The ruling party won 2008 national election and had been under fire from the public and community donor for not combating the widespread of the corruption and not passing the more-than-10-year-draft anti-corruption law. Despite, the complaints about the slow pace of reforms and the passage of draft anti-corruption law, international donors pledged $951.5 million in development aid to Cambodia for 2009, which last year, only $690 million was granted
In the keynote address to the meeting, Prime Minister Hun Sen on Thursday promised the donors that the government will fight against corruption issue and adopt the long-awaited anti-graft legislation as soon as possible. At the mean time, Premier revealed the International community donors about the country’s economic success, including the double-digit growth in the past four years under his ruling party.
The government sought less than $600 million in aid for 2009 because of the effect of the global market recession, but the aid pledge was beyond expectation that the government requested.
Douglas Broderick, UN Resident Coordinator, said in the meeting that “There was no notion at all of boycotting…absolutely not,â€, adding that donors clearly wanted to see anti-corruption measures in place but that it would be a long process, reported the Cambodia Daily.
Cambodia’s World Bank country manager, Qimiao Fan, urged the government to quickly pass the anti-corruption law and to use the pledged aid effectively, reported the Phnom Penh Post.
“We are never happy 100 percent in any country, even in our own European Union, but the fact that there is a reform, it’s already good news, said Rafael Dochao Moreno, charge d’affaires of the European Commission, reported the Daily.
A day before the annual donor meeting, the government launched the second stage of the “Public Financial Management Reform Program†in the main goal of grogram to ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of public financial management through enhancing the responsibilities of the public officials at all level on the use and management of the public resource.
“The global economic recession will not necessarily affect our pledge, but due to the transition of our government, we won’t be able to make a specific pledge yet, said US Embassy spokesman, John Johnson quoted by the Post.
In order to combat the corruption and to receive the complaints from the public, the government’s Anti-corruption Unit, led by senior minister Om Yentieng, installed a large white metal box for soliciting the complaints and tips about corruption in Cambodia in front of the Council of Minister’s temporary home near Royal Palace last week.
Kek Galabru, president of the rights group Licadho, said that in the past that the Council’s anti-corruption unit has not publicly released information about the complaints it received or how it dealt with them, quoted by the Cambodia Daily.
“If the idea is to just look good, to look like they leaders who listen to the people… it’s not good, said she.
Sam Rainsy party’s president said in the news conference one day ahead of the donor meeting by accusing the government of cheating donors by not carrying out necessary reforms. In addition, the SRP’s deputy secretary-general, Mu Sochua, expressed disappointment with the donors to have decided to the government’s pledge more than even while also not being aggressive enough in seeking real change from the ruling party.
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Hi Vutha;
Anti-corruption law will be surfaced one day – hope it soon rather later, but as the EU Union said, it will be a long process.
The sticky points of the long awaited law was terminology and body that would govern the affairs – Independent body or certain ministry?
As to pledges by donor countries, Opposition party can say what they think but the donors have had their principles, their strategies and visions to help Cambodia to help herself as long as there’s a reform whether it was slow pace or fast pace.