The Phnom Penh Post - ENGLISH: “Declare assets, ACU tells former officials” plus 9 more

The Anti-Corruption Unit has sent a letter of warning to three recently dismissed Senate advisers to declare their assets and debt as required by law.

In a notification signed by ACU chairman Om Yentieng on Monday, the trio – identified as Vong Sopheap, Kouch Cheahuot and Kheang Leap – were given 30 days to declare their assets and debt to the ACU, the official deadline for which is January 31.

According to the notification, despite having recently ended their affiliation with the Senate, the three are still required to make the declarations.

"The ACU . . . has contacted the three former officials, who are required to declare their assets and debts, many times, but they ignored us and cut off communication," Om Yentieng said in his notification.

"This forces the ACU to make a public announcement inviting the three officials to declare their assets and debt within 30 days."

Sopheap, Cheahuot and Leap could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Kong Koam, a senator from the Cambodia National Rescue Party, said he had never heard of the three men, and added that he and his fellow senators had already declared their assets.

According to Article 38 of the Anti-Corruption Law, anyone who refuses to declare their assets could face anywhere from one month to one year in prison, and a fine ranging from $25 to $500.

The ACU keeps public officials' declarations in sealed envelopes that can only be opened by the body's president, and only then in the event that an investigation is opened against the official.

Villagers embroiled in a longstanding land dispute with a Chinese rubber company in Ratanakkiri's O'Chum district received an official eviction notice last week from local authorities who failed to promise compensation, community representatives told the Post yesterday.

More than 100 families will have to move so Swift Rubber Limited – which obtained a 3,000-hectare land concession in the area last year – can begin clearing their land, the notice signed by the O'Chum district governor says.

"We saw the letter that was placed on a rubber tree to evict us without paying us any compensation. This shows a total lack of responsibility to us residents who have lived here since 1993," community representative Chhun Sokchea, 47, said.

Ngen Borin, a company representative, said responsibility to decide compensation lay with the authorities.

"The company is not authorised to say which families own this land or how much money [they should get]. That is the authority of the local authorities, and the company follows the authorities."

District governor Sak Sun could not be reached.

The UN urged government and financial organisations to stimulate Cambodia's flailing micro-insurance industry yesterday, after a study found the country's poor are vulnerable to indebtedness during a crisis.

The United Nations Development Business (UNDB) hosted a working group yesterday at Phnom Penh's Sunway Hotel launching the study, which highlighted Cambodia's need for a more comprehensive micro-insurance industry.

Of the 302 responses from people in Kandal, Kampong Cham and Kampong Thom provinces considered in the study, 97 per cent said they often faced risks including illness, drought, flood, death of a household member and crop damage.

Nearly 90 per cent reported illness as the most common risk they face, while 49 per cent named crop failure resulting from drought or flood as the most common.

Just 17 per cent were current micro-insurance clients while 70 per cent said they were former micro-insurance customers but discontinued their policy due to inflexible payment options and complicated policy documents.

According to the findings, 78 per cent of the respondents said they were willing to pay premiums "to a third party" of up to $15 per year in order to curb the financial risks they face on a daily basis.

The responses triggered a UNDB call to the Cambodian government and finance organisations to "think outside the box" when designing a micro-insurance strategy amid criticisms the current products available were not suited to the Cambodian people.

UNDB social protection economist Marisa Foraci said trust was a major factor for rural communities and expressed fears that the lack of carefully thought out products could force Cambodia's nine million low-income citizens to take on more debt through micro-finance company loans.

Cambodians owed almost $1.2 billion to the country's 35 microfinance institutions at the end of September, according the Cambodia Microfinance Association, with about 30 per cent for agricultural production.

"[Cambodia's] low-income communities have become dependent on microfinance loans in times of crisis. This will undoubtedly result in over-indebtment and may lead to intergenerational poverty transmission," Foraci told the working group.

"It is clear people are aware of the benefits of the micro-insurance, but they would like the government to be involved to guarantee that no one is going to leave with their hard earned money. Local authorities must also be involved in any micro-insurance strategy the government decides on."

Foraci said it is impossible to estimate how long it would be before Cambodia has an effective micro-insurance strategy and market of products.

"I think – hope – the government is considering a micro-insurance strategy. They wanted to see if there was truly a demand first."

Mey Vann, director of the Department of Industry and Finance at the Ministry of Economy and Finance commended the UNDB study.

"We can see the demand for micro-insurance in Cambodia . . . [But] we need to consider both sides of the coin, to balance the profits of the operators, the benefits of the clients and the responsibility of the government," he said.

There are doubts however, from within the industryPresident of the Cambodia Microfinance Association Bun Mony, said despite the UNDP's findings, Cambodia's low income families would not afford "such a luxury".

"It will not work. It has been tried for the past three or four years with no growth in the sector," he said.

Mony said $15 a year was a lot for a low-income family who were better served investing in their business.

"To date I have not seen a proper or effective micro-insurance policy that meets low income families' needs."

The World Health Organization (WHO) and World Bank's World Report on Disability (2011) estimates that 15 per cent of the world's population have a disability, of whom 2.2 per cent have very significant difficulties functioning.

As a post-conflict country, Cambodia is subject to a number of risk factors which can lead to high prevalence of disability. If we use the data provided in the World Report on Disability to estimate the situation in Cambodia, that would mean about two million Cambodians are living with disability.

People with disability face many barriers including physical, social, economic and attitudinal. These barriers prevent them from full and effective participation in their society.

In Cambodia, people with disability lack access to appropriate, quality and affordable health care, rehabilitation, education and disability services. Women and children with disability are particularly vulnerable to disadvantage.
A recent Cambodian study found a significant higher prevalence of violence against women with disability compared to their peers without disability.

The Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) has recognised these challenges and has been taking important steps to promote, protect and ensure the rights of people with disability in Cambodia.

This was demonstrated through the adoption of the Law on the Promotion and the Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2009 and the ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in 2012.

In the Rectangular Strategy Phase III (2013-2018), disability is listed as one of the priorities under the Rectangle IV: "Implementing the national policy on disability through the Disability Action Council and strengthening the implementation of the Law on the Protection and the Promotion of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities."

Disability remains an important part of the Australian Government's policy on development cooperation. Australia's Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Hon Julie Bishop MP, noted in a recent speech at a high-level meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on disability and development that "we have all witnessed the challenges faced by people with disability in developing countries where disability can increase the risk of poverty and poverty can increase the risk of disability".

She stated that "through our aid programs, Australia has an important role in improving the lives of people with disability in other countries".

Australia's approach to these issues is outlined in our Development for All Strategy.

Australia is proud to be a long-term supporter of disability-inclusive development in Cambodia. Since 2004, Australia has implemented a practical approach to meeting the needs and priorities of people with disability and ensuring they benefit from development projects through our aid program.

Australia supported the Royal Government of Cambodia and the Cambodian Disabled People's Organisation to prepare for ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Australia now supports two key institutions – the Disability Action Council and the Cambodian Disabled People's Organisation.

Work this year by these institutions has contributed to the launching of the Incheon Strategy to "Make Right Real" for Persons with Disabilities in Asia and the Pacific; developing a National Disability Strategic Plan 2013-18; helping people with disability participate in the national election; raising awareness of disability issues and building the capacity of 27 disabled people's organisations to advocate for their rights and needs.

Today, on the United Nations' International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Australia is pleased to launch a major new disability program – the Disability Rights Initiative Cambodia (DRIC).

This program will be run in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

The long-term goal of this program is "to improve quality of life for people with disability in Cambodia". The program will help ensure "people with disability have increased opportunities for participation in social, economic, cultural and political life through effective implementation of the National Disability Strategic Plan".

The program has four components. The first will support the Royal Government of Cambodia to coordinate implementation of the Convention. The second will support disabled people's organisations to raise the voice and protect the rights of people with disability.

The third component will help strengthen rehabilitation systems in Cambodia. The final component will enhance inclusive governance and inclusive community development.

This component aims to increase the capacity of and collaboration between sub-national decision makers, civil society and communities to achieve the rights of people with disability.

On this, the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Australia confirms our commitment to stand behind people with disability in Cambodia.

Alison Burrows is Australian Ambassador to Cambodia.

True to their red hot form and high expectations, Alaxan FR Patriots clinched the inaugural Cambodian Basketball League Championship after beating IRB The Lord 63-54 in the final played before a packed Beeline Arena on Saturday.

The Patriots picked up championship gold medals along with a prize money of $1,000 on the top of a glittering 2013 CBL Cup. As runners-up, The Lord were presented with silver medals and $500.

In the third place play-off before the final, Sela Meas defeated CCPL Heat 65-58.

When the two most fancied sides took the court for the title showdown there was obvious tension in both camps. It took some time for both teams to shake off those early jitters.

Patriots coach Chris Borja sent out a strong five to start – Dexter Arcenas, Aimar Sabayo, Nigel Doughan, Jeff Kane and Curran Hendry.

At the other end, The Lord had to do without their key player Kim Vengngoun besides losing the services of Norodom Rindra, who was injured during the quarter-finals.

In the initial stages, the Patriots were really put through the hoops, the kind of pressure they had never felt throughout the season. The Patriots' corner was getting tighter all the time in the first quarter with many turnovers and lost rebounds.

The Lord on the other hand had never played a better first half in the entire season. SEA Games-bound Ouch Phanat produced a string of good jump shots for The Lord and in the second quarter, Yin Han started finding many offensive rebounds.

[img]

For the Patriots, relief in the first half came through Arcenas, who managed to keep the score rolling even in the face of intense pressure. When the second quarter, full of high level moves, ended the teams were all square at 39.

The third quarter turned out to be the least productive for both sides. Neither could break into double figures.

When it came to the crunch, the Patriots were finding The Lord's zone defence too tight to break. Fortunately for the ultimate champions, The Lord were battling their own demons, stuck as they were scoreless, the result of missing many easy shots.

The decisive winning turn for the Patriots came in money time with John Cornito and Aimar Sabayo making that crucial difference.

Befittingly, the season's best performer for the Patriots, Sabayo, closed out the game with a dunk after a fast break. They ran out worthy champions, having tasted nothing but success in the 12-team competition.

The end of the season awards function was attended among others by Cambodian Basketball Federation President San Borat, secretary-general Chy Sabath, CBL manager Michael Dibbern and a representative from Western Union, the main sponsors of the league along with Coca-Cola.

The second week of the Cambodian $10,000 ITF Futures series for the GLF Cham Prasidh Cup was off to a sensational start at the National Training Center yesterday with the off-court drama of two high-profile withdrawals adding to the excitement of Bun Kenny partnering former world No 12 Dominik Hrbaty of Slovakia to a first round victory in doubles.

Just a couple of hours before the singles main draw matches were to begin, last week's singles and doubles winner Andrew Whittington withdrew from both of his engagements due to a sore back.

By a quirk of strange coincidence, the fifth seeded Australian was to play in the first round his doubles partner Gavin van Peperzeel, whom he had beaten in Saturday's final in straight sets. A lucky loser from the qualifying rounds has now moved up to take Whittington's place in the draw.

While the news of the Ford Cup winner's unexpected departure created a buzz around the centre, there was another surprise in store for the ITF Supervisor Puneet Gupta to deal with. This time it was Thailand's Danai Udomchoke retiring from his first round match against Yusuke Watanuki of Japan after having won the first set at 6-4 but down 1-4 in the second.

All Udomchoke would say after getting out of the court was that he felt "tired" and that he was not mentally in it. "I have been playing for the last eight weeks. I started feeling that I am just not there," Udomchoke, winner of Cambodia's first ever Futures event in 2011, told the Post.

In the day's order of business on Court 1, Cambodia's Davis Cupper Mam Phalkun played the opening match as a wildcard against Hyun Woo Nam of South Korea.

It was apparent after the first few games that the Korean would take absolute control of the court. So he did, winning without conceding a single game.

Dominik Hrbaty's reputation precedes him where ever he goes. The Slovakian has long given up competitive tennis, turning his focus instead on coaching. But his record when on tour against the current top players – 3-1 against Nadal, 2-1 against Federer and 1-1 with Djokovic – will forever keep reminding the tennis world of his salad days.

"I play 20 per cent of what I used to. I just want to help the players I play with," Hrbaty told the Post after wrapping up with Bun Kenny a 6-4, 3-6, 10-6 (super tie break) win over Nicolas Ernst of Germany and his Romanian partner Catalin Ionut Gard.

One of the top players in the pro-circuit in the mid 2000s, Hrbaty is here as a coach with Patrick Davidson of the United States.

In other first round singles matches, sixth seeded Josh Goodall of Great Britain defeated Mico Santiago of the United States 7-5, 6-1 while Robin Olin of Sweden swept past Arata Onozawa of Japan 7-5, 6-0.

Colin van Beem of Netherlands got the measure of Vietnam's Thien Nguyen Hoang 6-2, 7-5 and Takashi Saito of Japan recorded a 7-5, 6-0 win over Oscar Hernandez Perez of Spain.

Meanwhile Bun Kenny has been drawn to meet Ivo Klec of Slovakia in his singles first round tie today.

The Cambodian Badminton Federation launched a week-long coaches training course yesterday morning at the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia headquarters.

The course, which is supported by the Olympic Council of Asia, is being lead by Malaysian instructor Sam Ban Than.

Sessions will also be held at the Badminton Hall of the National Sports Complex. According to CBF deputy general secretary Cheam Sophea, 25 coaches from clubs across the country are participating.

The Kirirom Mountain Challenge makes its annual return to the Kampong Speu national park this Sunday with more than 200 cyclists expected to participate in nine separate classes of age and ability.

Races will start at 8:45am and wrap up at 3pm. Registration varies between $5-$20 and can be made up until Wednesday at Flying Bikes 2 shop (St 51, No 131 ). Organisers say more than $3,000 of cash and prizes are up for grabs.

The Premier League produced yet another explosive round of fixtures over the weekend, with just two games failing to yield less than three goals.

Everton's 4-0 rout of Stoke was the most one-sided, although it was Man City's 3-0 smashing of Swansea that included the gameweek's peak performance.

Midfield maestro Samir Nasri has been steadily picking up points throughout the season, largely overshadowed by his striker colleague Sergio Aguero.

However, the Frenchman took the spotlight this time out, netting twice and bagging the bonus to tally up 16 points.

Aaron Ramsey played a similar role for Arsenal against Cardiff but succumbed to a yellow card, which knocked him back a point to 15.

Everton middle-man Bryan Oviedo was a rare selection for fantasy managers but turned a few heads with a goal and assist to amass 14 points.

While Gameweek 13 may have been unlucky for some, others boasted great fortunes with Quoc Nam Bui's Barcelonam notching up an outstanding 110 points to win the weekly spoils by a massive margin.

Quoc had Man United's Wayne Rooney as captain to collect 26 points, and also cashed in on Dream teamers Ramsey, Everton's Seamus Coleman (13), Man City's Pablo Zabaleta (11) and Chelsea's John Terry (11).

Quoc will receive a $20 phone voucher and T-shirt from sponsors Cellcard.

Gameweek 14 kicks off tonight and wraps up Wednesday, so get those transfers done sharpish.

Over in the Cellcard Facebook Fanpage competition, the prize is set to rollover for the second successive week after another obscure answer to the posed question. In the Tottenham v Man United game, Spurs defender Kyle Walker opened the scoring with an 18th-minute strike.

Understandably, no one guessed the first scorer and time correctly, so the next question will be worth $30 in phone vouchers.

The Cambodian U23 team fly out to Myanmar today ahead of their opening SEA Games Group B fixture on Saturday against the hosts. Coach Lee Tae-hoon of South Korea stuck to his tried and tested squad during recent friendlies and the 2013 BIDC Cup.

The 20 players making the cut include goalkeepers Sou Yaty (Phnom Penh Crown) and Sar Sophea (Svay Rieng); defenders Sok Rithy (Naga Corp), Touch Pancharong (Boeung Ket), Sok Sovan (BK), Sok Pheng (BK) and Say Piseth (National Police); midfielders Chhin Chhoeun (MND), Khek Khemarin (MND), Tum Saray (SR), Prak Mony Udom (SR), Chhun Sothearath (BK), Srey Oudom (Police), Chan Vathanaka (BK), Ke Vannak (MND) and Bin Chantha Thierry (Crown); forwards Keo Sokngorn (Boeung Ket), Ros Samoeun (BK), Phoung Soksana (MND) and Sos Souhana (Crown).