The Phnom Penh Post
Justice deferred: ‘The 23’ look forward to appeal date
The Appeal Court has set a date to hear the case of 23 garment workers and unionists who were convicted in May in connection with violent protests calling for a doubling of the sector’s minimum wage. ...
May Titthara
http://phnompenhpost.com/national/justice-deferred-%E2%80%98-23%E2%80%99-look-forward-appeal-date
Judges need regulations: legal expert
Following days of high-profile convictions and charges dealt at breakneck speed, based on little evidence and little investigation, a prominent legal expert said yesterday that the law “needs to be updated” to change Cambodia’s widely decried court system. ...
Alice Cuddy
http://phnompenhpost.com/national/judges-need-regulations-legal-expert
Maid MoU drawing near
Cambodia and Malaysia expect to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) by the end of the year that would reopen the pipeline of local maids being sent to work there, officials said on the sidelines of a final round of discussions yesterday between the countries. ...
Hor Kimsay
http://phnompenhpost.com/national/maid-mou-drawing-near
Business bribery is rife: report
Cambodia has again ranked as one of the most corrupt countries in the world with the release of global anti-bribery association TRACE’s bribery risk index. According to the index, titled the TRACE Matrix and released on November 11, Cambodia is the fifth most at risk country ...
Eddie Morton
http://phnompenhpost.com/business/business-bribery-rife-report
New pier to attract tourists
Kampot province’s City Hall yesterday revealed plans for a new passenger pier to siphon more coastal tourism business from Thailand and Vietnam. Sim Vuthea, administrative director of Kampot City Hall, said the new $40 million passenger pier, which will be funded by the Asian Development Bank ...
Chan Muyhong
http://phnompenhpost.com/business/new-pier-attract-tourists
Still work to do on land issue: envoy
Germany’s ambassador to Cambodia, Joachim Baron von Marschall, yesterday cautioned against too much optimism in the land sector in the face of ongoing disputes and forced evictions. The ambassador made the comments at a workshop on sustainable land policy in the capital, where speakers from ...
Taing Vida
http://phnompenhpost.com/national/still-work-do-land-issue-envoy
Massive luxury timber haul in Mondulkiri
Forestry Administration officials in Mondulkiri province are on the lookout for illegal loggers, after finding 130 pieces of luxury-grade timber in Koh Nhek district. The find comes on the heels of 3,221 pieces of timber found in Mondulkiri’s Pech Chreada district last month. ...
Phak Seangly
http://phnompenhpost.com/national/massive-luxury-timber-haul-mondulkiri
Rice federation seeking loan
The Cambodian Rice Federation (CRF) is seeking financing from China’s Export-Import Bank (Ex-Im) to build much-needed infrastructure such as warehouses and drying facilities to hopefully increase milled rice export capacities. Sok Puthyvuth, president of the CRF told the Post yesterday that the CRF had set up ...
May Kunmakara
http://phnompenhpost.com/business/rice-federation-seeking-loan
Gov't audit shows Vietnam Rubber Group missing millions
Contentious plantation giant Vietnam Rubber Group reportedly “lost” nearly $391 million of state funds over five years, including $22.75 million from a rubber plantation in Cambodia, an official investigation into the firm’s dealings has found, according to Vietnamese media. Hanoi’s anti-corruption body, the General Inspectorate, last ...
Daniel Pye and May Titthara
http://phnompenhpost.com/national/govt-audit-shows-vietnam-rubber-group-missing-millions
No boycott: Union meet could decide wage today
Independent labour unions will take part in the Ministry of Labour’s Labour Advisory Committee (LAC) meeting today, possibly making their decision on next year’s minimum wage in Cambodia’s garment sector. NIFTUC and the Coalition of Cambodian Apparel Workers’ Democratic Union (C.CAWDU) considered boycotting the LAC ...
Sean Teehan
http://phnompenhpost.com/national/no-boycott-union-meet-could-decide-wage-today
Mitr Phol disputants to testify
Representatives of Oddar Meanchey villagers who allegedly lost their homes in a 2008 land grab by Thai-owned sugar giant Mitr Phol are hopeful a settlement may soon be reached after they testify before Thai human rights officials today. Witnesses representing more than 400 families are slated ...
Sean Teehan
http://phnompenhpost.com/national/mitr-phol-disputants-testify
Prey Lang activists say logger ‘connected’
Members of a conservation group in Kampong Thom province stopped a van carrying illegal timber on Sunday night only to be threatened by a man claiming to be the nephew of a powerful National Assembly parliamentarian. The van was driving with no licence plate and was ...
Taing Vida
http://phnompenhpost.com/national/prey-lang-activists-say-logger-%E2%80%98connected%E2%80%99
Education funds to get bump
The proposed 2015 education budget is inching upwards from last year’s funding, however it still falls short of internationally recommended minimums. Education is slated to take up a $396 million chunk of the $3.75 billion draft budget, which has yet to be approved by the National ...
Laignee Barron and Taing Vida
http://phnompenhpost.com/national/education-funds-get-bump
Cambodia, Japan trade up
Cambodia is quickly becoming a hub for Japanese exports, according to the latest figures from the Japan External Trade Agency, JETRO. The state-run agency’s latest trade figures show Cambodia exported more than $584 million worth of locally made products to Japan over the first nine months ...
Hor Kimsay
http://phnompenhpost.com/business/cambodia-japan-trade
NEC rogues will be fired, say parties
Leaders of the National Election Committee (NEC) who break the law will be removed from their posts by the National Assembly, officials said yesterday. The comments came after a meeting between Cambodian People’s Party and Cambodia National Rescue Party working groups. ...
Meas Sokchea
http://phnompenhpost.com/national/nec-rogues-will-be-fired-say-parties
Petition delivered: Villagers demand land be returned
More than 200 people in Kampong Speu’s Oral district gathered yesterday to submit a second petition to HLH Company – an agro-business linked to Hun Seng Ny, the sister of Prime Minister Hun Sen – demanding the return of their land, community representatives said. ...
May Titthara
http://phnompenhpost.com/national/petition-delivered-villagers-demand-land-be-returned
EGA posts drop in Q3 gaming revenue
Entertainment Gaming Asia (EGA), a subsidiary of Macau-based gaming giant Melco, posted year-on-year losses at the end of the third quarter on the back of poor player numbers at the company’s NagaWorld operations. ...
Eddie Morton
http://phnompenhpost.com/business/ega-posts-drop-q3-gaming-revenue
Fake call leads to wild goose chase
On Saturday, Banteay Meanchey border police received a desperate call. More than 80 Cambodian migrants, including women and children, were locked in a house in Thailand. They were being starved and abused. Two boys, begging their captors for food, were kicked to death. So said the ...
Khouth Sophak Chakrya and Laignee Barron
http://phnompenhpost.com/national/fake-call-leads-wild-goose-chase
Opinions differ when it comes to new party
A meeting held for the “social network” Khmer for Khmer yesterday revealed trepidation among members about the group’s possible future as a new political party. The group, which currently claims to advise Cambodia’s parties on internal democracy, has scheduled a referendum next month to decide the ...
Charles Rollet
http://phnompenhpost.com/national/opinions-differ-when-it-comes-new-party
Grand Twins workers to strike anew
Striking workers at Cambodia’s only publicly listed garment factory yesterday said about 5,000 employees will hold a demonstration at the Phnom Penh business tomorrow after failing to achieve their demands. ...
Mom Kunthear and Sean Teehan
http://phnompenhpost.com/national/grand-twins-workers-strike-anew
Info law to be open to input
The Ministry of Information yesterday announced a three-year public consultation period on a new access to information draft law that has been in the works since 2007. But freedom of information advocates greeted the news with scepticism, citing a lack of representation from civil society on ...
Taing Vida
http://phnompenhpost.com/national/info-law-be-open-input
Bear-cub rescues lift tally to nine in 2014
Nine sun bear cubs have been rescued in the first 10 months of this year, according to the Phnom Penh office of NGO Wildlife Alliance. The cubs, some as young as two weeks, were saved by government rangers and the NGO’s Wildlife Rapid Rescue Team (WRRT), ...
Phak Seangly
http://phnompenhpost.com/national/bear-cub-rescues-lift-tally-nine-2014
Update on Borei Keila requested
The National Assembly’s anti-corruption commission submitted a letter to the Phnom Penh Municipal Hall last week requesting an update on the resolution of the long-running dispute between evicted Borei Keila villagers and development firm Phan Imex. ...
May Titthara
http://phnompenhpost.com/national/update-borei-keila-requested
Protected wetlands urged
A new wetland protected area may be implemented in Battambang province following talks between scientists, Asian governments and conservation groups held in Siem Reap this week. The message seems to have been heard, at least by the Ministry of Environment, which yesterday said it would ...
Taing Vida
http://phnompenhpost.com/national/protected-wetlands-urged