លោក​ហ៊ុន សែន​នឹង​រឹប​អូស​ទ្រព្យ​សម្បត្តិ​របស់​លោក​សម រង្ស៊ី​យក​ទៅ​លក់​ឡៃឡុង

School of Vice: Desperate times call for desperate measures?

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31 មករា 2017
កាន់ វិច្ឆិកា


លោកនាយករដ្ឋមន្រ្តី ហ៊ុន សែន ថ្លែងពីការរឹបអូសទ្រព្យសម្បត្តិរបស់លោក សម រង្ស៊ី ប្រធានគណបក្សសង្គ្រោះជាតិ ក្នុងកិច្ចប្រជុំវិសាមញ្ញក្នុងរដ្ឋសភា នៅថ្ងៃទី៣១ ខែមករា ឆ្នាំ២០១៧។



លោក​នាយករដ្ឋមន្រ្តី ហ៊ុន សែន នៅ​ព្រឹក​ថ្ងៃ​អង្គារ​នេះ បាន​ប្រកាស​ថា លោក​នឹង​រឹបអូស​ស្នាក់ការ​កណ្តាល​គណបក្ស​សង្គ្រោះ​ជាតិ និង​​ទ្រព្យ​សម្បត្តិ​ផ្សេង​ទៀត​របស់​​លោក សម រង្ស៊ី ប្រធាន​គណបក្ស​ប្រឆាំង​ បន្ទាប់​ពី​លោក​​បាន​ប្តឹង​លោក សម រង្ស៊ី ដោយ​ទាមទារ​សំណង​ជំងឺ​ចិត្ត​១លាន​ដុល្លារ​ពី​បទ​បរិហារ​កេរ្តិ៍​​ជា​សាធារណៈ។


ភ្នំពេញ —
ការ​ប្រកាស​នេះ​ធ្វើ​ឡើង​ក្នុង​កិច្ច​ប្រជុំ​វិសាមញ្ញនៅ​រដ្ឋសភា​ដើម្បី​សម្រេចលុប​ចោល​ប្រការ ៤៨(៣) ថ្មី នៃ​បទបញ្ជា​ផ្ទៃ​ក្នុង​រដ្ឋសភា​ដែល​ឈប់​ឲ្យ​មាន​ក្រុម​តំណាងរាស្រ្ត​មតិ​ភាគ​តិច ​និង​មតិ​ភាគ​ច្រើន។ ក្រុម​ទាំង​ពីរ​នេះ​ត្រូវ​បាន​គណបក្ស​ប្រជា​ជន​កម្ពុជា និង​គណបក្ស​សង្គ្រោះជាតិ​បង្កើត​ឡើង​កាល​ពី​ឆ្នាំ​២០១៤ ដើម្បី​ដោះ​ស្រាយបញ្ហានយោបាយ​ក្នុងពេលកន្លងមក។​

កាល​ពី​ថ្ងៃ​ទី​១៨ ខែ​មករា លោក ហ៊ុន សែន ​ ​បានប្តឹង​លោក​ សម រង្ស៊ី ​ប្រធាន​គណបក្ស​សង្គ្រោះ​ជាតិ ​ដែល​កំពុង​និរទេស​ខ្លួន​នៅ​ប្រទេស​បារាំង ​ពី​បទ​បរិហារកេរ្តិ៍​ជា​សាធារណៈ​ បន្ទាប់​ពី​លោក​ សម រង្ស៊ី ​ថ្លែង​តាម​បណ្តាញ​អ៊ីនធឺណិត​ទៅ​កាន់​សកម្មជន​របស់​លោក​ ដោយ​និយាយ​ថា​ លោក​ ហ៊ុន សែន ​បាន​ផ្តល់​លុយ​ចំនួន​១​លាន​ដុល្លារ​ ដល់​កញ្ញា ​ធី សុវណ្ណថា ដើម្បី​បំបែក​គណបក្ស​សង្គ្រោះជាតិ។​

ព្រឹកមិញនេះ លោក សុន ឆ័យ បានធ្វើសន្និសីទសារព័ត៌មាន ស្ដីអំពី “គោលជំហររបស់អ្នកតំណាងរាស្រ្តគណបក្សសង្គ្រោះជាតិលើការធើ្វវិសោធនកម្មបទបញ្ជាផ្ទៃក្នុងរដ្ឋសភា ប្រការ៤៨” នៅទីស្នាក់ការកណ្តាលគណបក្ស

Final test for voter roll gripes

NEC member Mean Sathi (centre) speaks at a press conference on the resolution of complaints regarding the new voter list earlier this month in Phnom Penh. Pha Lina

31 Jan, 2017 Lay Samean

The Constitutional Council yesterday began the last step in the process of reviewing complaints of foreign nationals registering on the recently compiled voter list, a process that began just days after the National Election Committee cleared almost all the names it had reviewed.

The council as of yesterday had received 62 complaints each covering multiple individuals, with Council spokesman Ut Chhorn saying the first two of the complaints, coincidentally involving 62 names, had been reviewed yesterday and were cleared to remain on the list.

Cambodia’s ‘rain gamblers’ could see their money washed away

SEA Globe

By: Paul Millar - POSTED ON: January 31, 2017

Climate change could spell the end for Cambodia’s high-stakes habit of betting on the weather

Photo: staffan.scherz via Visual Hunt

On the outskirts of Battambang in Cambodia’s rural northwest, in the dust-green smear of a rice field, below the shadow of a solitary sdao tree, a group of men are fixated on the northwest sky. Black plastic walkie-talkies squawk in their hands; bursts of urgent, intense Khmer drilling into ears like old leather. The dry dirt shatters beneath their feet as they pace through the parched patch of shade, eyes fixed on clouds as blue and swollen as a bruise. The still air stirs in the afternoon heat. The men stop and rattle off rapid-fire commands into their radios. The wind is rising.

These men are just a handful of ‘the rain gamblers of Battambang’, a sizeable group of punters who partake in a tradition widely believed to have come to Cambodia with the swelling ethnic Chinese population. Although wagering on the weather is widespread in the sprawling capital of Phnom Penh, it is in Cambodia’s second-largest city that the sport has spilled out of the backrooms and basements and into the public eye. While the stakes differ according to what players can afford to pay, it is not unheard of for tens of thousands of dollars to be won or lost in the space of an afternoon squall. Illegal under Cambodia’s anti-gambling laws, the pastime nonetheless attracts a committed following of bettors, bookies and budding meteorologists.

Letter to the editor: Ngy Chanphal, Secretary of State

Gambia, and for that matter, many other countries around the world mired in conflict, should learn lessons from Cambodia on how we successfully moved from war to peace, using a win-win strategy, instituting a sustainable development agenda and experiencing a social and economic transformation.

ppp

31 Jan, 2017

My Response to Mr Robert Finch

Editor,

In the editorial published in The Phnom Penh Post on January 27 titled What are the lessons of Gambia for Cambodia?, Robert Finch, a self-described “independent” consultant who has worked with “groups” in Cambodia, Thailand and “Burma”, attempts to interfere in the running of Cambodia in such a way that creates internal conflict and enflames political instability, while offering premature, shortsighted, out of context, irrelevant and misleading “advice”. This deserves a response.

Not knowing his background, but his insistence on referring to our fellow ASEAN member by its old name, Burma, instead of Myanmar, smacks of arrogance and ignorance. How can he offer constructive help when he shows such disrespect to the country he is working in?

As for Cambodia, the government welcomes news of the peaceful resolution for Gambia. In fact, Cambodia has learned quite a lot from many countries and international organisation around the world, and we thank them all.

But most importantly, we learned from ourselves, especially from the past 60 years of Cambodian history. We learned how to move from war to peace, from constant conflict and confrontation to reconciliation, from rehabilitation to development and from a poor underdeveloping country to a lower-middle-income country in just over 20 years.

Coal-fired plant tests new power generator

Visitors look over Cambodia’s first operational coal-fired power plant at its launch in Preah Sihanouk province’s Stung Hav district in 2014.Heng Chivoan

31 Jan, 2017 Kali Kotoski

PPP

Structural testing of the third unit of a 700-megawatt coal-fired power plant under development in Preah Sihanouk province has begun, with the new unit expected to go online by the end of the quarter, a government official said yesterday.

The 135-megawatt power-generating unit, which was initially slated to be operational last month, will add to the existing 270-megawatt capacity of the massive Cambodia International Investment Development Group (CIIDG) power station, which first fired up in late 2014.

“The new unit is in its testing phase and will have a commercial operation date soon,” said Tun Lean, undersecretary of state for the Electricity Authority of Cambodia (EAC).

A $383 million joint venture between CIIDG, owned by influential Cambodian People’s Party Senator Lao Meng Khin, and China-based Erdos Hongjun Electric Power Co is developing the power plant under a 33-year build-operate-own concession from the government.

Four more CNRP raise hand to declare assets

Khmer Power Party president Sourn Serey Ratha, one of the first political figures to publicly declare their assets with NGO Accountability Cambodia, speaks at a Phnom Penh press conference in 2016. Hong Menea

31 Jan, 2017 Andrew Nachemson and Mech Dara

PPP

Four more political figures – all commune councillors or members of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party – have agreed to having their assets published online via NGO Accountability Cambodia (AC), which posted the data yesterday.

Earlier this month, CNRP lawmaker Lim Kim Ya and Khmer Power Party president Sourn Serey Ratha became the first political figures to publicly declare their assets with AC. Yesterday, AC published records from Chan Lina, Ngoung Savin and Pul Yan, all running for commune council re-election, and CNRP party member Keo Heang.

An AC press release said the cooperating politicians “acknowledged that they have a role to promote integrity in their society and anti-corruption”.

Accidents claim 30 lives over three-day holiday

A traffic accident site in Phnom Penh late last week. More than 30 people died and 100 others were injured in traffic accidents over the Chinese New Year celebration weekend. Photo supplied

31 Jan, 2017 Khouth Sophak Chakrya

PPP

More than 30 people were killed and 100 others injured in traffic accidents during the three-day Chinese New Year holiday this year, a slight drop in both categories, officials said yesterday.

A report issued by National Police’s traffic and public orders unit blamed “speeding and drunk driving” for the 60 traffic accidents from January 27-29 that left 32 people dead, 69 seriously injured, and 28 slightly injured. The comparable holiday period a year ago saw 72 traffic accidents with 38 deaths, 85 serious and 42 slight injuries.

While a concerted effort to enforce helmet usage has yielded visible gains since the new Traffic Law went into effect last year, most deaths were the result of their absence.

“[M]ost of the dead victims were motorbike drivers who wore no helmet,” the report said.

Steeper entry at Angkor temples

Tourists explore the ancient ruins of the Angkor Wat temple complex in Siem Reap province. Heng Chivoan

31 Jan, 2017 Matthieu de Gaudemar

PPP

Ticket prices for Angkor Wat are scheduled to increase on Wednesday, with industry experts expressing cautious optimism that despite reports showing tourist spending fell last year, the sharp increase in admission fares at the country’s premier tourist attraction would not deter foreigners from visiting Cambodia.

Starting on Wednesday, foreign visitors to the Angkor Archaeological Park in Siem Reap province will need to fork out almost twice as much for one-day passes, which are set to increase to $37, from $20. Three-day passes will rise to $62, from $40, while week-long passes will cost $72, up from $60.

The higher admission fares, first announced last August, follow similar price hikes at the country’s popular tourist sites. On January 1, the entry fee of the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh increased to $10, from $6.25. Entry to the capital’s other top tourist draws, the National Museum and Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, rose to $5, from $3.

លោក ហុង លីម បន្ត​ចោទ​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​កម្ពុជា​​ថា​ជា​របប​តិរិច្ឆាន​និង​ហ៊ុន​និយម

30 មករា 2017
ហ៊ុល រស្មី
voa


លោក ហុង លីម តំណាងរាស្ត្រ​មកពី​រដ្ឋ Victoria ប្រទេស​អូស្ត្រាលី។



នៅ​ក្នុង​ការ​ជួប​ជុំ​មួយ​ជាមួយ​មេដឹកនាំ​​សមាគម​ខ្មែរ​អូស្រ្តាលី​ដែល​ធ្វើឡើង​កាលពី​រសៀល​ថ្ងៃ​សៅរ៍​នៅរដ្ឋ​វិកតូរីយ៉ា​ ​ ​លោក​ ហុង​ លីម​ បាន​ថ្លែង​ថា​ លោក​ចង់​ឃើញ​ការ​ជជែក​ដោះស្រាយ​បញ្ហា​នយោបាយ​ ដោយសន្តិវិធី​ ជាជាង​ការប្រើប្រាស់​សកម្មភាព​ហិង្សា​ ដែល​ប្រទេស​កាន់​លទ្ធិប្រជាធិប​តេយ្យ​ពិត​ប្រាកដ​ មិន​​អនុវត្ត​នោះ​ទេ។​ ​


ភ្នំពេញ —
លោក​ ហុង លីម​ តំណាង​រាស្ត្រ​ ខ្មែរ​-អូស្ត្រាលី​ ប្រចាំ​រដ្ឋ​វិកតូរីយ៉ា​ (Victoria) ​ បាន​បន្ត​ហៅ​របប​នយោបាយ​កម្ពុជា​នាពេល​បច្ចុប្បន្ន​ថា​ ជា​ «របប​តិរិច្ឆាន» ដោយ​លោក​ថា ​របប​នេះ​ប្រើ​អំពើ​ហិង្សាប្រឆាំង​នឹង​ក្រុម​អ្នកមាន​ទស្សនៈ​ផ្ទុយ​ពី​រដ្ឋាភិបាល។

កាលពី​ខែ​សីហា​ឆ្នាំ​២០១៦​លោក ហុង លីម​ ត្រូវ​បាន​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​កម្ពុជា​បដិសេធ​មិន​ស្វាគមន៍​លោក​ឲ្យ​ចូល​ក្នុង​ទឹកដី​កម្ពុជា​បន្ទាប់​ពី​លោក​បាន​ហៅ​របប​នយោបាយ​កម្ពុជា​សព្វ​ថ្ងៃ​ថា ​ជា​របប​តិរិច្ឆា​ន‍‍។​ ​

CNRP to boycott ‘minority’ status vote

CNRP officials meet to discuss the upcoming elections and opposition strategy at the party headquarters in Phnom Penh yesterday. Photo supplied

ppp

Tue, 31 January 2017

Meas Sokchea\

The opposition will boycott a vote today expected to scrap their standing as the National Assembly’s “minority” party, with some members decrying the “affront” to the institution and one saying its loss may actually help the party’s cause with voters.

Following orders from Prime Minister Hun Sen, lawmakers from the ruling Cambodian People’s Party are expected this morning to approve a rewriting of Article 48 of the assembly’s internal regulations.

Speaking yesterday, CNRP chief whip Son Chhay said his colleagues had agreed to boycott the vote, which can be passed by a simple CPP majority regardless of their presence.

“We have decided just now that we will not attend the National Assembly session,” Chhay said, adding the party would instead hold a press conference at its headquarters.

“We do not support this amendment.”

Classic Wonton Soup Recipe | Homemade Wontons

NB: Don't like how your Wonton soup turns out? Send all your complaints to Angel, not School of Vice...

Cambodia’s Coconut School encourages green, clean future

រដ្ឋសភា​នឹង​បើក​កិច្ច​ប្រជុំ​ធ្វើ​វិសោធនកម្ម​លុប​ចោល​ប្រធាន​ភាគតិច​នៅ​ថ្ងៃ​ទី​៣១​មករា

ដោយ យាង សុជាមេត្តា
2017-01-30



រដ្ឋសភា​ប្រជុំ​អនុម័ត​សេចក្តី​ព្រាង​ស្ដីពី​ការ​គ្រប់គ្រង​លើ​ការ​បរិច្ចាគ ការ​ផ្សាំ​កោសិកា ជាលិកា និង​សរីរាង្គ​មនុស្ស និង​ការ​ប្រឆាំង​ជួញ​ដូរ​ក្រលៀន នៅ​ថ្ងៃ​ទី​៣០ ខែ​មិថុនា ឆ្នាំ​២០១៦។ RFA/Brach Chev
 RFA/Brach Chev



រដ្ឋសភា​គ្រោង​បើក​កិច្ច​ប្រជុំ​នៅ​ព្រឹក​ថ្ងៃ​ទី​៣១ មករា ដើម្បី​ធ្វើ​វិសោធនកម្ម​លុប​ចោល​ប្រធាន​ក្រុម​ភាគតិច​នៅ​រដ្ឋសភា។ សេចក្តី​ជូន​ដំណឹង​របស់​អគ្គលេខាធិការដ្ឋាន​រដ្ឋសភា ឲ្យ​ដឹង​ថា កិច្ច​ប្រជុំ​នេះ​នឹង​មាន​ការ​ចូលរួម​ពី​ប្រធាន​រដ្ឋសភា លោក ហេង សំរិន ដើម្បី​ពិភាក្សា និង​អនុម័ត​សេចក្តី​ព្រាង​ស្នើ​វិសោធនកម្ម​ជំពូក ១២​ថ្មី ប្រការ ៤៨​ថ្មី (បី) នៃ​បទបញ្ជា​ផ្ទៃក្នុង​នៃ​រដ្ឋសភា ដែល​អាច​ឈាន​ដល់​ការ​លុប​ចោល​តួនាទី​ប្រធាន​ក្រុម​តំណាងរាស្ត្រ​នៃ​គណបក្ស​នយោបាយ​ក្រៅ​រដ្ឋាភិបាល ឬ​ហៅ​ថា​ប្រធាន​ក្រុម​មតិ​ភាគតិច​នៅ​រដ្ឋសភា មាន​ឋានៈ​ស្មើ​នាយក​រដ្ឋមន្ត្រី ដែល​បច្ចុប្បន្ន​ជា​មុខ​តំណែង​របស់​លោក កឹម សុខា ប្រធាន​ស្តីទី​គណបក្ស​សង្គ្រោះ​ជាតិ។

Cambodian archeologists have uncover an Angkorian iron foundry. The furnace, dating back nearly 1,000 years, was discovered among rice paddies near the iconic Angkor Wat temple complex

Thousands of people mourn the killing of a prominent Muslim lawyer in Myanmar. Ko Ni spoke out against the anti-Islamic sentiments of Buddhist nationalists, and criticized Myanmar’s military crackdown on the mainly Muslim Rohingya community

UN Officials Condemn Murder of Legal Advsor to Myanmar Ruling Party

31 January 2017

VOA News

Mourners carry the coffin of Ko Ni, prominent Muslim lawyer who was shot dead, at the Muslim cemetery in Yangon, Myanmar, Jan. 30, 2017.

U.N. officials have condemned the killing of a legal advisor to Myanmar's ruling party and called for a "proper, effective impartial" probe into murder.

Ko Ni, a prominent member of Myanmar's Muslim minority, was gunned down Sunday as he was waiting for a taxi outside Yangon's international airport. He had just returned to Myanmar after an overseas trip.

A taxi driver was wounded in the attack. Officials say the gunman has been arrested.

“I am shocked to the core by the senseless killing of a highly respected and knowledgeable individual, whom I have met during all of my visits to the country, including most recently just over a week ago,” said Yanghee Lee, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Myanmar.

សម្ភាសលោក តាំង សារៈ ជុំវិញបញ្ហាខ្មែរក្រោមនៅកម្ពុជាប្រឈម

កម្មវិធីទូរទស្សន៍អាស៊ីសេរីសម្រាប់ថ្ងៃទី៣០ ខែមករា ឆ្នាំ២០១៧

យុទ្ធសាស្ត្រនយោបាយរបស់លោក ហ៊ុន សែន ដើម្បីរក្សាអំណាចទុកបន្តបំផ្លាញជាតិ។

៣០ មករា ២០១៧ - ព័ត៌មានសង្ខេបប្រចាំថ្ងៃ / 30 January 2017 - Summary of the main news of the day read by Sambath Rose-Marya

តំណាងរាស្ត្រ​សង្គ្រោះ​ជាតិ​នឹង​មិន​ចូលរួម​ប្រជុំ​កែប្រែ​បទបញ្ជា​ផ្ទៃក្នុង​រដ្ឋសភា

30 មករា 2017
កាន់ វិច្ឆិកា
voa


រូប​ឯកសារ៖ តំណាងរាស្ត្រ​គណបក្ស​សង្គ្រោះ​ជាតិ​ធ្វើ​ពហិការ​មិន​ចូល​រួម​កិច្ច​ប្រជុំ​រដ្ឋសភា​កាល​ពី​ថ្ងៃ​ទី​២៤ ខែ​កញ្ញា ឆ្នាំ ២០១៣។ (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)



តំណាង​រាស្រ្ត​ក្រុម​មតិ​ភាគ​តិច​និង​ភាគ​ច្រើន​រដ្ឋសភា​ត្រូវ​បាន​បង្កើត​ឡើង​កាលពី​ចុង​ឆ្នាំ​២០១៤​ ដើម្បី​​រក​ដំណោះ​ស្រាយ​នយោបាយ​ខណៈ​ដែល​ស្ថានការណ៍​នយោបាយ​កម្ពុជា​នៅ​ពេល​នោះ​​​បាន​​ជាប់​គាំង​អស់​មួយ​រយៈ​ក្រោយ​ការ​បោះ​ឆ្នោត​ឆ្នាំ​២០១៣។​



ភ្នំពេញ —
តំណា​ង​រាស្រ្ត​គណបក្ស​សង្គ្រោះ​ជាតិប្រកាស​ថា ​ពួកគេ​នឹង​មិន​ចូល​រួមជាមួយ​ក្រុម​តំណាង​រាស្រ្ត​គណ​បក្សប្រជាជន​កម្ពុជាក្នុង​ការ​ប្រជុំ​លុប​ប្រការ​៤៨ ថ្មី (បី)​ នៃ​បទបញ្ជា​ផ្ទៃ​ក្នុង​រដ្ឋសភា ​ ដើម្បី​ រំលាយតំណាងរាស្ត្រ​មតិ​ភាគ​តិច​និង​ភាគ​ច្រើន​នៃរដ្ឋសភា​នោះ​ទេ។

តំណាង​រាស្រ្ត​ក្រុម​មតិ​ភាគ​តិច​និង​ភាគ​ច្រើន​រដ្ឋសភា​ត្រូវ​បាន​បង្កើត​ឡើង​កាលពី​ចុង​ឆ្នាំ​២០១៤​ ដើម្បីរក​ដំណោះ​ស្រាយ​នយោបាយ​ខណៈ​ដែល​ស្ថានការណ៍​នយោបាយ​កម្ពុជា​នៅ​ពេល​នោះ​បានជាប់​គាំង​អស់​មួយ​រយៈ​ក្រោយ​ការ​បោះ​ឆ្នោត​ឆ្នាំ​២០១៣។​

Villagers accuse official of logging shakedown

Mon, 30 January 2017

Phak Seangly

ppp

Two hundred ethnic Phnong villagers in Mondulkiri’s Koh Nhek district launched a protest on Friday after the deputy district governor and an armed escort seized timber from their homes, before allegedly attempting to extort a bribe for its return.

“People are collecting thumbprints to protest,” said Kreung Tola, who represents the Mondulkiri Provincial Community Network. “[Nut Boeun,] the deputy district governor led the forces to halt the timber with extortion. They searched homes without a warrant.”

A 33-year-old villager, who spoke on condition of anonymity, yesterday said that Boeun led an armed three-man team of military police and soldiers to search homes for timber on Thursday. After discovering the illicit wood, the officials tried to force at least four timber owners to pay $500.

“They could only afford to pay $100. The deputy district governor said that he would not accept $100. So the villagers protested,” they said, adding that a villager named Tong Chan was allowed to keep his wood after paying $250.

Trump’s ‘Muslim ban’ met with anger in Southeast Asia

School of Vice: 

But for the fact that Trump seeks to ban Muslims en masse solely based on their religio-cultural identity, most of South East Asians' despots and "strong-man" rulers are otherwise no strangers to acting like he does. The ban itself is a hark back to the KKK era when black men could be lynched for 'eye-raping' a white woman! Most observers of Cambodia's [or the Philippines', Malaysia's, and even Singapore's] politics are more or less immune to this kind of bigotry and insanity on almost daily basis as such things are expiated via state organs and realised in reality. But, to have to learn of these follies issuing from the most powerful leader of the 'Free World' is somewhat disappointing. 

Perhaps, the only significant difference between South East Asia's despots and Trump is that the latter's exercise of executive powers will be subjected to America's check and balance mechanisms - something that is far from being well-entrenched in the former's political cultures.

>>>

By: Logan Connor - POSTED ON: January 30, 2017

SEA Globe

US President Donald Trump’s executive order banning travellers from seven Muslim-majority nations has been condemned by the region’s Islamic nations

People gather and hold signs during a protest at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport after new immigration policies enacted by US President Donald Trump in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, 29 January 2017. Photo: EPA/ERIK S. LESSER

With the stroke of a pen Friday evening, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order banning travellers from seven Muslim-majority countries entering the US.

Declaring the beginning of “extreme vetting” of visitors to the US, citizens of Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Iran, Syria and Yemen were blocked from entering the country for 90 days. The order also bans any refugee admissions for 120 days, with Syrian refugees excluded indefinitely.

As individuals with valid visas and permanent residency status were detained at airports, the order was met with confusion as to who exactly would be allowed into the US.

While the order does not explicitly ban immigrants and travellers on the basis of religious grounds, it has been labelled a ‘Muslim ban’ by critics worldwide, as the order targets Muslim-majority nations.

Sihanoukville casinos to punt Cambodian clientele

A man plays poker at a casino in Preah Sihanouk in 2014. Eddie Morton

Mon, 30 January 2017

Mech Dara

ppp

Preah Sihanouk Governor Yun Min has asked all casinos in the seaside province to begin enforcing widely flouted laws that ban Cambodians from gambling.

In a statement released on January 20, Min calls for increased vigilance from casinos after local authorities found an increase in the number of Cambodians gambling.

“There are some casinos that do not comply with the government’s strict instructions and have allowed Cambodian clients to gamble, resulting in impacts on public order and social security,” the statement reads.

Min could not be reached for comment yesterday, but Sihanoukville City Governor Y Sokleng seemingly had little stomach for a crackdown, insisting his administration had no authority to enforce the ban.

“It is not related to city administration. And secondly, regarding Cambodians gambling, in the past, the city had invited casinos and instructed them not to allow Cambodian people to play,” he said.

Mekong economies on course

Eugenia Victorino, an economist at ANZ Bank, speaks during a workshop on Cambodia’s economy last week. Hong Menea

30 Jan, 2017 Kali Kotoski

PPP

The Greater Mekong Subregion has become a magnet for manufacturing FDI while bucking a global slowdown in trade. The Post’s Kali Kotoski sat down with Eugenia Victorino, South and Southeast Asia economist for ANZ, to talk about the region’s long-term economic outlook.

What potential for growth do you see in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS)? 
We believe that the Mekong countries are poised to rise compared to the rest of the Asia. Of course, there is some risk that Bangladesh or Sri Lanka could take the Mekong’s role, but now is the time for this region. Of the Mekong countries, Vietnam is leading the pack and is showing the way for the other economies to grow. So despite overall trade in Asia being in a two-year recession, the Mekong is a top global performer that is slowly climbing up and value-added chain by adopting manufacturing diversification.

What is driving this diversification? 
Manufacturing diversification is only possible because of the support of foreign direct investment. Vietnam is often referred to as an FDI magnet and you can see how it has rapidly changed the country’s production capability by attracting almost $90 billion over the last 15 years.

Remedy eyed to put roof over kindergarten kids

Kindergarden students being taught outdoors due to the lack of classrooms in Battambang province. ANN

30 Jan, 2017 Kong Meta

PPP

The Education Ministry is studying the feasibility of building new classrooms for kindergarten students in Battambang’s O’Char commune, where 103 students are currently being taught outdoors, an official said yesterday.

Provincial education department director Ngy Set said there was a meeting yesterday morning with officials from the ministry’s construction department, and it was determined that construction for the new kindergarten would begin later this year, though an exact location was still unknown. A previous kindergarten for the area has long been too dilapidated to use.

“We are studying . . . about the location . . . and whether to build it on the same land as the [Hun Sen O’Char Primary School],” he said. That school’s grounds is where the students are now being taught outdoors.

Newly protected areas to span 1.5M hectares

Environment Minister Say Samal speaks at a press conference earlier this month. Pha Lina

30 Jan, 2017 Touch Sokha

PPP

The government has declared almost 1.5 million hectares as protected areas in a bid to enhance the sustainability of the ecology system and reduce the impact of climate change, according to a sub-decree signed on Thursday.

The so-called Biodiversity Conservation Corridors cover a total of more than 500,000 hectares in Keo Seima and Snuol districts as well as the Phnom Proek forest, another 170,000 hectares along the Phnom Kravanh mountains in Pursat and Koh Kong province, and almost 800,000 hectares in the Prey Lang and Kulen Prum Tep forests.

The new corridors will connect several already protected areas, which are off-limits to economic land concessions.

Ministry of Environment spokesman Sao Sopheap yesterday said these corridors are a necessity to protect wildlife. “We established the corridors to protect the ecology system,” he said.

Protests over Mondulkiri sanctuary

Phnong ethnic villagers block a road in Ou Reang district in 2015 during an earlier protest against Mega First Corporation. Photo supplied

30 Jan, 2017 Phak Seangly

PPP

Some 50 villagers representing Phnong ethnic communities in Mondulkiri protested two days in a row last week against the provincial land department’s decision to list parts of Phnom Nam Lyr Wildlife Sanctuary as private state land, paving the way for a company to clear it.

Mega First Corporation was granted an economic land concession (ELC) of more than 9,000 hectares in 2012. At the time, the land was considered state-public property, a designation that meant it could not be fundamentally changed, a hurdle that will be removed if the provincial land department’s decision stands.

The area overlaps with an estimated 4,000 hectares of community forest inside Phnom Nam Lyr Wildlife Sanctuary in Orang’s Dak Dam commune, according to protester Toeuy Thi, 55.

CNRP putting it to a vote

A CNRP member casts her vote to nominate a party candidate yesterday in Kandal province’s Khsach Kandal district to contest in the upcoming commune elections. Heng Chivoan

30 Jan, 2017 Meas Sokchea

PPP

As it whittles down its candidates for June’s commune election, the opposition party has started holding ballots to settle who will get on its lists in areas where intra-party negotiations failed to narrow the field.

In the first vote of its kind for the Cambodia National Rescue Party, 253 villagers in Koh Cho Ram commune in Kandal province’s Khsach Kandal district yesterday chose five out of 11 candidates, as well as their respective order on the list, to contest for the opposition.

The winner, Mak Chamroeun, who now takes the top spot on the ballot and will become chief if the CNRP wins the commune, yesterday welcomed the outcome, saying he looked forward to serving his community if successful in June.

“I’m determined to serve in line with the party and government and will spend the assets and resources I have,” Chamroeoun said.

CNRP lawmaker Eng Chhay Eang, who attended yesterday’s vote, said the party wanted to be fair in its selection of candidates.

“If through compromise we cannot agree together, [we] let citizens in the grassroots decide their fate,” Chhay Eang said.

Farmers weeding out drudgery with mechanised equipment

Farmers put harvested rice into a mobile threshing machine in Battambang province in 2015. Heng Chivoan

30 Jan, 2017 Cheng Sokhorng

PPP

Cambodia is shaking off the legacy of the Khmer Rouge’s agrarian dystopia and deploying increasingly sophisticated agricultural machinery to reduce human and animal toil, and increase productivity, according to the latest government data.

A Ministry of Agriculture report released this month shows the use of mechanised agricultural equipment has doubled in the past five years and over 90 percent of farming land preparation is now done by machinery instead of draft animals.

“The use of agricultural machinery is increasing and most farming has transformed from manual labour or cattle-driven equipment to machinery,” said ministry spokesman Lor Reaksmey.

“Mechanisation plays an important role in furthering the productivity of farming.”