DAP: The breaking news in Cambodia

PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA, MARCH 30, 2011-Former deputy director of forestry administration office for Memot district of Kompong Cham province, Teang Tray, has been jailed for three months in the charge of making bribery and corruption related to illegal logging and illegal timber export.

The sources to Kampong Cham provincial court said that on March 24, the court opened the trail process of illegal logging in Kompong Cham province and the court announced verdict for Teang Tray, former deputy director for Memot district for one year but practiced for three months only in jail and rest was cancelled.  Tray is a strong man for timber business in his location and he is also senior officials that had never been afraid of senior officials in Phnom Penh.

And Thon Van Viravuthy, head of Memot district forestry administration office and Tray were fired from position in 2010. But Van escaped from arrest and he is still at large at that time.  

But the sources stresses now Van plans to pay money for new position at the forestry administration in Phnom Penh and he planned to get new role as office head for forestry administration authority. The officials at the forestry administration could not comment on that.

In 2010, Prime Minister Hun Sen took serious action against illegal logging and timber smuggling to foreign countries.  Samdech Hun Sen at that time ordered to arrest Tray and his officials.

Since2005, The Government has banned the export of forest and hardwood product and is replanting to 60 per cent of land coverage in 2015 as stated in millennium development goals. Moreover, the Forestry Administration previously said that totally, about 100 officials charged of involvement in illegal logging. And the confiscated timber products sold for over millions US dollars.