The public and non-governmental organization workers expressed excited when they heard that all NGO workers have obligation to declare their assets included in the new version of anticorruption legislation, which was approved by the Council of Ministers last 3 weeks. Even though, NGOs workers are not reluctant to disclose their assets.
After the proposed draft anticorruption law was prolonged more than 10 years, the approval of new passage with nine chapters and 57 articles is still not seen amid the public, NGOs and most of parliamentarians. Only some senior members of ruling party received and read a copy of this legislation.
Why does the anticorruption law require NOGs workers to declare their assets? Last week, spokesman for the Council of Ministers leaked this information about law which demands NGO staff to disclose assets; he also said that the provision applies to NGO workers because they are working as public servants like government officials.
Although, NGO staff serve the public service but they cannot be categorized the same level of the government official because NGO workers have no power but have authority, working help the poor and vulnerable people being living under the exploitation of the rich and the powerful. By the way, the government officials get paid from the government which has high responsibility for the people because all officials’ salaries are money collected from people through tax.
In addition, the NGO workers also have no power to control or manage the national budget or make policy.
What is important is that the government has to examine carefully the corrupt officials. NGO works’ salaries have been funded by charity donors so that all financial budgets have been or controlled and audited by donors carefully. If donors found irregularity or corruption in organizations, they really determine or withdraw their funding. Therefore, NGO staff’s salaries are not related to government’s budget. Why does the government demand NGO workers to declare their property?
Creating anticorruption law is to combat against the corruption issues. In contrast, common people will be suffering from the approved law. How do you think about?
I have to agree with you. The purpose of the anti-corruption law should be to penalize corruption that is taking place within the government. It is interesting that there is no transparency in the creation of laws that are supposed to encourage transparency and honesty. It’s all so secretive. It looks like it will be delayed further according to the Post.
I think a law that regulates NGOs is not a bad idea though. However, it should be a separate law. Some NGOs do not seem to be doing much in Cambodia. Perhaps they are using their NGO name to collect money and perhaps not much actual work is being done with the money donated into their organization. For example, let’s say that the amount budgeted towards a single person’s salary is $2,000 US dollars a month. However, the amount that goes into “humanitarian” work might be only two hundred. That’s something that may be interesting to know – just how much money is actually being spent on the work itself and not the salaries.
Have not seen the Cambodian anti-corruption so could not make much of the comment.
Anti-corruption law here is mainly to do with government at all level.
I don’t think that anti-corruption law shall apply to International NGO because everything shall be dealt by the government of the respective country they represent. However, the local NGO would not escape this law if they derived their funds from foreign emabassies or from Cambodia foreign-government funds projects.