Gour to be paid a $5-million fee
         K.I. : Prime Minister Hun Sen has agreed to pay French lawyer Claude Gour (KI, 19 December 2003: « "Package vote" is the brainchild of Frenchman Claude Gour » ) a fee amounting to US$ 5 million. Hun Sen is overseeing the hefty payment in Paris.

Assembly officials share a $15-million commission
         K.I. : National Assembly President Prince Norodom Ranariddh (Funcinpec), former Assembly Secretary-General Kol Pheng (Funcinpec) and Assembly's Finance Commission President Cheam Yeap (CPP) have shared a US$ 15-million commission given by the construction company that is currently building the new National Assembly compound next to the Naga Casino in Phnom Penh for a cost of $ 25 million. According to a competitor who was denied the contract because he refused to pay bribes, the real construction cost does not exceed $ 10 million.

Inflated bills for Assembly roof renovation works
         K.I. : Over the last five years the roof of the current National Assembly building has been renovated three times for a cost of $ 800,000 each time. According to construction professionals the real cost of each renovation does not exceed $ 200,000.

A 700-strong staff at the National Assembly
         K.I. : From less than 200 at the end of 1998 the number of National Assembly employees (administrative staff on the State payroll) increased to 500 in July 2003 before reaching 700 in August 2004. These employees, who are supposed to assist 123 parliamentarians, have been recruited on the basis of political affiliation (CPP and Funcinpec). Most of them never come to work because there is no room for them to sit.

Myanmar leader visits Cambodia amid uncertainty over ASEM meeting (2004-Aug-10) Hun Sen : We have the same Khmer-Mon hair-splitting, the same Khmer-Mon forehead, the same Khmer-Mon glasses, the same Khmer-Mon nose, the same Khmer-Mon mouth.... Khin Nyunt : The same Khmer-Mon absolute power. Both of them : Hih! Hih! Hih! Hih!

         Yahoo Asia News (AP) : Myanmar's prime minister met Tuesday with his Cambodian counterpart amid a diplomatic row over a regional summit that European Union leaders have threatened to boycott if Myanmar's junta is allowed to participate. Gen. Khin Nyunt said after the meeting with Prime Minister Hun Sen that the two leaders had a "fruitful discussion, like brothers." He was also expected to meet Chea Sim, the acting head of state, during his six-hour visit to Cambodia. Hun Sen is a staunch supporter of Myanmar's inclusion in the planned Oct. 8-9 Asia-Europe Meeting, or ASEM, in the Vietnamese capital, Hanoi. Ieng Sophalleth, a spokesman for the meeting, declined to say if the two leaders discussed ASEM. He said only that they "highly appreciated bilateral cooperation between Cambodia and Myanmar." The fate of the meeting is in doubt, with the European Union and the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, disagreeing over Myanmar's participation.
         The EU has opposed any inclusion of Myanmar, also known as Burma, due to the country's poor human rights record and the continued detention of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, whom the junta has held under house arrest since May last year. ASEAN nations have countered the threat, saying they will block participation by the 10 newest EU member countries unless Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia are all granted ASEM membership. The EU has indicated that it has no objection to the inclusion of Cambodia and Laos into ASEM.
         After the meeting, Khin Nyunt ignored a question about Suu Kyi's fate and was quickly whisked away in a motorcade. Last week, Hun Sen said Khin Nyunt's visit was part of an effort to get to know his regional counterparts following his reappointment as prime minister last year. Hun Sen also described Myanmar as a "friend" and promised "to sacrifice" Cambodia's chance of attending ASEM until the junta was also allowed to join the forum. ASEAN comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, the Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam. All but Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar are members of ASEM. Khin Nyunt, who visited Laos and Vietnam before arriving in Cambodia, was due to leave later Tuesday.

Cheap Guys (2004-Aug-08)

         Khmerintelligence.org : Hun Sen wants to visit the UK - In search of international legitimacy following his controversial re-appointment as prime minister, Hun Sen has expressed the desire to make an official visit to the United Kingdom under the pretext of the inauguration of the new Cambodian embassy in London next December. Similar requests by Hun Sen to be invited for official visits in Western countries, Australia and Japan have met negative responses.

Fish Stock Down, Fish Price Up, Inflation Follows (2004-Aug-03)          Khmerintelligence : Accelerating inflation - Retail prices, especially for staples, have been sharply increasing over the past few months. Statistics published daily in the pro-CPP newspapers Koh Santepheap show the following price increases from January 1 to August 2, 2004: - Beef: + 15% - Chicken: + 18% - Eggs: + 56% - Fresh fish (trei ros): + 55% - Fish paste (prohok): + 160% [Photo: Imported Trey Chhdor from Thailand]

         During the same period of time most wages, salaries and revenues have shown no increase, which results in a drastic deterioration in the people's living conditions. The increase in the prices of fresh fish and fish paste is particularly alarming since fish represents 70% of proteins in the ordinary Cambodian's diet.

LES SIX COMMANDEMENTS

REFORMING OUR BUDDHISM

GRAMMAIRE KHMÈRE

NOVEL (Author)

PHN@M-P@NH-P@TINS (Previous)

FRAN-GLO-GIBWÉ

CAMBODIATRIBE

GOD vs BUDDHA

PEN Nearovi, Montréal, Québec, Canada
(nearovi@sympatico.ca)