calls for Prime Minister Hun Sen’s resignation and a re-vote are a “clear and undeniable act of coup” against the current legitimate government, according to a statement released to the media on Monday. The opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party ...
Xinhuanet News Staff
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2013-12/23/c_132989140.htm
Cambodian PM to visit Vietnam to boost bilateral ties
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen will pay a three-day official visit to Vietnam from Dec. 26 in order to further enhance ties and cooperation between the two neighbors, according to a news statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday. The visit plan came at ...
Xinhuanet News Staff
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2013-12/23/c_132989051.htm
ACU asks Global Fund for evidence in probe
Cambodia’s Anti-corruption Unit has criticised the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria for not sending them the findings of its investigation into widespread corruption in health grants. Chhay Savuth, vice-president of the Anti-Corruption Unit, said he had contacted the Global Fund to request evidence ...
Mom Kunthear and Daniel Pye
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/acu-asks-global-fund-evidence-probe
Barges Impounded for Breaking Sand Dredging Ban in Kandal
The Ministry of Water Resources impounded five barges in Kandal province on Saturday for flouting a government ban on sand dredging on the Mekong River, an official said Sunday. Chan Youttha, cabinet chief for Water Resources Minister Lim Kean Hor, said the minister personally led a ...
Aun Pheap
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/barges-impounded-for-breaking-sand-dredging-ban-in-kandal-49567/
Council of Ministers Nullifies Telecom Law
The Council of Ministers has nullified a 2009 law that set minimum prices on telephone calls, paving the way for regulators to reset the country’s telecommunications prices, which industry executives say are too high. The law, Prakas 232, which has been widely flouted, set a minimum ...
Hul Reaksmey and Joshua Wilwohl -
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/business/council-of-ministers-nullifies-telecom-law-49573/