Unofficial Translation

Selected Comments at the 2nd Cambodia Development Cooperation Forum (CDCF)

In addition to the prepared text, Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen made some of the comments that are selected and translated as follows:

Anti-Corruption Law

… You may ask when the law (on corruption) would be in force. I would say it will depend on when the Criminal Code is going to be in place. The law should be proclaimed after the Criminal Code as we have to guarantee conformity between the two laws. As we already have the Civil Procedural Code and the Criminal Code we have only in waiting the Criminal Law. Once the Law is out then the Anti Corruption Law would then make its appearance.

On Judicial Matter

… The Supreme Council of Magistracy under the leadership of HM the King, in HM role as the chairman of the meeting, has convened regular meetings which would look into issue of removing, reprimanding or encouraging  judges …

Good Rice Harvest

… This year according to initial estimate we might have rice in extra of about 2.8 million tons after the sum for local consumption and animal feeding are being subtracted. I would base on this figure to say that it would not be long before Cambodia increases its export of milled rice to five million tons per annum. My judgment strongly bases on the fact that the rice cultivation has been done on a relatively small size of land and only once per annum. We would be able to increase the current figure of export - 2 million tons of milled rice - to the new figure if we were to expand our irrigation system, which would allow cultivation to take place twice a year. Achieving only 70% of output from Vietnam and Thailand, Cambodia would already be able to export five million tons already. Cambodia would then be the rice barn for other countries that are impossible to produce rice. I agree with the suggestion that it would be a huge mistake if a country with immense agricultural potential would look over its capability.

No to Logging

… I would recommend to the chairperson of the forum and partners that no consideration would be made on whether to get back to logging. As you could see that we have achieved in the previous years the economic growth of 11.7% and then 12%, why now our growth has come back down under 12%. The answer is simple.

Firstly, we have slashed income from logging. We should leave forest for our many generations to come. If we were to do that transporting logs would damage our roads so the income from loggings would not even sufficient to pay for reparations. Therefore it is best to keep them where they are as reserves. Secondly, 56% of the fishing lot has been trimmed out and offered to use by people at large. This is also adding on to downing growth figure. The last one is we continue to charge no tax on farmers. If we were to charge tax on land, plus other incomes sources we could have had an increase in the GDP. So I warn you all not to think of cutting more trees though we do have to allow for some local demand and the need in industrial and handicraft sectors.

Having said so may make the forest merchants no longer support Hun Sen and I would say it does not matter because the people are happy that Hun Sen protects the forest, which means they support Hun Sen. I would have nothing to lose and therefore I have nothing to be afraid of. We have to protect the forest and it is will not be a rotten reserve at all. If we could keep them longer - 300 to 500 years - they would be even greater. One other fact is that I have special attachment to new bridges and roads that have been constructed and are under construction. They could be facing damages for logs transportations. I would not accept any idea to suggest income making from forest sources at all. I would not object if you are talking about planting forest/trees such as Acasia for final products in paper or for export purpose.

Quota for Women?

… I would propose a thorough consideration to the forum about this idea of setting a quota for women as I used to hear a lot already about setting so and so quota for so and so positions, and I found it unacceptable as it would not be realistically applicable. I would suggest we should depend on the reality as the Royal Government has incorporated at least one female position at the rank of deputy provincial or district administrators and we leave it up to the women to seek to build up capacity for such positions. First women have to build up their capacities and they should support each others. So I think it is best to get gender issue implemented on the realistic basis. By May 17, 2009, the country will conduct its administrative elections at the district/Khan and provincial levels, would it be that then the non governmental organizations request for quota too? One should try to keep his/her stance so as not to be either extreme rightist or leftist.

In France, Madame Segolene Royale did not defeat President Sarkozy because the French did not think it is time for France to have woman President yet. In the United States, in the elections to decide who would stand as the democratic candidate in the presidential election last year, Barack Obama has his opponent Hilary Clinton concede the race, though later on, Hilary has been picked to be Secretary of State in the Obama's administration. Here in Cambodia we also have many Ambassadors who are women - Australia, Singapore, Brunai, Cuba, the US, etc. Cambodia also sends out four women Ambassadors too …if we put that into equation in position versus men, this is a high figure. In this sense I would suggest it is immature to work out quota as is proposed. What is so amusing is that the idea was presented by the group which does not even have female Candidate for people's deputy position.

Ten Imbalances

… I would take this chance to share with you a number of challenges which I have yet to include in the papers that I have presented so far. They all are in my pocket for many years and if I were not mistaken 21 years ago we have only four imbalances to address - water (irrigation), roads, electricity and human resources development. They are still valid and are inputs and I would seek the Royal Government and the development partners to ponder together as up to the present I have found that there are ten disequilibrium, and I consider them the strings to a knot. What are they?

First, it is the lack of equilibrium between demand and supply, as more demand has been noticed and supply is still in limited response. Therefore it is important to focus on solving food demand, clothing, residence, transport means, education and healthcare. Second, the lack of balance between income and expense which we have to make more efforts to increase income so as to increase our ability to invest in projects that are beneficial to the people, reducing dependence on foreign assistance and external loans… Third, it is the imbalance between import and export - which we have to concentrate efforts that Cambodia could increase export to reduce trade deficit … Fourth, the lack of balance between money and goods - which I would urge for a speedy economic growth, maintain macroeconomic stability, prevent inflation, maintain purchasing power of the Riel currency … Fifth, the need to balance between the living condition of the civil servants and the armed forces versus the salary challenges - where the focus is on seeking for an appropriate salary increase in tandem with the economic growth … Sixth, the imbalance between labors - adult people and students who have graduated, and job creation - which we have to attract more investments for jobs as well as for improving rural environment …Seventh, between human capacity and national development which requires more investment in education and human resources development… Eighth, need for infrastructural development where attention should be focused on irrigation, roads, bridges, ports, airports and electricity… Ninth, need for transparent and sustainable development and addressing ineffective governance … and Tenth, there is a need to integrate Cambodian economy into the regional and the world on the one hand and to fix the weak infrastructure of national economy and institutional and judicial capacity on the other…

… The ten imbalances mentioned earlier have not been mentioned in any papers or publications but they have been in my pocket as I have discussed only among locals and never shared them with our partners. I am sure these imbalances will be our visions for ten or twenty years to come...■

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