Fight Against Corruption, not Anti-Government: Mam Sitha

By Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer
Washington
15 December 2009

The fight against corruption should not be viewed as antagonistic towards

Clean Hand

the entire government, a leading anti-graft advocate said Monday. Instead, laws, regulations and policies should be aimed at anyone involved in corruption, leaving aside those who aren’t.

“Don’t confuse them,” said Mam Sitha, president of the Cambodian Independent Anti-Corruption Committee.

“To fight against corruption is to fight against those who commit corruption,” she said, as a guest on “Hello VOA.” The issue can be confused as anti-government, she said, “because many of the corruptors work in the government.”

I do aggree with her. With this I see that the widespread of corruption in Cambodia is caused by four factors: (1) a weak political will of the government officials in eradicating corruption, (2)  a weak and incompetent head of the government in implementing the good governance,  (3)  the weak law enforcement, and (4) the low salary.

As a result, corruption in Cambodian has never been  improved in these recent years and it is even downgraded to the level of serious concern to the rank of 158 among the 180 countries in the world. 

In this sense, Cambodia does need an effective corruption law and should learn from the experiene of  other country as well which successfully abolishes the corruption, esp., Singapore. Moreover, all of the Cambodian people should abide by the strong anti-corruption policy as Mr. Mohammed  Ali, Acting Assistant Director Corrupt Practise Investigation Bureau of Singapore,  recognizes that the corruption control:

1. has a strategic significance in national development;
2. provides a source of competitive advantage. Investor are happy doing businese  if there an effecient, clean and transparent environment without being encumbered by bribery.
3. is part and parcel of good governance for the common good of the citizens;
4. contributes  to the meritocratic  ideal, levelling the playing field because the  unchecked corruption will have  the following detremental  effects:

• distorts accepted and cherished values, particularly achievement orientedness  and diligence;
• undermines fairness and stability in society;
• subverts the course of justice and weakens the rule of law especially if bribes are paid to prevent law enforcement, there will be contempt and hostility towards authority

In its relentless fight against corruption Singapore has the following measures in place:

1. Legislative Measures against Corruption
2. Administrative Measures
3. Preventive Guidelines
4. Action against corrupt government officers
5. Court Punishment for Corruption
6. Departmental Punishment for Corruption
7.  Roles of Government Agencies

Actually, I have no idea about the Cambodian Anti-Corruption Law, for I don´t have the copy or read it yet. Let´s see if I can get one.