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The Mirror, Vol. 13, No. 594

“According to information from a high ranking official of the Council of Ministers, the Cambodian government decided to reduce the recruitment of new civil servants from 9,000 to 8,000 to work at different ministries and departments in 2009.

“The secretary-general of the Councils for Administrative Reforms of the Council of Ministers said that the reduction of recruitment of new staff by 1,000 can help the Cambodian government to avoid budget problems, while the Hun Sen government does not have sufficient capacities to accommodate the former plan.

“Moreover, the secretary-general of the Councils for Administration Reforms of the Council of Ministers added that the government must thoroughly monitor the recruitment of staff in the new year, otherwise the total expenses will increase too much, while the salaries of civil servants are increased by 20% every year. Regarding what is mentioned above, the deputy director of the Department of Policy, Economy, and Finance of the Ministry of Economy and Finance said that it is because the national economic growth dropped, so the Ministry of Economy and Finance must save from all expenses for different operations.

“It should be noted that every year, thousands of graduates apply to work at state institutions, but the government can employ only 8,000 of the most recent graduates. The Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports can absorb 5,000 graduates to work as teachers; a newly employed staff member receives a salary of around Riel 100,000 [approx. US$25] on the average, while a remaining staff receives around Riel 250,000 [approx. US$62] per month. According to the numbers from the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the government spent in 2008 US$85 million of the annual national budget of around US$1.5 million for salaries of the more than 200,000 civil servants in total.

“In 2009, the fourth-term package-voted government, led by Prime Minister Hun Sen, the vice-president of the Cambodian People’s Party, plans to spend US$1.8 billion, but the projected expenses must be restricted, including expenses on office operations and on salaries. An economist agreed with the reform measure of the government, but to add and to reduce civil servants, as the labor market of the private sector drops also, will cause the labor situation in Cambodia to be worse. This means that unemployment will increase in 2009, as economic growth drops to only slightly more than 4%.

“In the last report of the International Labor Organization about youth employment in Cambodia, the number of youth capable for work, between the age of 15 and 24 seeking jobs every year, was given as around 275,000, and this becomes a big concern for Cambodia. It is expected that this number will increase more, if the labor market is still not growing. In the meantime, officials of some non-government organizations also expressed concern about Khmer citizens facing unemployment and earning no income to support their lives.

“Officials of some organizations pointed out that Hun Sen’s government should not reduce recruitment of new civil servants in 2009 by using the economic meltdown as a cause. In contrast, the government should eliminate corruption and bureaucracy in important institutions in order to collect money lost in corruption to be used rather as salaries for new civil servants working to serve the national interest. Also, the fourth-term package-voted government should adopt an anti-corruption law soon, so that a large portion of international aid is not lost in corruption.

“Previously, independent observers had criticized serious corruption and bureaucracy in some important institutions, which make the national budget to loose hundreds of millions of dollar, but Prime Minister Hun Sen does not take action to eliminate corruption in those important institutions. Important institutions which have been plagued by corruption are a heavy burden, and they have been criticized by different circles: they are the Council of Ministers administered by Sok An, the Ministry of Economy and Finance administered by Keat Chhon, the Ministry of Commerce administered by Cham Prasidh, Hun Sen’s in-law, the Customs and Excise Department administered by Pen Siman, the Council for the Development of Cambodia, the Anti-Economic Crime Police Department, as well as the court system.

“Observers said that at present, corruption and bureaucracy in the Ministry of Commerce is not different from that in the Council of Ministers. Therefore, recently there was a corruption scandal in the Ministry of Commerce, regarding the creation of a new department – the CamControl Department to be controlled by Mak Picharith. The creation of a new department leads to strong competition between Mak Picharith and Cham Prasidh’s son-in-law, Cham Borith. Many officials of the Ministry of Commerce said that the strong competition for power by both of them will unavoidably explode like a volcano soon.

“Many officials of the Ministry of Commerce said that if corruption can be eliminated effectively in the Ministry of Commerce, salaries for 9,000 new civil servants are not a problem. Therefore, Prime Minister Hun Sen must take action to crack down on corruption in the Ministry of Commerce immediately, in order to collect budget resources, for the salaries of new civil servants to be recruited to serve the nation. The Hun Sen government should not take the meltdown of the economy as a reason to reduce the number of newly to be recruited civil servants for 2009. Observers added that the economic crisis in Cambodia seems not relevant to the recruitment of only 9,000 new civil servants. The Hun Sen government should reconsider this again in order to avoid embarrassment, because in 2009, the government will spend up to US$1.8 billion, and moreover, it is granted nearly US$1 billion in aid to sustain its breath.” Moneaksekar Khmer, Vol.16, #3657, 5.1.2009

Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Monday, 5 January 2009

Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.8, #1838, 4-5.1.2009

• A Journalist [of Chhanteak Koun Khmer] Taking Photos of a Dessert Seller for Pleasure Was Arrested as if He Were a Robber [putting him in a police car; however, the authorities said they just invited him to receive some advises for his wrongdoing, though it is not clear what he did wrong – Siem Reap]
• Bush: [Rocket] Attacks by Hamas on Israel Is ‘Terrorism’
• Muslim Countries around the World Demonstrate against the Attacks by Israel on Gaza

Khmer Machas Srok, Vol.3, #319, 4-6.1.2009

• [President of the Human Rights Party] Kem Sokha: The Prevention for Human Rights Party Parliamentarians to Climb to the Preah Vihear Temple [to distribute donations] Is An Extreme Discrimination and Partisan Attitude

Khmer Sthapana, Vol.2, #175, 4-5.1.2009

• Health of the Former King Gets Better
• Dry Paddy Rice Plants in Two Districts [of 200 hectares] Are Destroyed by the [Cambodian] Heng Development Company [in Ampov Prey and Kandaok communes, Kandal Stung, Kandal]
• The Permission to Import too Many Pigs from Thailand Kills the Economic Breath of Khmer Farmers
• China and Vietnam Finished Border Disputes

Koh Santepheap, Vol.42, #6543, 5.1.2009

• Two Suspects Are Arrested for Setting Explosive Devices; This Is Terrorism against the 7 January Victory Anniversary [to frighten people not to participate in the celebration on 7 January 2008 – said the Minister of Information and spokesperson of the government, Mr. Khieu Kanharith]
• Drunk and Noisy 68-Year-Old Man Was Hit by His Wife with a Hoe on His Head and Died [after he hit his wife first in an argument, Svay Rieng]

Moneaksekar Khmer, Vol.16, #3657, 5.1.2009

• The Government Reduces Recruitment of Civil Servants Due to Economic Meltdown
• [Former member of the Central committee of the Cambodian People’s Revolutionary Party, Cambodian Ambassador to Hanoi, and some time Minister of Foreign Affairs during the State of Cambodia, now vice-president of the Sam Rainsy Party] Kong Korm: On 2 December 1978, There Were Yuon [Vietnamese] Troops Controlling and on 7 January 1979, There Were Yuon Experts from Hanoi with Direct Power Around Cambodia in All Sectors and Levels [and so on 7 January 1979, the Khmer Rouge regime broke down]

Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.17, #4786, 4-5.1.2009

• The Ruling Party [the Cambodian People’s Party] Will Celebrate the 30th Anniversary of 7 January as the Biggest Event Focusing on Border Protection [with 80,000 people participating at the Olympic Stadium]
• Minister of Public Works and Transport [Tram Iv Tek]: All Roads from Phnom to the Provinces Will Be Constructed during the Fourth Term
• [Thai] Fortune Tellers: The New Siamese [Thai] Government Cannot Live Long and Bloodshed Will Continue; ASEAN Secretary General [Mr. Surin Pitsuwan] Supports Thailand to Host the ASEAN Summit Meeting

Samleng Yuvachun Khmer, Vol.16, #3469, 4-5.1.2009

• The Municipality Has No Plan to Punish the David Construction Company of Oknha Khy Pov for Constructing No-Quality Roads, already Damaged

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