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The Mirror, Vol. 13, No. 594

“Since the Internet arrived in Cambodia in 1997 (when Cambodia officially had 24h Internet network for the first time), communication and publishing through this means became more popular in the Kingdom of Cambodia. In the meantime, the publishing through radio and cable TV and through satellite increased also. More than one decade of progress makes the Ministry of Information concerned about eventual effects of these new technologies on Khmer society. Therefore the Ministry of Information has the intention to put ‘publishing services through electronic systems’ under the control of a law which is being drafted. The Ministry of Information said that electronic news (such as newspapers) will not be affected by this new law, because the major intention of this law is to control the publishing of audio-visual data, of games, and of entertainment programs and advertisements through the Internet, to ensure moral respect.

“A Secretary of State of the Ministry of Information in charge of drafting this law, Mr. Nov Sovathero, explained that because of the advances of new technologies, the Ministry of Information found that its responsibility has increased remarkably during these years. In addition to the control of the old audio-visual field which consisted of recording tapes – the burden of the Ministry of Information has become bigger with the control of 25 radio channels and 7 television channels broadcasting in Phnom Penh and in the provinces – leading now also to the control of the publishing through satellites and through the Internet. There will be 12 chapters and 67 articles in that draft law.

“Mr. Nov Sovathero said that radio and television influences listeners and watchers. Therefore, this law intends to control all publishing through electronic systems as well as the publication of performances for public viewing.

“This law will therefore also relate to audio-visual publishing through the Internet and through mobile phones. Over the course of the years, mobile phones are being used in general and at present, users can listen to radio, watch television, and send voice and picture messages through mobile phones.

“Though the responsibility of the Ministry of Information is now bigger, he said that the Ministry of Information does not have different intentions, besides protecting the respect of tradition and morality. He referred to an example that if we know that some Internet games have a bad impact on children, youth, or the Khmer society as a whole, the Ministry of Information will provide warnings about publishing licenses or revoke licenses by cooperating with relevant authorities.

“Also, we have to check the quality of advertisements so that there is no advertisement published with wrong information about the quality of the product advertised. This draft law will provide a legal framework both for content censors of electronic audio-visual documents and for Internet Service Providers who have an important responsibility in the technical field.

“Therefore, all Internet Service Providers which ask for licenses from the Ministry of Post and Telecommunication must, in advance, also ask for a second license from the Ministry of Information if this law is adopted, because these companies allow Internet users to connect networks and to use data in different networks.

“Mr. Nov Sovathero referred to another example that pictures were published by individual Internet users showing Apsaras with naked breasts with sexual postures.

“For him, such pictures can evoke sexual feelings of viewers.

“Thus, he believed that this law can control the publishing of such pictures. He mentioned another example, ‘If a website publishes the beautiful face of a Khmer actress by cutting her face out of another picture and put it onto the naked body of another woman, it is not clear at present which ministry will be responsible for it? The Ministry of Information, or the Ministry of Interior? According to this new draft law, the Ministry of Information is the first to be responsible for it, because it will control all publishing of audio-visual material.’” Khmer Aphivoath Sethakech, Vol.7, #318, 7.1.2008

Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Thursday, 8 January 2009

Areyathor, Vol.15, #1375, 7-8.1.2009

• Samdech Dekchor: Position of Samdech Krom Preah [Norodom Ranariddh as chief advisors of the King] Is a Position Only to Receive a Salary

Deum Ampil, Vol.3, #104, 7-8.1.2009

• The Prime Minister Warns about the Selling and the Exchange of [State] Kindergartens / Preschools
• More Than 1,500 People Died from Traffic Accidents in 2008 [5,049 were seriously injured]
• Siamese [Thai] Authorities Closed 2,300 Websites Defaming the King [Note: Other media and civil society in Thailand request clearer definitions what a ‘defamation of the king’ really is, and say that a broad blocking of sites deprives the people from the access to information which is guaranteed by law]

Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.8, #1840-#1841,7- 8.1.2009

• The Phnom Penh Municipal Court Cancels the Lease Contract for the Renakse Hotel of Ms. Kem Chantha and Gives the Hotel to the Municipality [before the Minister of Religions and Cults, Mr. Min Khin, had signed a contract to lease this hotel to Ms. Kem Chantha for 48 years – Phnom Penh]
• Two Girls [11 and 14 years old] Were Raped and then Hanged [on a tree] at a Mountaintop [perpetrators are not yet identified – Pursat]
• CR-V [car] Driving from a Wedding Party Hit Cars and Motorcycles at Five Different Places, Killing 3 and Injuring 8 People [after hitting one car he tried to escape but caused more accidents]
• German Billionaire [Adolf Merckle, 74] Committed Suicide because of [being affected by] the Global Financial Crisis

Khmer Aphivoath Sethakech, Vol.7, #318, 7.1.2008

• The Ministry of Information Has the Intention to Regulate Publications on the Internet

Khmer Machas Srok, Vol.3, #320, 7.1.2009

• The Police Waits for the Green Light from the Court to Reinvestigate the Murder of [the president of the Cambodian Free Trade Union of Workers] Chea Vichea [according to the spokesperson of the Ministry of Interior, Mr. Khieu Sopheak]

Khmer Sthapana, Vol.2, #177, 7.1.2009

• Samdech Dekchor Hun Sen Asks All Fuel Companies to Cooperate to Further Reduce the Fuel Prices
• Samdech Dekchor Hun Sen: Those Who Do Not Accept the Truth [of the 7 January 1979 victory day over the Khmer Rouge] Are Not People, but Animals [some people oppose to celebrate 7 January as it is the day that Vietnam invaded Cambodia and toppled the Khmer Rouge – see the National Holiday 7 January 2009 Mirror page]

Koh Santepheap, Vol.42, #6545-#6546, 7-8.1.2009

• Report about Victims and Traffic Accidents Shows that from July to August 2008 [countrywide], Almost 100% of Victims Had Head Injuries

 
Moneaksekar Khmer, Vol.16, #3660, 8.1.2009

• The Number of Foreign Tourists Is Less Than Expected due to the Global Economic Crisis [according the Ministry of Tourism, the number of foreign tourists in 2008 was more than 2,100,000, and it only increased by 6% compared to the number in 2007]

Rasmei Angkor, Vol.16, #1400, 8.1.2009

• Samdech Hun Sen: I Looked along the Roads, About 50% [of the motorcycle drivers] Wore Helmets

Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.17, #4788-#4789, 7-8.1.2009

• The Prime Minister Announced that from January 2009, the Salaries of Civil Servants Will Be Increased by 20% and the Salaries of the Police and of the Military Will Be Increased More
• The Cambodian People’s Party Celebrated the 30th Victory Anniversary of 7 January 1979 with a Huge Meeting [with around 50,000 people participating]
• The Thai Minister of Foreign Affairs Will Come to Cambodia to Discuss the Border Disputes in Late January
• Japan Will Provide More Aid to Cambodia During the Visit of the Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs [Mr. Nakasone Hirofumi – 中曽根弘文] to Cambodia [from 10 to 11 January 2009]
• The US Government Provided Cambodia More Than US$60 Million in 2008
• A Girl Received Electricity Shocks and Was Put into a Coffin to Let Ants Bite Her, in Order to Force Her to Have Sex [this experience of a now 24-year-old Vietnamese woman in Cambodia was published on 1 January 2009 in The New York Times]

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