president of national council of anti-corruprion elected, long heng

Cambodia elects president of National Council of Anti-corruption
By Chhorng Long Heng , 22 juen 2010

Cambodia on June15 chose H.E.Top Som, former member of the constitutional council as the president of the National council of Anti-Corruption to lead the organization to implement the law of anti-corruption, which passed by the national assembly recently.
“We ensure to work with transparency and accountability and processed independently,” H.E.Top Som told reporters at the council of ministers after the close meeting. “We will implement our work by law,” he added. And you will see about transparency and independence of this institution through observing its process in fighting against corruption in the country, he noted.
“Our first priority, officials who appointed by the sub-decree and royal decree have to claim their properties and we do it according to law,” Om Yentieng, head of anti-corruption unit said in the press conference. At the same time, we will investigate the case of anti-corruption with real situation,” he added.

He continued that recently his team joined to observe the process of hardwood bidding process in Kompong Cham and that hard wood and timber arrested and confiscated during the crackdown last month by the government. That bidding was conducted best form with transparent process through our observation and money from bidding will hand over to state and it earned like selling at free market, he emphasized.

He said that now his team has 60 officials and it will select more staff to implement the law and we will increase our officials to 120 soon. “We will conduct to investigate more cases,” he noted. Cambodia has two agencies for fighting against corruption in the country. Anti-corruption unit led by H.E Om Yentieng and the national council of anti-corruption led by H.E Top Sam. H.E Om Yentieng explained that the anti-corruption unit is leading to work directly to combat corruption and the national council is observing the operational work of anti-corruption unit and the elements of the national council of anti-corruption come from top state agencies including government, supreme council of magistracy, senate, national assembly, and the council of administration and legal reform.

Heng Vongbunchat, member of the national council of anti-corruption said: we have 11 members including me. And the member voted to support Prak Sok as vice president of the national council of anti-corruption. He continued that element of members of the national council of anti-corruption includes H.E. Uth Chhorn from the national audition authority, Lok Chumteav Soum Kimsour from ministry of national assembly –senate relation and inspection, Chiv Keng from the supreme council of magistracy, H.E Heng Vongbunchat myself from the supreme council of administration of legal reform. H.E. Keo Ramy from the national committee of human rights, H.E.Chan Tani from the council of ministers, Suy Mong Leang from the legal expert, H.E Prak Sok and H.E Top Sam from the national assembly and senate, Kuy Sophal from the royal palace, and H.E Om Yentieng from anti-corruption unit.
“On June 17, all members of the national council of anti-corruption joined the swearing-in ceremony at the Royal Palace in front of scared objects and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister in charge of Royal Palace Kong Sam Ol represented the king,” H.E. Keo Ramy told SEAW. ###