The Phnom Penh Post
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
Kampong Speu villagers burn seized load of timber
Forestry Administration officials and local police on Wednesday intercepted a load of illegal timber in Kampong Speu, but only managed to seize two of the 10 first-grade logs after villagers began to burn the timber – and attempted to do the same to an FA ...
Phak Seangly
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/kampong-speu-villagers-burn-seized-load-timber
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
Press freedom ‘collapsed’ in 2017, journalist survey says
The “façade of media freedom” in the Kingdom “collapsed” last year, with journalists reporting a sharp drop in their hopes for independent press, according to the results of a new survey launched yesterday. The Cambodian Center for Independent Media (CCIM) study surveyed 75 journalists from ...
Rinith Taing
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/press-freedom-collapsed-2017-journalist-survey-says
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
Okhna owns land at site of illegal Koh Kong mangrove filling, contract shows
A section of protected mangrove forest in Koh Kong that in December was discovered to have been filled with sand was illegally sold to tycoon Chea Leanghong in 2017, documents show, with local authorities having signed off on the deal. ...
Phak Seangly
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/okhna-owns-land-site-illegal-koh-kong-mangrove-filling-contract-shows
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
Major garment industry hauler says crackdown ensnaring legal trucks
The government’s strict enforcement efforts against oversized trucks are starting to ensnare legal trucks at checkpoints, further hampering the time-sensitive garment industry, according to the head of the country’s largest trucking federation. ...
Cheng Sokhorng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/major-garment-industry-hauler-says-crackdown-ensnaring-legal-trucks
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
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
Phnom Penh City Hall unveils disaster plan
City Hall yesterday released Phnom Penh’s first ever disaster response plan, which promises to better prepare the capital for emergencies, especially floods and fires. The 73-page Emergency Response Preparedness Plan (EPRP) will be distributed to officials down to the commune level and designates responsibilities for preparing ...
Ouk Suntharoth and Alessandro Marazzi Sassoon
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/phnom-penh-city-hall-unveils-disaster-plan
Nicer jails for wealthy inmates mulled as fix to Cambodia's prison overcrowding
Cambodia’s prison population swelled to more than 28,000 inmates last year – well over the system’s capacity – with Interior Minister Sar Kheng suggesting yesterday that the construction of more luxurious pay-to-stay prison blocks for wealthy inmates could help alleviate the severe overcrowding. ...
Soth Koemsoeun
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/nicer-jails-wealthy-inmates-mulled-fix-cambodias-prison-overcrowding
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
Groups call for charges against activists to be dropped
A group of 35 international labour and human rights advocacy groups yesterday called for charges against a trio of Cambodian civil society activists to be dropped. “We, the undersigned global unions and international human rights and workers’ rights organizations, call for the charges against Cambodian human ...
Andrew Nachemson
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/groups-call-charges-against-activists-be-dropped
Judges, prosecutors ‘disciplined’
Twelve judges and five prosecutors were verbally “disciplined” yesterday during a meeting of the Supreme Council of Magistracy presided over by King Norodom Sihamoni. Sam Prachea Manith, spokesman for the council, declined to name the people singled out. “This is for a small mistake that they forgot ...
Niem Chheng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/judges-prosecutors-disciplined
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
Nest of endangered royal turtles found in Koh Kong province
Conservationists in Koh Kong province have found a nest of 16 eggs of the critically endangered royal turtle, the Wildlife Conservation Society announced today. The discovery in Sre Ambel district, the first of the year, was made on February 3 by WCS staff working with the ...
Alessandro Marazzi Sassoon
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/nest-endangered-royal-turtles-found-koh-kong-province
Authorities to reclaim illegally seized land inside sanctuary
Kampong Speu provincial authorities on Friday said they will reclaim more than 2,000 hectares of land inside the Phnom Oral Wildlife Sanctuary, though six officials interrogated earlier this month for allegedly grabbing the land will only be “educated”. Oral district deputy police chiefs Prak Moul and ...
Phak Seangly
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/authorities-reclaim-illegally-seized-land-inside-sanctuary
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
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
Bird flu detected in Prey Veng
A moratorium on the movement of chickens, dead or alive, has been put into effect in a commune of Prey Veng’s Ba Phnom district after a chicken sample tested positive for A1H5N1 bird flu, the provincial Department of Agriculture, Forests and Fisheries said today. ...
Kuoch Masy
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/bird-flu-detected-prey-veng