ighting near the Sino-Burmese border came to an abrupt halt today after about 700 Kokang troops handed over their weapons to Chinese officials following days of clashes that sent thousands fleeing across the border.
Aung Kyaw Zaw, a Burmese military analyst who is close to the Kokang, told The Irrawaddy on Saturday that at least 700 soldiers from the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), an ethnic-Kokang militia, crossed the border into China today and surrendered their arms to local officials.He added that troops from the United Wa State Army (UWSA), a much larger force allied to the Kokang, have been repositioned to Wa-controlled territory.
The Irrawaddy was unable to verify this information with other independent sources.
The sudden end to 0A
The sudden end to the fighting came a day after Kokang and UWSA troops ambushed a convoy of Burmese army vehicles in Kokang territory. According to unconfirmed reports, more than a dozen Burmese soldiers were killed in the attack.
On Thursday, a 20-year ceasefire between the Burmese army and the armed ethnic groups broke down after government forces moved to occupy Kokang territory. Since then, the Burmese army has sent reinforcements into the area from Light Infantry Divisions 33 and 99.
The crisis began on Monday, when tens of thousands of refugees, including Chinese businessmen, started flooding across the border into China from Laogai, a town in Kokang territory. Cross-border trade in Laogai has since come to a standstill and trading at other border checkpoints has decreased, say sources in the area.
The rapidly deteriorating situation caused consternation in Beijing, which has long had close relations with both sides in the conflict. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu said China hoped the Burmese junta would deal with the situation properly and ensure stability along the border and protect Chinese citizens in Burma.
“China is following the situation closely and has expressed concern to Myanmar [Burma],” said Jiang.
Some observers said that junta head Snr-Gen Than Shwe’s decision to send troops into Kokang territory despite China’s concerns showed his determination to demonstrate that he will not be constrained by Beijing.
“The Burmese junta doesn’t care what anybody thinks, so I don’t think the generals are thinking about China’s response,” said Chan Tun, a former Burmese ambassador to China.
But while Naypyidaw showed little concern about the consequences of renewed fighting in the area, Beijing couldn’t ignore the worsening situation, as Chinese living near the border expressed outrage at the Burmese military’s actions.
“I feel upset with the Burmese government. The Kokang people have Chinese blood. And in China, many people are so angry that they are urging the Chinese government to send troops to help the Kokang,” said a Chinese journalist who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Although Beijing appears to have defused the potentially explosive situation for the time being, it remains to be seen if fighting will resume between the Burmese and the Wa, who command a much larger military force uch larger military force than the Kokang.
The current conflict stems from the refusal of ethnic ceasefire groups, including Kokang, Wa, Kachin and Shan militias, to transform themselves into border security forces under Burmese military command.
The 20,000-strong UWSA presents the greatest obstacle to Burmese ambitions to pacify the country’s borders after six decades of civil conflict. Although they were among the first ethnic groups to sign a ceasefire agreement with the current regime in 1989, they have also been the most resistant to any effort to weaken their hold over their territory.
In Rangoon, news of the clashes in the country’s north has revived memories of the insurgencies that wracked the region for decades.
“People here are talking about it at teashops. They are saying that this is the return of civil war,” said an editor of a private weekly journal in Rangoon.
Meanwhile, Burma’s main opposition party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), called for a peaceful resolution of the ongoing conflict in northern Burma.
“We want the junta to resolve the issue in a peaceful way with ethnic groups,” NLD spokesman Han Thar Myint told The Irrawaddy on Saturday. “The cause of the conflict is the Burmese regime’s failure to resolve problems in the country politically.”
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Cambodia Wants Closer Relationship With Next Japanese PM
Written by DAP NEWS
Cambodian-japanese cooperation will increase in all fields and a closer relationship with newly the elected Japanese Prime Minister will help ties “become more developed and better than before,” a Foreign Affair and International Cooperation spokesman told DAP News Cambodia on Friday.
A general election will be held in Japan on August 30 as the Liberal Democratic Party (CDP) leader, Taro Aso, is unpopular among voters having led Japanese into one of the worst economic crises in living memory. According to a survey in Japan, opposition party leader, Yukio Hatoyama, of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) is expected to be voted in as the next PM.
“Cambodia’s relationship with Japan will not be changed whoever will be the next Prime Minister,” said Kuy Koung.
The Foreign Ministry spokesman said that world leaders are promoting globalization so that all fields of cooperation among Cambodia and Japan, especially assistance and aid, will be not be changed, Kuy Koung reiterated.
Yim Sovann, a spokesman for the opposition Sam Rainsy Party (SRP), on Friday claimed to be too busy to give comment.
Hatoyam, a founder of the DPJ who would be a senior minister in any future government, emphasized the need for political and economic integration with East Asia, especially with China, and warned that, under a DPJ government, Japan would be as likely to criticize the US as to support it. He rejected the habit of past LDP government of virtually worship the US in the belief that everything will be all right if Japan does whatever the US does, according to Japanese local news agency.
Yukio Hatoyama has called for a single Asian currency to strengthen the region´s economic and political ties. A single currency would help Asia fend off the impact of any future global economic crises and also reduce political confrontation in the region, his saying quoted by article in monthly magazine. Japanese government has donated a great deal of aid and support to Cambodian government aiming at reducing poverty in Cambodia as the government’s core policy.
Japan on August 13, 2009 provided US$72 million in concessionary loans to develop Cambodia’s Sihanoukville port to expand its capacity.
“The fund is to improve the capacity of Sihanoukville port, the only international deep sea port in Cambodia, by constructing multipurpose terminals including a bulk terminal and oil supply base, and developing infrastructure related to the terminal at the port,” Hor Namhong, deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs and international cooperation told reporters. The minister signed the exchange note with Shinohara Katsuhiro, Japanese Ambassador to Cambodia, with the presence of Prime Minister Hun Sen.
It will also help contribute to industrial development and economic growth in Cambodia. And it is the third time that Japan has helped Sihanoukville port since 1999 aimed at improving handling capacity of containerized cargos, Namhong said.
Japan also provided about US$10 million non-project grant aid for promotion of economic and social development efforts in Cambodia, Hor said, adding that since 1993, under the type of grant aid, Japan has extended to Cambodia a total amount of US$187 million.
Cambodian-japanese cooperation will increase in all fields and a closer relationship with newly the elected Japanese Prime Minister will help ties “become more developed and better than before,” a Foreign Affair and International Cooperation spokesman told DAP News Cambodia on Friday.
A general election will be held in Japan on August 30 as the Liberal Democratic Party (CDP) leader, Taro Aso, is unpopular among voters having led Japanese into one of the worst economic crises in living memory. According to a survey in Japan, opposition party leader, Yukio Hatoyama, of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) is expected to be voted in as the next PM.
“Cambodia’s relationship with Japan will not be changed whoever will be the next Prime Minister,” said Kuy Koung.
The Foreign Ministry spokesman said that world leaders are promoting globalization so that all fields of cooperation among Cambodia and Japan, especially assistance and aid, will be not be changed, Kuy Koung reiterated.
Yim Sovann, a spokesman for the opposition Sam Rainsy Party (SRP), on Friday claimed to be too busy to give comment.
Hatoyam, a founder of the DPJ who would be a senior minister in any future government, emphasized the need for political and economic integration with East Asia, especially with China, and warned that, under a DPJ government, Japan would be as likely to criticize the US as to support it. He rejected the habit of past LDP government of virtually worship the US in the belief that everything will be all right if Japan does whatever the US does, according to Japanese local news agency.
Yukio Hatoyama has called for a single Asian currency to strengthen the region´s economic and political ties. A single currency would help Asia fend off the impact of any future global economic crises and also reduce political confrontation in the region, his saying quoted by article in monthly magazine. Japanese government has donated a great deal of aid and support to Cambodian government aiming at reducing poverty in Cambodia as the government’s core policy.
Japan on August 13, 2009 provided US$72 million in concessionary loans to develop Cambodia’s Sihanoukville port to expand its capacity.
“The fund is to improve the capacity of Sihanoukville port, the only international deep sea port in Cambodia, by constructing multipurpose terminals including a bulk terminal and oil supply base, and developing infrastructure related to the terminal at the port,” Hor Namhong, deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs and international cooperation told reporters. The minister signed the exchange note with Shinohara Katsuhiro, Japanese Ambassador to Cambodia, with the presence of Prime Minister Hun Sen.
It will also help contribute to industrial development and economic growth in Cambodia. And it is the third time that Japan has helped Sihanoukville port since 1999 aimed at improving handling capacity of containerized cargos, Namhong said.
Japan also provided about US$10 million non-project grant aid for promotion of economic and social development efforts in Cambodia, Hor said, adding that since 1993, under the type of grant aid, Japan has extended to Cambodia a total amount of US$187 million.
Electric Crematorium Online
Written by DAP NEWS
Cambodia’s newly-constructed electric crematorium will soon open to replace the wood burning crematorium located in Resey Sanh pagoda, Preysor commune, Dongkor district, Phnom Penh, according to the Phnom Penh Governor on Thursday.
“This news electronic crematorium cost US$500,000 and will much reduce environmental affects by replacing burning by wood,” Kep Chuktema (First smiling man in picture) told reporters on Thursday.
“This cremation will serve all class of citizens and we do not charge poor people. We don’t force to those who do not want to use this crematorium, but it shows the attention of the Phnom Penh authorities.”
The governor dismissed criticisms that the site is too far from the city centre.
High ranking officials and the rich who wish to be buried at Wat Unaloum and Wat Langka could continue to use these city-center sites, he said. “They have a full right to choose; it is their decision,” he confirmed.
Both the crematoriums at Wat Unaloum and Wat Langka have been demolished, as will other crematoria around the capital.
Cambodia’s newly-constructed electric crematorium will soon open to replace the wood burning crematorium located in Resey Sanh pagoda, Preysor commune, Dongkor district, Phnom Penh, according to the Phnom Penh Governor on Thursday.
“This news electronic crematorium cost US$500,000 and will much reduce environmental affects by replacing burning by wood,” Kep Chuktema (First smiling man in picture) told reporters on Thursday.
“This cremation will serve all class of citizens and we do not charge poor people. We don’t force to those who do not want to use this crematorium, but it shows the attention of the Phnom Penh authorities.”
The governor dismissed criticisms that the site is too far from the city centre.
High ranking officials and the rich who wish to be buried at Wat Unaloum and Wat Langka could continue to use these city-center sites, he said. “They have a full right to choose; it is their decision,” he confirmed.
Both the crematoriums at Wat Unaloum and Wat Langka have been demolished, as will other crematoria around the capital.
Wife found her husband after he went missing for 20 days
A woman found her husband, 20 days after he went missing. But when she found him, instead of a scream of joy, she screamed in anger causing panic and curiosity among passersby.
A 45 year old man went missing for 20 days with his luxury Lexus at a time when one of his children was very sick and when his wife went to do business in Siem Reap. After the man failed to return home, the wife cut short her trip and returned to look for him across Phnom Penh City.
At 11:40 pm today (30th), passersby and shoppers were alerted by a loud scream. They looked toward to the scream and saw a lone woman standing in front of a luxury 4-wheel drive Lexus. Fearing that she was hit by the luxury Lexus, they all ran to investigate. But the woman was fine. She was not hit by the car, instead she screamed because her 'lost' husband was driving his luxury Lexus with a young beautiful girl by his side.
The police was called. At the police station, the alleged wife accused the young girl of being her husband's mistress. The husband responded that the girl is merely a relative. The young girl also concurred the man's story. But the wife responded "if she is your relative, how come I never knew her?" The man and the young girl were dumbfounded.
Now, it is the turn to verify if the woman is really the real wife of the man as the man did not admit either way whether she is his wife or not. In order to prove that she is his real wife, she called all her children to come to the police station to prove it.
After a long talk, the parties reached a reconciliation and the husband agreed to return home leaving a teary young mistress distraught.
The woman said when she went to Siem Reap she got a call from a neighbour that her husband was going out with a young girl everyday. As a result, she cut short her trip to Siem Reap to return home to confront him and caught him red-handed with his young beautiful mistress by his side in their luxury Lexus.
Mr. You Hok Sim, commander of Monorom Police Station, confirmed the story to Deum Ampil. "Yes, there is a case happening as described above, but when the police called them to a round table discussion, they were reconciled and have now returned back home happily together."
According to a source who spoke on condition of anonymity, the unnamed man is a senior anti-drug trafficking police officer and is also a senior advisor to the leader of the Cambodian parliament (Mr. Heng Samrin's adivsor?).
The woman standing in front of her husband's car to block him from driving off. Source: Deum Ampil newspaper Reported in English by Khmerization
A 45 year old man went missing for 20 days with his luxury Lexus at a time when one of his children was very sick and when his wife went to do business in Siem Reap. After the man failed to return home, the wife cut short her trip and returned to look for him across Phnom Penh City.
At 11:40 pm today (30th), passersby and shoppers were alerted by a loud scream. They looked toward to the scream and saw a lone woman standing in front of a luxury 4-wheel drive Lexus. Fearing that she was hit by the luxury Lexus, they all ran to investigate. But the woman was fine. She was not hit by the car, instead she screamed because her 'lost' husband was driving his luxury Lexus with a young beautiful girl by his side.
The police was called. At the police station, the alleged wife accused the young girl of being her husband's mistress. The husband responded that the girl is merely a relative. The young girl also concurred the man's story. But the wife responded "if she is your relative, how come I never knew her?" The man and the young girl were dumbfounded.
Now, it is the turn to verify if the woman is really the real wife of the man as the man did not admit either way whether she is his wife or not. In order to prove that she is his real wife, she called all her children to come to the police station to prove it.
After a long talk, the parties reached a reconciliation and the husband agreed to return home leaving a teary young mistress distraught.
The woman said when she went to Siem Reap she got a call from a neighbour that her husband was going out with a young girl everyday. As a result, she cut short her trip to Siem Reap to return home to confront him and caught him red-handed with his young beautiful mistress by his side in their luxury Lexus.
Mr. You Hok Sim, commander of Monorom Police Station, confirmed the story to Deum Ampil. "Yes, there is a case happening as described above, but when the police called them to a round table discussion, they were reconciled and have now returned back home happily together."
According to a source who spoke on condition of anonymity, the unnamed man is a senior anti-drug trafficking police officer and is also a senior advisor to the leader of the Cambodian parliament (Mr. Heng Samrin's adivsor?).
500 soldiers from Division 11 withdrawn from Preah Vihear
Source: Khmer Sthapana newspaper
Reported in English by Khmerization
Cambodia had unilaterally begun to withdraw troops from the disputed borders with Thailand under order from Prime Minister Hun Sen to cut troops by 50% from the disputed border areas.
At 4 am on 28th August, 500 troops from Division 11 had been withdrawn from Preah Vihear in a convoy of 36 American-made military trucks to return back to their barracks in Takeo.
Gen. Chea Drara, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Cambodian Armed Forces in charge of the Preah Vihear operations, said these 500 soldiers are the first batch to be withdrawn from the borders.
Prime Minister Hun Sen unilaterally ordered the troops withdrawals because he needs the troops to help Cambodian farmers who face the drought and also because the border situations have eased significantly since 25th August.
Reported in English by Khmerization
Cambodia had unilaterally begun to withdraw troops from the disputed borders with Thailand under order from Prime Minister Hun Sen to cut troops by 50% from the disputed border areas.
A convoy of military trucks transporting soldierrucks transporting soldiers fks transporting soldiers from Division 11 passing through Phnom Penh to Takeo on 28th August.
At 4 am on 28th August, 500 troops from Division 11 had been withdrawn from Preah Vihear in a convoy of 36 American-made military trucks to return back to their barracks in Takeo.
Gen. Chea Drara, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Cambodian Armed Forces in charge of the Preah Vihear operations, said these 500 soldiers are the first batch to be withdrawn from the borders.
Prime Minister Hun Sen unilaterally ordered the troops withdrawals because he needs the troops to help Cambodian farmers who face the drought and also because the border situations have eased significantly since 25th August.
Being so used to be hand-fed by the CPP for free, Kampuchea Thmei couldn’t fathom why someone would pay to buy their own food to listen to Mu Sochua
$20 fee to meet with Mrs. Mu Sochua
Kampuchea Thmei (Pro-CPP) newspaper
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
[KI-Media note: It is customary in democratic countries where a large number of Cambodians are currently living, that participants who attend meetings with Cambodia politicians help pay for their own food and other miscellaneous cost to organize these meetings. This is quite contrary to Cambodia where, corrupt politicians usually pay for the public to come to listen to them. Generally, due to poverty, Cambodians are enticed to come and listen to propaganda speeches organized by CPP candidates in exchange for one or two kilos of rice, one krama (towel) and one sarong. In return, these poor Cambodian constituents are also forced to pledge their vote to these vote-buying CPP candidates.]
.jpg)
An announcement indicates that each participant must pay $20 to participate in a meeting and a session to demand freedom organized in Philadelphia, USA.
Kampuchea Thmei received unbelievable news that Mrs. Mu Sochua plan to meet with member in the US, and members who plan to attend the meeting with Mrs. Mu Sochua are frankly told that they must each pay $20. According to an announcement posted on the SRP website, SRP members in the US plan to organize a meeting session on 05 September 2009 at the Grand King Buffet, Philadelphia, USA, from 6PM to 9PM.
According to this announcement, participants to this even must each pay a contribution of $20. The event, labeled: a ceremony to demand freedom and justice, will include the participation of SRP MP Mu Sochua.
The announcement indicates also that Mrs. Mu Sochua, the SRP MP for Kampot province, is a courageous Cambodia woman who stood up against injustice to defend women’s rights in Cambodia – rights that were looked down and violated under the threat of the Cambodian government.
The announcement also indicated that participants to the event must prepare their questions to ask them directly to Mrs. Mu Sochua according to their personal views.
SRP MP Mu Sochua left Cambodia after the Phnom Penh municipal court decided that she lost her case against Hun Xen’s defamation lawsuit. The court ordered her to pay a fine of 16.5 million ($4,125). Her departure overseas took place at the same time as the Appeal court summoned her in for clarification. However, Mrs. Mu Sochua asked for a delay in this summon until after 20 September 2009, and she claimed that she was busy with taking care of her health overseas.
Following her departure, several local news media reported that SRP MP Yim Sovann, SRP spokesman, claimed that Mrs. Mu Sochua is seeking to set up a fund in Canada, the USA, etc… to help the victims of the judicial system in Cambodia.
The announcement indicates that the meeting with Mrs. Mu Sochua will take place on 05 September 2009 in Philadelphia, USA.
Regarding this announcement, a number of analysts claimed that it a merely a meeting to collect funds to conduct politics in Cambodia, and involvement in politics through these minor fundraisings, these analysts do not believe that it will lead to success.
Kampuchea Thmei (Pro-CPP) newspaper
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
[KI-Media note: It is customary in democratic countries where a large number of Cambodians are currently living, that participants who attend meetings with Cambodia politicians help pay for their own food and other miscellaneous cost to organize these meetings. This is quite contrary to Cambodia where, corrupt politicians usually pay for the public to come to listen to them. Generally, due to poverty, Cambodians are enticed to come and listen to propaganda speeches organized by CPP candidates in exchange for one or two kilos of rice, one krama (towel) and one sarong. In return, these poor Cambodian constituents are also forced to pledge their vote to these vote-buying CPP candidates.]
.jpg)
SRP MP Mu Sochua (Photo: The Phnom Penh Post)
An announcement indicates that each participant must pay $20 to participate in a meeting and a session to demand freedom organized in Philadelphia, USA.
Kampuchea Thmei received unbelievable news that Mrs. Mu Sochua plan to meet with member in the US, and members who plan to attend the meeting with Mrs. Mu Sochua are frankly told that they must each pay $20. According to an announcement posted on the SRP website, SRP members in the US plan to organize a meeting session on 05 September 2009 at the Grand King Buffet, Philadelphia, USA, from 6PM to 9PM.
According to this announcement, participants to this even must each pay a contribution of $20. The event, labeled: a ceremony to demand freedom and justice, will include the participation of SRP MP Mu Sochua.
The announcement indicates also that Mrs. Mu Sochua, the SRP MP for Kampot province, is a courageous Cambodia woman who stood up against injustice to defend women’s rights in Cambodia – rights that were looked down and violated under the threat of the Cambodian government.
The announcement also indicated that participants to the event must prepare their questions to ask them directly to Mrs. Mu Sochua according to their personal views.
SRP MP Mu Sochua left Cambodia after the Phnom Penh municipal court decided that she lost her case against Hun Xen’s defamation lawsuit. The court ordered her to pay a fine of 16.5 million ($4,125). Her departure overseas took place at the same time as the Appeal court summoned her in for clarification. However, Mrs. Mu Sochua asked for a delay in this summon until after 20 September 2009, and she claimed that she was busy with taking care of her health overseas.
Following her departure, several local news media reported that SRP MP Yim Sovann, SRP spokesman, claimed that Mrs. Mu Sochua is seeking to set up a fund in Canada, the USA, etc… to help the victims of the judicial system in Cambodia.
The announcement indicates that the meeting with Mrs. Mu Sochua will take place on 05 September 2009 in Philadelphia, USA.
Regarding this announcement, a number of analysts claimed that it a merely a meeting to collect funds to conduct politics in Cambodia, and involvement in politics through these minor fundraisings, these analysts do not believe that it will lead to success.
Unconvincing Salesman Par Excellence
Alternatives Watch – 30viii09
Op-Ed by Ung Bun Ang
Originally posted online
Council for Development of Cambodia secretary-general Sok Chenda may find it most difficult to attract foreign investments. He is confident, enthusiastic, and optimistic, which are necessary attributes for the task. However, he may need to be more. Reporter Roger Mitten, who conducted and published an insight interview with Sok Chenda, concludes he is only half convinced after encountering the man he dubs the salesman par excellence.
There are reasons why the salesman par excellence is not fully convincing. He claims all businessmen are interested only in profit, “not physical incentives, the political regime, not even religion – Ramadan or not, they don’t care”. His best selling point is simply that there is money to be made in Cambodia. He says there are fiscal incentives, total foreign ownership, and many untouched sectors to choose, offering “unique” opportunity foreign investors cannot find elsewhere.
Unfortunately, the sale pitch is only half truth. Globalised Cambodia, of which Sok Chenda is proud, also means investors do have access to other truth the salesman par excellence would prefer buried. Many long term investors – the type that Sok Chenda claims like growing up with the host country – take into account in their investment decisions those Sok Chenda dismisses as irrelevant, plus much more.
One of them is the high cost of doing business in Cambodia, which Sok Chenda acknowledges in particular for electricity, telecommunication, and transportation sectors. The government’s effort to reduce the electricity costs by buying it from Vietnam is commercially sensible at least in the short run, but this will not address a structural defect that keeps the cost high – corruption.
Sok Chenda shows the least concern about the impact of corruption. He maintains as long as there is a profit at the end businessmen do not mind making some payment they “should not really have to make”. He does not seem to realise these unnecessary payments push the business cost up, requiring the businessmen to pass them onto consumers in the form of higher prices to retain their profit. This in turn keeps away other businessmen whom Sok Chenda tries to entice. It is a vicious cycle that could be broken only by bringing corruption under control.
However, the corruption is likely to persist, if not prospering. Sok Chenda trivialises corruption by claiming the number one in transparency Singapore still has “people who are corrupt and who cheat the tax department”. He fails to distinguish between corruption and impunity for corruption when asserting, “Singapore has policemen and jails for a reason [corruption]”. It would be hard pressed for him to come up with any case where a Cambodian high profile official is convicted and jailed for corruptiod and jailed for corruption. Incidentally, Sok Chenda – he says he ends the interview so that he can pick up his daughter at the British School – may have difficulty in justifying the school fee with his official meagre income.
Thus, the salesman par excellence appears to be an optimist who would say, “See, I am not injured yet” while falling from Eiffel Tower.
Ung Bun Ang
Quotable Quote:
“The latest definition of an optimist is one who fills up his crossword puzzle in ink.” - Clement King Shorter (1857–1926), British journalist and literary critic. Observer.
Op-Ed by Ung Bun Ang
Originally posted online
Council for Development of Cambodia secretary-general Sok Chenda may find it most difficult to attract foreign investments. He is confident, enthusiastic, and optimistic, which are necessary attributes for the task. However, he may need to be more. Reporter Roger Mitten, who conducted and published an insight interview with Sok Chenda, concludes he is only half convinced after encountering the man he dubs the salesman par excellence.
Sok Chenda Sophea
There are reasons why the salesman par excellence is not fully convincing. He claims all businessmen are interested only in profit, “not physical incentives, the political regime, not even religion – Ramadan or not, they don’t care”. His best selling point is simply that there is money to be made in Cambodia. He says there are fiscal incentives, total foreign ownership, and many untouched sectors to choose, offering “unique” opportunity foreign investors cannot find elsewhere.
Unfortunately, the sale pitch is only half truth. Globalised Cambodia, of which Sok Chenda is proud, also means investors do have access to other truth the salesman par excellence would prefer buried. Many long term investors – the type that Sok Chenda claims like growing up with the host country – take into account in their investment decisions those Sok Chenda dismisses as irrelevant, plus much more.
One of them is the high cost of doing business in Cambodia, which Sok Chenda acknowledges in particular for electricity, telecommunication, and transportation sectors. The government’s effort to reduce the electricity costs by buying it from Vietnam is commercially sensible at least in the short run, but this will not address a structural defect that keeps the cost high – corruption.
Sok Chenda shows the least concern about the impact of corruption. He maintains as long as there is a profit at the end businessmen do not mind making some payment they “should not really have to make”. He does not seem to realise these unnecessary payments push the business cost up, requiring the businessmen to pass them onto consumers in the form of higher prices to retain their profit. This in turn keeps away other businessmen whom Sok Chenda tries to entice. It is a vicious cycle that could be broken only by bringing corruption under control.
However, the corruption is likely to persist, if not prospering. Sok Chenda trivialises corruption by claiming the number one in transparency Singapore still has “people who are corrupt and who cheat the tax department”. He fails to distinguish between corruption and impunity for corruption when asserting, “Singapore has policemen and jails for a reason [corruption]”. It would be hard pressed for him to come up with any case where a Cambodian high profile official is convicted and jailed for corruptiod and jailed for corruption. Incidentally, Sok Chenda – he says he ends the interview so that he can pick up his daughter at the British School – may have difficulty in justifying the school fee with his official meagre income.
Thus, the salesman par excellence appears to be an optimist who would say, “See, I am not injured yet” while falling from Eiffel Tower.
Ung Bun Ang
Quotable Quote:
“The latest definition of an optimist is one who fills up his crossword puzzle in ink.” - Clement King Shorter (1857–1926), British journalist and literary critic. Observer.
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