Chhorng Long Heng: Cambodia to host regional ASEAN seminar on fighting against corruption

Cambodia to host regional ASEAN seminar on fighting against corruption


by Chhorng Long Heng

The Anti-corruption Unit (ACU) of Cambodia announced on 23 August that it will host the regional ASEAN seminar on fighting against corruption late this year.



“Cambodia will host the regional ASEAN seminar on combating corruption late this year,” H.E Om Yenteing, head of ACU said in the seminar on fighting corruption to achieve development.



“To contribute in fighting against corruption, we need clean our staff at the ACU first, we will create a small group to investigate our staff about where they go and eat something with who at where to ensure that they are not making any corruption,” HE Om Yenteing added.

They need to declare their assets in advance before they started working and stop working at ACU, he said, adding that we will have annual polygraph test to assess our officials. He said previously that over 100,000 governmental officials must declare their asset accordance with to the law of anti-corruption which was passed by the national assembly in March. We have to join together to fight against corruption to contribute development and fulfill the commitment of millennium development goals, he stresses.



“We set up the strategies in countering corruption and sooner we will install our website for our agency in collecting the information and post the documents from ACU, and officials could download the documents to fill in forms,” He said, adding that local people could report the information to ACU through the website, they provided exclusive information for us to investigate the cases of corruption related at somewhere or other public officials.



Speaking at the sideline of symposium on fighting against corruption to achieve development, Prof Pil Hwan Oh, chairman of Korean Association for Corruption studies (KACS) said that the purpose of this symposium is to discuss the impact of corruption on economic development on developing countries.



“I hope that this opportunity will be a new beginning for meeting number challenges lying ahead and opens a window for the international cooperating system,” he said, adding that corruption is global as well as diverse and it had become an issue of major political economic significance in recent years in many countries across the globe including a number of developed countries.



He stated that corruption affects policy making process negatively, distorting the allocation of national resources, he said, adding that throughout decrease in investment impact and increase in political instability and transaction costs, corruption began to emerge, giving a negative impact on economic growth. Thus, fighting corruption should be the priori policy for economic development in developing countries particularly.



Honorary Congressman Shin-Bom Lee, the Blue Korea Foundation (BKF) and former member of the national assembly of the republic of Korea said that with the blooming of democracy, South Korea has faced many new challenges, but has successfully overcome them. I am certain that South Korea’s experience of democracy and fight against corruption by reforming the system over the past 20 years was a success story. “I am convinced that Cambodia can achieve far greater success in the future, He added.



The Cambodia- Transparency International of South Korea conducted joint Symposium on “Fighting Corruption to Achieve Development” on August 23 in Phnom Penh with the aim to review corruption issues as a key challenge for economic and social development based on the global understanding that with the existence of a high level of corruption and poor governance, the Millennium Development Goals cannot be achieved.





The Cambodian advocates in turn shared their experience in fighting corruption, the challenges they face as well as new opportunities in light of recent development and the enabling environment following the adoption of the Anti-Corruption law and the establishment of the Anti-Corruption Unit as well as the related institutions.



Transparency International Secretariat presented the Development Pact, a tool that works with political and administrative “champions” keen to demonstrate their commitment to higher benchmarks of integrity and performance on development promises.



The symposium also discussed some key recommendations to all stakeholders in Cambodia and in Korea such as: the government, parliament, civil society organizations, international donors and the media in order to promote integrity and transparency more effectively



“The participants appreciated the government’s commitment to the fight against corruption and wish to form a coalition with the government, the private sector and international stakeholders to take more proactive steps towards reducing corruption and achieving the MDGs, the joint statement from the symposium said, adding that the establishment of integrity system should be promoted through good governance process. The political parties should put democratic interest before party interests through practicing and adhering to democratic principles. “To reduce collusion among politicians and businessmen, transparent policy making and administrative processes are essential.

Strengthen democratic development at local government,” the statement added.



The executive, legislative and judiciary should promote and guarantee freedom of expression and access to information, particularly with regard to public services; Promote transparent revenue, budget and procurement processes; Citizens should be encouraged to submit complaints on corruption issues. Encourage greater religious involvement such as ethical and moral values to enhance social integrity. Focus on both preventing and fighting corruption through raising public awareness, integrating Develop a comprehensive anti corruption strategy with focus on education on integrity at schools, it stresses. ###