Observations on Corruption in Cambodia
Observations on Corruption in Cambodia
In 1993, with the constitutional monarchy restored in Cambodia, Sihanouk became the king once again. The whole country were cheerful, as they finally saw the dawn of peace. Having suffered ravages of war for nearly half a century, Cambodia, which used to be called as “oasis of peace”, was not flourished any more. Cambodian economy withstanding the devastating strike, this country had become one of the least developed countries in the world. Under the leadership of the administration of the Kingdom of Cambodia, Cambodia conducted reconstruction work in peacetime. However, large concentration of power and lack of proper monitoring system made bureaucratism and corruption in Cambodia government worsening. Many officials’ actions like abuse of power, jobbery, suppression law with power greatly damaged interests of the country and people. It also brought about many social problems, for example, officials’ illegal encroachment on farmers’ lands and illegal felling of forests. These problems can only be settled when they were appealed to Prime Minister Hun Sen. What’s more, factional fighting of the government has sustained for a long time, and it will still sustain in the future.
As the a regional hub in South East area, Cambodia has cheap labor, abundant natural resources and strong aspiration of economic development. But weak infrastructure, poor and backward current circumstances and especially serious corruption bring about huge risk for foreign investment and restrain its economic development.
The international anti-corruption non governmental organization, Transparency International, has released the 2013 Cambodia report recently. It shows that up to 65% of Cambodian people claims that they bribed judicial officials in the last 12 months. The proportion of bribes to policemen reaches 65%; that of bribes to officers in public utilities reaches 62%; that of bribes to registration and licensing agency personnel is 62%;
In 1993, with the constitutional monarchy restored in Cambodia, Sihanouk became the king once again. The whole country were cheerful, as they finally saw the dawn of peace. Having suffered ravages of war for nearly half a century, Cambodia, which used to be called as “oasis of peace”, was not flourished any more. Cambodian economy withstanding the devastating strike, this country had become one of the least developed countries in the world. Under the leadership of the administration of the Kingdom of Cambodia, Cambodia conducted reconstruction work in peacetime. However, large concentration of power and lack of proper monitoring system made bureaucratism and corruption in Cambodia government worsening. Many officials’ actions like abuse of power, jobbery, suppression law with power greatly damaged interests of the country and people. It also brought about many social problems, for example, officials’ illegal encroachment on farmers’ lands and illegal felling of forests. These problems can only be settled when they were appealed to Prime Minister Hun Sen. What’s more, factional fighting of the government has sustained for a long time, and it will still sustain in the future.
As the a regional hub in South East area, Cambodia has cheap labor, abundant natural resources and strong aspiration of economic development. But weak infrastructure, poor and backward current circumstances and especially serious corruption bring about huge risk for foreign investment and restrain its economic development.
The international anti-corruption non governmental organization, Transparency International, has released the 2013 Cambodia report recently. It shows that up to 65% of Cambodian people claims that they bribed judicial officials in the last 12 months. The proportion of bribes to policemen reaches 65%; that of bribes to officers in public utilities reaches 62%; that of bribes to registration and licensing agency personnel is 62%;