Cambodia ‘near bottom’ in budget transparency

Last Updated on 08 March 2013

By Stuart White

 

Cambodia's government ranks among the worst in the world in terms of budget transparency and has shown zero improvement since 2010, according to a biennial report released by an international transparency group yesterday.

According to the report from International Budget Partnership, which was presented at a conference by a coalition of NGOs including the NGO Forum and Transparency International Cambodia, the country scored 15 out of a possible 100 points – the same as in 2010 – putting its score between Nigeria and Egypt in a group of countries identified as providing “scant or no information” about their budgets.

The failing grade, the report says, is largely attributable to the Kingdom’s failure to make key budgetary documents – such as draft budgets and audit reports – accurate, useful and available to the public.

“Publishing the [budget] report, making it transparent, is just part of the process,” maintained Transparency International Cambodia Executive Director Preap Kol.

Failing to do so, he said, “may create a question mark as to whether the government has a real will for change”.

Kol also advocated a wait-and-see approach, noting that the 2014 survey “will tell whether the political will is there or not”.

In the meantime, noted In Samrithy of NGO Education Partnership, uncertainty over the budget among teachers was already causing disruptions in the education sector, and Ros Sopheap of Gender and Development for Cambodia similarly cited a dearth of specificity on funding for women-centric issues in the national budget.

According to opposition parliamentarian Son Chhay, Cambodia’s draft budget isn’t even made public to lawmakers outside of a select few in the ruling Cambodian People’s Party.

“No one besides the ruling CPP has a right to know or a right to decide on a yearly budget of the country,” he said, while noting that corruption accounts for hundreds of millions in lost revenue each year.

“We are left in the dark,” he added. “We are representing all the provinces, but we don’t even know what they’re doing in Phnom Penh.”

However, Phenn Rithipol, the bureau chief of the Ministry of Economics and Finance’s Department of Budget, maintained at yesterday’s conference that there was “no secret or reason behind” not publicising budgetary matters, but that there was simply no money with which to do so.

During his remarks, Rithipol allowed that there was “a lack of information sharing,” but urged patience, saying that ministry employees worked a difficult schedule, and were “very busy”.

 

Foreign investment in Cambodia’s property rises

Last Updated on 28 February 2013

By Siv Meng

 

Property experts say foreign companies are coming to invest in Cambodia’s property sector, as they see the growth and potential of the Kingdom.

Sung Bonna, director of Bonna Realty Group, said that the number of foreign companies in the sector has grown, and most are from South Korea, Japan, China, Singapore and Malaysia.

Chinese companies started their investments earliest, while other foreign companies have been studying and doing research about Cambodia before investing here.

“The property investment companies growth rose a little bit during 2011-212 as it grew better during 2012 and early in 2013”, Bonna said, “After Cambodia hosted the Asean Summit, with world leaders joining the meeting, we see the inflow of foreign investors into Cambodia, but some of them, at the moment, have been doing research and considering about the possible investment in Cambodia”.

Despite the signs of more investment, Bonna warned that there are too many public holidays to make investors happy in Cambodian, a point which he is worried and focused on.

“Forty-five days into the year to so far, there have only been 25 work days, which is an important issue that Cambodia government should take care of.”

Kong Putheara, director of the statistics and information department in the Ministry of Commerce, said there are 347 international companies entering to invest in Cambodia’s property, in which 107 are from South Korea, 54 from China, 21 from Malaysia, France and the USA, 17 from the UK, 15 from Australia and Vietnam, 12 from Thailand, eight from Japan and 56 from other countries.

However, he didn’t comfirm the growth level of foreign companies investing in Cambodia.

Keuk Narin, vice president of Asia Real Estate Cambodia, said that since 2012, there have been many international companies investing in Cambodia’s property sector, in which investors are Malaysian, Singaporean and Chinese, and from the second quarter of 2012, there has been a greater inflow of Japanese companies in Cambodia.  

Cheng Kheng, director of the CPL real estate company and president of Cambodian Valuers and Estate Agents Association, said now he was working with a concerned partner, so he do not want to say anything.

He said “the number of foreign companies investing and doing business in this sector has really increased but I don’t have specific figures. I have been working with the concerned parties to clearly get the figure in hand.”

Tourists, Not Tension, Reign at Preah Vihear Temple

By Neou Vannarin and Simon Lewis - March 8, 2013

 PREAH VIHEAR TEMPLE – Several fierce battles have been fought with Thailand at this ancient temple in recent years, but last week it was an energetic game of volleyball that kept Cambodian troops on their toes as groups of tourists wandered unconcerned around the 11th-century ruins. 

 

A Preah Vihear Authority conservation ranger drinks water. (Simon Lewis/The Cambodia Daily)

Despite saber-rattling stories in the Thai press and a recent warning by Prime Minister Hun Sen that Thailand planned to attack if the International Court of Justice (ICJ) rules that land around Preah Vihear belongs to Cambodia, volleyball and water were the two main concerns among troops at the temple.

A number of soldiers approached by reporters said they were under strict orders not to talk to the media. But rather than staying quiet to keep the enemy in the dark about military matters, they said they were gagged after a recent radio report quoted Cambodian soldiers complaining about the lack of water at the temple.

“The commander was angry after that,” said a soldier who declined to be named.

Far into the dry season, with only a few centimeters of water remaining in wells, and the ancient ponds of the mountaintop temple almost dry, water appeared to be the troops’ most pressing concern.

One soldier, Morn Phat, said that drinking water was being brought up the mountain.

“The water [to drink] is enough, but we have some trouble with water for bathing,” he said. “It’s normal for this season.”

Another, Touch Rathana, said all had been quiet on both the Cambodian and Thai sides of the frontline since July, when the countries held an official withdrawal of troops from an ICJ-proposed demilitarized zone (DMZ) around the temple.

Combat troops were withdrawn on both sides, and Cambodia has kept only conservation rangers and police at the temple since, Mr. Rathana said.

However, troops in army fatigues sat in sandbag bunkers on the steep road up to the mountaintop, which is still within the DMZ. Around the Hindu temple, only police and the Preah Vihear Authority’s rangers, armed only with pistols, were seen on patrol. The heavy weaponry previously stationed near the temple has been removed and there has been no fighting in the area for almost two years.

Around the ancient stones of Preah Vihear, on four ornate tiers separated by steps and long causeways, a handful of tourists strolled peacefully, occasionally crouching behind the sculptures for shade.

Eur Say Lang, 57, a rice farmer from Banteay Meanchey province’s Svay Chek district, said she had come to visit with a group of 17 people.

“But I feel a bit disappointed because it is ruined because of the war,” Ms. Say Lang said, peering sadly at the iconic lower pavilion, which is in a rundown state of repair.

“It must have been beautiful, if it wasn’t ruined by the Thai shells,” Ms. Say Lang said of the iconic stone portico, familiar to all from advertisements and beer labels.

Though the damage Ms. Say Lang spoke of was not inflicted by Thai artillery, but just hundreds of years of neglect and the harsh tropical climate, she thanked the Cambodian army for saving what was left.

“I’m really afraid that they [Thailand] will shell more and ruin everything. I’m happy the army is here to protect it.”

Ms. Say Lang carried with her a $1.25 photograph of herself in front of the temple, taken by one of the young men who make their living with digital cameras and battery powered laser printers.

According to figures from the provincial tourism department, visitors to Preah Vihear temple reached 92,300 in 2012, an increase of more than 75 percent compared to 2011.

Kong Vibol, director of the provincial tourism department, said the two-year period of peace at the temple meant visitors now felt safe.

“The security issue is under control. Our authorities have strengthened security, public order and hygiene for tourists to the temple,” he said.

Of the visitors in 2012, 7,141 were foreign nationals, almost two-and-a-half times the amount recorded in 2011, according to the figures.

“Most of the [foreign] visitors are from Europe, including Italy and France, as well as Asia, including Vietnam, China and Japan,” Mr. Vibol said, adding that the growth in tourism at the temple looked to be continuing this year, with more than 9,500 visitors seen in February alone.

Russian visitor Oleg Malin, 35, said the temple compared in beauty to Angkor Wat, but had an added element of excitement.

“I had some concerns. I was not advised [to visit],” he said, indicating that the modicum of danger associated with Preah Vihear was just his cup of tea.

Mr. Malin gestured at his two Russian companions: “I have some very adventurous friends.”

Prosecutor Wants Change to Sonando Charges

By Eang Mengleng and Zsombor Peter - March 8, 2013

In a bizarre twist at the Appeal Court hearing of jailed radio station owner Mam Sonando, the prosecution on Wednesday asked that judges drop the charge against Mr. Sonando of inciting antigovernment violence, but then asked the court to uphold another charge of leading an insurrection.

Jailed radio station owner Mam Sonando waves to photographers from a holding room at the Appeal Court in Phnom Penh on Wednesday, during the second day of hearings to have Mr. Sonando’s 20-year jail sentence overturned. (Siv Channa)

 Both charges carry a prison sentence of up to 15 years.

The owner of independent Beehive Radio, Mr. Sonando was convicted on a total of six charges for stoking an alleged secessionist movement in rural Kratie province by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court in October and handed down a 20-year jail sentence in a decision widely denounced as politically motivated and aimed at stifling a popular government critic.

Appeal Court prosecutor Hean Rith asked the judges to uphold five of those charges, including the one for leading an “insurrectionary movement,” but to drop the charge of inciting anti-government violence.

In its place, though, the prosecutor asked the court to convict Mr. Sonando of a brand new charge, under the forestry protection law, of illegally clearing state-owned forestland for private ownership, which carries a prison sentence of five to 10 years.

“The prosecution believes the Phnom Penh Municipal Court’s decision to charge Mr. Sonando with Article 464 was not right and that he should be charged with Article 97.6 of the Forestry Law,” Mr. Rith said.

Mr. Sonando is appealing all the charges against him, alongside Touch Ream and Khan Sovann, who were handed five- and three-year jail terms, respectively, for their own roles in the alleged insurrection.

All three have adamantly professed their innocence.

Presiding Judge Khun Leang Meng, bringing two days of hearings to a close, said the court would issue its decision on March 14.

Contacted afterward, Mr. Rith, the prosecutor, said the Forestry Law charge made sense because the alleged secessionists in Kratie province’s Broma village were in a dispute with Casotim, the private owner of a local rubber plantation.

“I asked the judges to change one of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court’s charges and keep the others,” he said. “It is a land dispute and a forestry issue, not an incitement issue.”

Mr. Sonando’s lawyer, Sa Sovan, said the Appeal Court had no authority to change the original charges, only to uphold or drop them entirely.

Yeng Virak, executive director of the Community Legal Education Center, a legal aid NGO, said the courtroom twist was astonishing.

Mr. Virak said the prosecutor’s attempt to have Mr. Sonando convicted of leading an insurrection without actually inciting violence—the charge he wants dropped—was mind-boggling.

“It does not make any sense,” he said.

However bizarre, Am Sam Ath, technical supervisor for local rights group Licadho, said merely swapping one charge for another would make little difference.

“It is not good for Mr. Sonando because he still faces other criminal charges,” he said. “Those other articles still carry three- to 10-year prison terms, and some three to five years.”

Outside the courthouse gates, hundreds of Mr. Sonando’s supporters who had come from far and wide were no less wary of success.

Kong Hong, who joined some friends in renting a taxi for the trip from Kompong Cham province, proudly sported a baseball cap with the logo of Mr. Sonando’s NGO, the Association of Democrats. A member since early last year, his Association of Democrats photo ID hung from around his neck.

“Mam Sonando broadcasts the real thing in Cambodia; he educates people about democracy,” he said of Mr. Sonando’s Beehive Radio station, one of the few independent broadcasters left in Cambodia.

“They convicted him because they didn’t like his activity, so that he can’t speak on the radio,” Mr. Hong said. “They don’t want Sonando to do something right for the people.”

Rupert Abbott, Cambodia researcher for Amnesty International, said the failure of all seven witnesses that Mr. Sonando’s lawyers had asked to attend the hearing—for the second straight day—also left the proceedings wanting of due process.

Some of the seven had been co-defendants with Mr. Sonando at his first trial in September and implicated the radio station owner in the alleged insurrection. After Mr. Sonando was convicted, those who had testified against the radio presenter had the remainder of their prison sentence suspended and walked free.

“I think it’s outrageous,” Mr. Abbott said of the absence of the witnesses, “because the evidence was really based on what those witnesses were saying [in court].”

“So the fact that they did not turn up and the defense did not have an opportunity to cross examine them and show the inconsistencies in what they’d said was very disappointing. And the defense asked for those testimonies to be thrown out, and I think that they have a very strong case for that.”

But Mr. Abbott said the prosecutor’s request to have one of the most serious charges dropped did add to the prospects of an early release for Mr. Sonando.

“We have to be hopeful,” he said. “We would hope that the conviction is overturned, that he is released immediately and unconditionally.”

Mr. Sonando’s case has attracted widespread attention from human rights groups and foreign governments alike, all calling for his release.

On a visit to Phnom Penh in November, U.S. President Barack Obama urged Prime Minister Hun Sen to release all of Cambodia’s political prisoners and called out Mr. Sonando by name.

© 2013, The Cambodia Daily. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced in print, electronically, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without written permission.

History Weighs Heavily on Cambodia’s Human Rights Struggle

By Youk Chhang

More than 30 years after the Khmer Rouge regime, Cambodia is still struggling to build a strong foundation for human rights. 

The U.N. and other international partners have helped us begin dealing with Khmer Rouge impunity and create space to talk more openly about our history and our human rights.

Renewed interest in the region, showcased by U.S. President Barack Obama’s recent visit, also holds tremendous opportunities for progress in these arenas. But we must be cognizant that history often stands in the way of our optimistic visions for the future.

Human rights and history are interconnected, because to have a conversation about one inevitably requires an interpretation of the other. This is what has made the Khmer Rouge tribunal so valuable.

By opening a dialogue on some of the most sensitive and controversial parts of their history, Cambodians have been forced to confront basic questions on human rights, the rule of law, and the relationship between a government and its people.

The next step in this national conversation is to educate youth about genocide and the role of law in a just society.

For rights to be sustainable, they must be cultivated at the grassroots. That does not mean we must cease to engage with Cambodia’s political and economic leaders. Building a stronger human rights foundation in Cambodia and the Asean region is a cornerstone to economic integration and participation within the global community.

Mr. Obama’s visit to Cambodia was an important part of that process, as Cambodians look to the U.S. more than any other country as a beacon for leadership on human rights and democracy issues, as well as what can be achieved by a free and fair market system.

We also see Mr. Obama’s visit to Burma as an important opportunity to help foster reconciliation and the rule of law in that country. Burma and Cambodia share many similarities in religion, culture, and political dynamics. One country’s progress in democracy and human rights will help provide encouragement and offer a useful guide for improvement in the other.

In both cases, persuading countries to respect human rights from the top down is unlikely to be effective. We need bold new strategies—the Middle East and North Africa offer possible lessons.

The events and processes that fueled the Arab Spring show that diplomatic pressure on human rights and democratic reform often pales beside the effects of education and expanded access to information.

Governments evolve most sustainably when they do so at the request of an empowered citizenry and civil society actors. Educational initiatives and social dialogue, facilitated by the media, are key vehicles for fostering an informed public ready to encourage the rule of law.

In the stream of history, the impetus for societal change involves a multitude of actors. State-to-state meetings offer an opportunity to catalyze change, but sustainable evolution ultimately depends on building the local capacity to develop and defend basic rights.

Youk Chhang is the director of the Documentation Center of Cambodia.

© 2012, The Cambodia Daily. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced in print, electronically, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without written permission.

PERSILA WORKSHOPS FOR POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS(2013)

INTRODUCTION

Academics are judged on their ability to conduct researches that produce result which are useful to humanity; results that helps to address issues and problems in society; and produces knew knowledge that add to existing literature. School of Educational Studies is committed to producing graduate students with high quality skills and competence in research relating to educational issues, pedagogy, child development, learning theories, sociological and psychological issues in education amidst others. In line with this commitment, the school using the available excellent research facilities and well experienced faculty members provides high quality training to graduate research students in the school. Thus, the school has over the years built a good reputation in graduating student that demonstrates outstanding performance in educational research. To maintain this, the school in collaboration with the postgraduate students association conducts series of workshops and students’ discussion forums on monthly bases; such workshops and forums are directed towards enhancing the research skills of the postgraduate research students in the school. In line with consideration, the postgraduate students association of the school in collaboration with the school is proposing to a number of such workshops and students’ discussion forums from February to December, 2013 as presented in this paper work for the school consideration and approval.


AIMS OF THE PROGRAMMEThe workshops and students discussion forums are aimed:
Enhancing the research skills of the graduate research students in the school;
Provides an avenue for the graduate research students to meet, discuss, share experiences and collaborate with one another on issues relating to research activities.


OBJECTIVESThe main objectives of the workshop are to: 
provide a platform for information exchange and knowledge sharing;
help the graduate student in understanding ethical issues relating to research activities and publications; and the implication of plagiarism on academics and their institutions of affiliation;
improve the graduate students’ knowledge and skills of developing research frameworks, data collection and analysis; and, skills of writing for research publications;
provide a forum where graduate research students can meet and discuss between themselves without the presence of faculty members on issues relating to the process of building:
good problem statement for research studies
good conceptual and theoretical frameworks for research studies
good literature review for research studies
helping the graduate research students to have a proper understanding of different research designs and their applications in educational studies


Workshop DetailsThe topics selected for the workshops as listed below are based on the graduate research students request sent to the postgraduate students association. The dates of the workshops would announce when confirmed via email and on this web site.

Prepared by: Sani Alhaji Garba
                     PERSILA President

Endorsed by: Assoc. Prof. Dr. HAZRI JAMIL
                                  PERSILA Advisor
                                  Deputy Dean (Research & Publiation), SES-USM.


Approved by: PROF. DR. ABDUL RASHID MOHAMED
                       Dean, School of Educational Studies,
                       Universiti Sains Malaysia.

CALL FOR PAPER: 2 nd International Postgraduate Colloquium of Research in Education (IPCoRE) 5 th -6 th June 2013

Theme: Towards Sustaining Quality, International Networking and Collaboration in Postgraduate Research in Education 

The Postgraduate Students Association of School of Educational Studies (PERSILA), USM in collaboration with the Postgraduate Students Association of Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia announces the call for papers for postgraduate students to participate in the 2nd International Postgraduate Colloquium of Research in Education (IPCoRE-2013). The International Postgraduate Colloquium of Research in Education (IPCoRE) is an annual international event organised by the Postgraduate Students Association of School of Educational Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia and the Postgraduate Students Association of Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia. The program is intended to provide a platform for postgraduate research students to establish international research network and collaboration; and, a forum for the postgraduate students to present and discuss their research findings in conference sessions.

We are therefore inviting postgraduate students to submit their research papers for presentation at IPCoRE-2013. Papers to be submitted should be but not restricted to the following arrears of research in education:

1.      Science and Mathematics Education
  a)      Science Education
  b)      Mathematics Education
  c)      Vocational and Technical Education
  d)     Science, Technology and Society
  e)      Education for Sustainable Development

  2.      Curriculum and Instruction
  a)      Curriculum Studies
  b)      Primary Education
  c)      Early Childhood Education
  d)     Multicultural Education
  e)      Distance Education

3.      Educational Psychology, Psychometric and Counselling
  a)      Educational Psychology
  b)      Guidance and Counselling
  c)      Psychometric and Education Evaluation
  d)     Statistics and Research Methodology
  e)      Special Education for Diverse Needs

4.      Professional Education, Leadership and Policy Studies
  a)      Comparative Education
  b)      Educational Management and Leadership
  c)      Educational Planning and Policies Studies
  d)     Life-long Learning
  e)      International Education and Globalisation
  f)       Higher Education
  g)      Professional and Teacher Education

5.      Multimedia Education and Information Technology
  a)      Educational Technology
  b)      Multimedia and IT
  c)      Computer Assisted Instructions
  d)     Virtual Learning and Internet

6.      Social and Philosophy of Education
a)      History of Education and Development
b)      Sociology of Education
  c)      Philosophy of Education
  d)     Comparative Education

7.      Language Education and Literacy
  a)      English Language Education/TESOL
  b)      Malay Language and Literacy Education
  c)      Second Language Learning

8.      Social Studies Education
  a)      Economy and Commerce Education
  b)      Geography Education
  c)      Physical and Sport Education
  d)     History Education
  e)      Ethics, Moral and Religious Educations.

Participants can submit and presents their research papers for presentation in a conference sessions during the Colloquium. Intending presenters should submit their abstract in words or pdf file by email to any of the following email addresses on or before 15th of April, 2013:

a.       sam_rany@yahoo.com

b.      sanialhajigarba@yahoo.com

c.       christinepor@yahoo.com

All abstract submitted would be double blind reviewed and participants would get the feedback on or before 30th of April 2013. Participants whose abstracts are accepted are to submit their full papers by email to the above email addresses before 15th of May, 2013. All papers presented would be published online and in hard copies in the colloquium proceedings.

Guidelines for submission of abstract and full paper
The abstract should not exceed 200 words; it should start with the title of the paper (Times New Roman, 14 size font and bold using center alignment). Names of authors in full should be placed below the title (Times New Roman, 12 size font and center alignment). If the authors are two the names of the two authors should be separated with ‘and’; but if more than two, the names should be separated with coma (,) and the last two names with ‘and’. Author’s affiliation should be placed below the authors’ names (Times New Romans, 12 size font and center alignment. After the authors’ affiliation, the word ‘abstract’ should be written in capital and bold, 12 size font and left alignment.

The main body of the abstract should be 10 size fonts, justified, one line spacing, Times New Romans without indenting. The abstract should provide an overview of the study design, methodology and findings. Below the main body of the abstract should have the key words (key words should be in capital and bold, 12 size fonts, Times New Romans) then column (:) before words.

The main body of the article should be in Times New Romans, 12 size fonts, 1.5 lines spacing and justified. Headings should be bold and in capital letters while sub-headings should be italics. Authors should use the APA (5th or 6th edition). The full paper should not exceed 20 pages in word (doc.) file and should have the following outlook:

  a.      INTRODUCTION
  b.      LITTERATURE REVIEW
  c.      METHODOLOGY
  d.      FINDINGS
  e.       DISCUSSION
  f.       RECOMMENDATIONS
  g.      ACKNOWLEDGEMENT (optional and if any)
  h.      REFERENCE.

Registration

All categories of presenters are to register on arrival as follows:

1.      Participants from School of Educational Studies, USM = RM 80 (USD 27)

2.      Other participants from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) = RM 100 (USD 34)

3.      Participants from other institutions of higher learning within Malaysia = RM 150 (USD 51)

4.      International Participants = RM 250 (USD 84)

5.      Delegates from Bandung University of Education Indonesia (registration covered under the MOU between Scholl of Educational Studies, USM and the Department of Education, National University of Education, Bandung Indonesia).

Further Inquiries
For further inquiries, please contact:

1.      Sani Alhaji Garba

President

Postgraduate Students Association of School of Educational Studies, USM (PERSILA)

sanialhajigarba@yahoo.com

+60178760432

2.      Rosli Yosuf

Vice President

Postgraduate Students Association of School of Educational Studies, USM (PERSILA)

roslisauk@yahoo.com

+60134262636

3.      Sam Rany

Secretary

+60 175063234
sam_rany@yahoo.com

Graduates lacking skills: report

Last Updated on 05 March 2013

By Sarah Thust

 

 About 50 per cent of Cambodian university students studied business management, but still don’t meet the private sector’s demand. Photograph: Heng Chiovan/Phnom Penh Post

EVEN though about 50 per cent of Cambodian university students studied business management, the banking sector has been hesitant to recruit them, insiders said yesterday.
A 2010 report by the recruitment agency HRINC (Cambodia) projected that the supply of business, marketing, management, banking and finance, economics and accounting students would be more than double the demand.

The study predicted 103,000 graduates would be available, but there would be fewer than 46,000 jobs for them.

A recent case study by Universiti Malaysia Kelanta explored “the gap between the business management curriculum and employability” in the Cambodian banking sector.

After interviews with two curriculum designers and four recruiters, the report’s authors, Hum Chan, Abdul Aziz Ab Latif and Yohan Kurniawan, found why this gap exists.

“The study identified . . . loose enforcement of educational policy and law on nurturing the relationship between universities and industry in developing curriculum; a misperception among universities and the industry about skills development in the curriculum; a scarcity of resources in implementing the business management curriculum; and an information gap between university and industry to develop and update the business management curriculum,” they wrote.

Employers had confirmed that lots of training needed to be done, OSK Group country head Lim Loong Seng told the Post.

“We are concerned with the rampant pinching of staff by some new entrants, which has aggravated the very limited supply of talent and affected the depth and skill sets of these young professionals who need more training and exposure to undertake heavier responsibilities in the increasingly more sophisticated financial service industries,” Seng said.

“The industry would be open to risk without a sufficient supply and depth of professionals with the right skill sets and experience.”

 Acleda bank executive vice-president and chief financial officer Chhay Soeun said this was the reason Acleda preferred to train its own staff.

“Acleda has its own centre where we train our national and international employees for one month. After that, they practise their new-found knowledge for three months in the field,” Soeun said yesterday.

“Graduates have a basic knowledge that simplifies the training, but in our experience competence doesn’t depend on having a university degree.

“That knowledge isn’t very important. As long as employees are bright and their parents have educated them well, they can learn quickly.”

Blaming universities was not a solution, Cambodian Economic Association president Chan Sophal said.

“I think [the problem] is not just the curriculum, but the general standard of teaching and learning,” he said.

“Students come to university with a poor education background from school and work, or study several subjects at the same time.”

Sophal said another problem was the mismatch between the subjects graduates studied and their employment in a different sector.

Seng Bun Thoeun, vice di-rector of the National University of Management, wants to solve this issue.

“Our university held a workshop with about 50 participants, also from the private sector, in early February to adjust the curriculum to the sector’s demands,” he said.
“Before, the exchange with the private sector was very limited, but that’s what we’re looking to improve.”

 

Morality training key to success

Last Updated on 01 March 2013

By Stuart Alan Becker

 

When Tauch Ngam Youra arrived in Vientiane, Laos as part of the ACLEDA team, he noticed a cultural difference between Khmer and Lao people right away.
The date was December 31, 2007. He already knew the Thai language which made the Lao language easier to learn.

Luckily, a Lao lady from the Women’s Union Training Center helped the ACLEDA team locate itself in temporary offices. Another lucky break was that 35 students had come from Cambodia to study at a Lao university. Those students helped promote ACLEDA Bank in Laos.
“We set up temporary offices by renting a room in the training center,” Tauch said. “They came to meet us and then we tried to explain how we came to Laos and our purpose to expand our brand and network in Laos.”

Tauch said that, at the time, the big challenge was to find qualified people who could speak English, understand the differences in the culture and build trust.
“We had interviews with newspapers,” he said.

Tauch studied the Lao language in a 15 hour course and soon became able to read and speak Lao.

A big challenge in those early days was to build trust with the Central Bank of Laos in order for them to issue ACLEDA Bank a licence.
Following six months of work, they were granted their commercial banking licence in August of 2008.

The challenge that followed was to transfer the ACLEDA team’s skills to the new Lao recruits.
One difference was that the Lao workers were not accustomed to getting to work as early as the Cambodians.

“There was a change of the culture and a change of the working time. It was hard for us to push people to get up early in the morning.”

With a risk portfolio that differed from that of Cambodia, including default rates of up to 10 per cent on loans, they set out to bring Lao people into the Cambodian ACLEDA Bank culture.
Tauch said they also changed the culture regarding under-the-table money to zero tolerance.
“We provide loans without personal benefit and we get trust by providing good service to them. This is one-stop service. People feel happy because they never saw service like this.”
ACLEDA Bank started out in Laos providing small loans to green grocers, small businesses, farmers, fishermen and tuk-tuk drivers.

ACLEDA then expanded their banking business across the three largest cities: Vientiane, Savannakhet and Pakse.

The original 2008 ACLEDA Lao team consisted of 12 experts including Tauch - then a brand manager. Leading the team was Vann Saroeun, who served as President and Managing Director of ACLEDA Bank Laos. Today, the CEO is Phon Narin.

“We provided training, coaching and mentoring of credit officers. That’s the way we train, working closely with people who are on the job,” Tauch said.
Another key to success in Laos, as well as Myanmar, was supporting the training of the entire industry, even if they were competitors.

“We provided training to Laos two times, cooperating with the German government cooperation organization GIZ, as well as international organizations to support microfinance activity in Laos in general,” Tauch said.
In terms of a team, we were working very closely together, with a strong team and strong relationships with involved ministries especially with the Central Bank of Laos.

Born in 1959, Tauch’s father was a doctor and his mother was a nurse. He lost both of them during the Pol Pot regime and grew up as an orphan. He spent time in Pursat Province during the Khmer Rouge period, learning to survive in the jungle.

Tauch first joined ACLEDA Bank in January 1998, having earlier worked for a branch of the National Bank of Cambodia. From his initial job as an accountant, Tauch steadily rose through the ranks, becoming a credit official in 1982 - a position he held until 1998 when he started at ACLEDA’s micro loan office. He worked his way up to medium loan officer, then internal auditor and district team leader before becoming brand manager for the Laos office in Vientiane.

Tauch said his priorities were to build trust between the manager and the subordinates and, essentially, provide staff with training.

 “Staff commitment building is a big thing. Inside we respect the competency of the leader, but outside we are also friends. This is our working culture, which is very important, and the main point of ACLEDA working culture is that we recruit people without involving any money spent for the recruitment process.”

Tauch says the strong recruitment policy also included empowering women.
“We come to share our experience, to transfer our success to them and let them lead the bank by themselves,” he said.

Today ACLEDA Bank employs more than 500 people in Laos with 28 bank branches across the country.

Tauch has now been in Laos for two years and serves as head of training for the ACLEDA Training Center Ltd.

“I love to transfer skills to people according to my long experience,” he said. Tauch uses the “real case in a real place” as a motto of the training system.

Last November, ACLEDA Training Center put on a “Microfinance Winter Academy” in Siem Reap with 29 participants from 12 countries.

Chhan Ponloeu, president and managing director of ACLEDA Training Center Ltd. said it was through ACLEDA training that Lao people realised that sharing experience provided good information whether someone was a competitor or not.

When recruited staff joins ACLEDA, they undergo a five-day training program. Trainees are also evaluated on attitude. More skilled positions take 15 days, and credit officer and teller program positions take three weeks.

“If they pass, they can get a contract. We charge the bank, and they pay us. We hire resources from the bank, and have some resources to provide training, and we pay the bank for resources.
Laotians were invited to Cambodia where they took classes at ACLEDA Training Center in Tuol Kork. The same process is going on for people from Myanmar right now. Recently, a training session was completed in Naypyidaw.

Another important component in ACLEDA’s success is morality training in which staffs members are required to show gratitude for their parents because the parents guarantee that they are good people, according to Tauch.

“We get it right from the parents during the home visit of the recruitment process and show people how to pay gratitude to their parents.”

“This is the way we build our gratitude. We have to stand up and show respect and gratitude to our parents.”

Nineteen per cent of ACLEDA Bank shares are owned by ACLEDA staff, an important psychological point for staff motivation, Tauch said. “We are the owners and we have a sense of ownership – not only of the bank, but the policy as well. We develop our policy from the bottom to the top,” he said.

ACLEDA Bank CEO In Channy said there were very few commercial banks in Laos and that competing with the state-owned bank presented a challenge.

“We needed to build our presence and capacity and financial product tailor-made to low income people in Laos. Most Lao customers had never used bank products and financial services before,” In Channy said, adding that the goal was for an ACLEDA Bank branch to reach the Lao border with China in 2017.

“At ACLEDA bank we promote transparency in banking and finance, and we want our partners [to be] transparent to us and we want to build a strong bond with them.”
 

No CPP, no development: Hun Sen

Last Updated on 06 March 2013

By Vong Sokheng

 

Prime Minister Hun Sen warned voters participating in the upcoming national elections in July that if they fail to keep his Cambodian People’s Party in power, he will cancel planned development projects.

Speaking to approximately 4,000 students, villagers and Buddhist monks at the groundbreaking ceremony for a road-widening project on National Road 6A in Kampong Cham province, he also said that a loss could put at risk even the tools and supplies that the CPP contributes to the populace.

In particular, he placed several ongoing bridge projects in Stung Treng and Koh Kong provinces as well as the capital’s Chroy Changva II bridge on the post-election chopping block.

“I am sure that if people no longer need me … I have no reason to help you [people] in the future, but I believe that people will not give up existing achievement within their hands as the opposition party has never done anything for people,” he said.

Son Chhay, an opposition lawmaker speaking on behalf of the newly formed Cambodia National Rescue Party, called the comments in the speech a scare tactic intended to garner more votes.

He added that he had never heard of a single government that froze development projects in response to a shift in power.

“In general, there is no country in the world that cancels its existing government projects if it loses in an election, and the message made by premiere just intimidates voters,” Chhay said.

If the Cambodia National Rescue Party were to take control, he said officials would take a look at existing projects to ensure all of them are being carried out transparently.  

Lao Mong Hay, an independence political analyst, agreed with Chhay, and said that a change in leadership would probably not result in a mass cancellation of construction work.

“This is a threat and intimidation. It looks too stupid to cancel the existing national development project [when you lose in an election],” Mong Hay said.

Koul Panha, executive director of local election monitor the Committee for Fair and Free Elections in Cambodia, said it was not unexpected in the run-up to an election for parties to start pushing their political platforms and advertising their achievements.