VUTHASURF

Cambodia government was unsatisfied with the result of the 2008 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) launched by the International Transparency (IT) on September 23, 2008 in Berlin, ranking Cambodia 166^th of 180 countries and assigning it a score of 1.8 of a possible10. It is getting worse than its 2007 rating.

In response to the annual survey of corruption, Cambodia government officials regarded the survey as bias, unfairness and error. By the way, the official said that the 2008 corruption survey is not transparency by just looking at the small and bad area, but not looking at the good points implemented by the government.

Cambodia’s score is below the neighboring countries in the region, except Burma. The neighbors’ score is getting better than the previous year.

The 2007 survey, the anti-corruption organization ranked Cambodia 151^st of 163 countries. Cambodia earned 2.1 points out of possible 10.

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Popularity: 17% [?]

While driving in Phnom Penh, I have seen traffic police stationed at the corner of the traffic lights to stop imposing fine on drivers of motorbike without rear mirror, license plates and wearing helmets in the period of the last week. In case, motorbikes without license plates or plates covered by stickers are sent to court.

Traffic police’s traffic law enforcement is under fire from common citizens because authorities did not notify people about the enforcement of law.

On April 30, 2008, the Phnom Penh municipality had ordered all road traffic warders stop fining motorists without rear mirror or failing to wear safety helmets.

Before enforcing the new traffic law, the traffic police officers, including authorities at local communes, should provide enough education and awareness of traffic law to Cambodians, especially low or uneducated people in remote rural areas.

At the mean time, the senior traffic police said to the local newspapers that municipality still continues to fine all motorists who violate traffic law in order to improve the social order, not need to going back. Generally, the common and powerless people have been punished by the law, but the wealthy and powerful always site on the law.

Even though, in general Cambodian people feel concerns that the corruption will inevitably happen because police always pocket money from violators without giving formal tickets. In the past, the informal fines have long been a reality in Phnom Penh.

I always see the traffic police taking money from drivers of trucks transporting goods and taxi without giving formal receipts, while running through police stations. Sometimes, traffic jam took place while police stopped trucks blocking passengers’ cars and motorists.

Tin Prasoer, chief of Phnom Penh’s traffic police, said authorities are required by law to give receipts when they fine motorists, adding that police who charge extra would be punished. “The official fine for a mirror infraction is 4,000 riels, and this money is supposed to go to the Ministry of Economy and Finance,” he said. The Phnom Penh Post reported.

Popularity: 7% [?]

All Cambodian people are the owner of Cambodian territory, nation, culture, religion and so on. They have to know well about their own national heritages and they are definitely encouraged to visit the valuable sites, particularly the border-hugged temples such as Preah Vihear, Ta Moan Thom, Ta Moan Touch… because all temples are attempted to be controlled by the neighboring countries.

Soldiers and local authorities have duty to safeguard Cambodians, along with foreign tourists, who are visiting the temples where are in disputed areas. If Cambodians lost opportunity to see temples, they will not know the value of temples.

Recently, the senior government official refused request of entry to Preah Vihear temple to the Parliamentary lawmakers from July 29 to 31 in an attempt to find out the truth in the area, and also to visit the Cambodian troops who are guarding Cambodian territory, encroached on by Thai soldiers since July 15.

The Defense Ministry refused the visit in a letter dated July 26. And Defense Minister Tea Banh said that “I have not given permission because we are working to resolve the dispute. It is not necessary for [Yim Sovann] to visit the troops,” quoted by the Cambodia Daily.

The solution of disputed areas with Thailand is not involved with the visit of lawmakers to the temples. In fact, the visit is great to encourage all Cambodian troops stationed in the areas around Temple. Or the government intends to hide something happening in the area?

Popularity: 10% [?]

Recently, Cambodian citizens living abroad sent the United Nations and the United States the petition over the Thai troop incursion on the Cambodian territory and sovereignty around Preah Vihear temple since July 15 after the temple was listed as World Heritage Site by UNESCO on July 7, 2008 in Canada.

We, the undersigned Cambodians and Cambodian Americans living abroad, would like to submit this petition to the United Nations and to the United States of America to request the support for withdrawal of the Thai military and paramilitary from Cambodia’s Preah Vihear and the surrounding agreed disputed regions.

After the decision by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to include Preah Vihear temple as one of its World Heritage Sites on July 07, 2008, the Thai government sent hundreds of military and paramilitary forces to occupy one of Cambodia’s Buddhist temples called “Keo Sekha Kiri Svarak or Preah Vihear temple” located within the region of Preah Vihear temple and refused to withdrawal these forces even after requested by Cambodian government. Instead these military forces have been increased daily.

As Cambodians and Cambodian Americans living abroad, we hereby condemn these unsavory and egregious incursions on behalf the Thai government and its military forces due to our success in seeking nomination of our highest spiritual temple into the World Heritage Sites; This petition firmly expresses the following:

1. We urge that the Thai government remove all their military and paramilitary troops immediately and without condition.

2. We are requesting that the Thai government respect the decision of the International Court of Justice from the Hague in 1962 and to return all sculptural antiques that Thailand has taken over the years.

3. These unsavory and egregious actions by the Thai government are considered to be demeaning to a neighbor country (Cambodia) and its infrastructures, decision of the International Court of Justice, United Nations, and the most powerful nations in the world, especially the United States of America.

4. Acknowledgment by the UN and US that the incursion by the Thai military into Preah Vihear temple is considered an invasion into a sovereign country.

5. We solemnly request the United Nation and the United States to urgently intervene in these dire situations between Thailand and Cambodia.

6. We support and seek acknowledgement of the utmost patient by the Cambodian government in using international laws and diplomacy instead of war.

7. We are happy, proud, and with enormous pride support the decision to include our Preah Vihear as one of the World Heritage sites.

Popularity: 9% [?]