Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Where Does Bun Rany Get the Money From?


September 13 , 2009
Op-Ed By Sokheoun Pang
On the web at http://sokheounpang.wordpress.com


It is not new about the news of high ranking Cambodian leaders or Chhumteav handing out gifts or alm to poor people or soldiers.

This one seems interesting like before but so unusual and I can´t help writing to enlight it to the public.

Well, the news is posted on the Deam Ampil News today about “ Chhum Teav Bun Rany Hun Sen to donate 7000 mosquito nets and 130000 rain coats to Cambodian soldiers stationing at Preah Vihear and at region 4.

My question is where does Bun Rany get the money to buy these stuff? Where is Cambodian Ministry of National Defense? What is Cambodian Ministry of National Defense doing?

The problem is that the budget for national defense has always increased since 2006 which accounted for $75,7 million (the national budget in that year was $926 million) to $300 million in 2008 and while the number of soldiers has been decreased from 111232 to 78232 after three time processes of demobilization from the World Bank pilot project in year 2000 and 2001 which accounted for 3000 soldiers, and in year 2003 which acounted for 30000 soldiers.

As we know the anual national budget for the Ministry of National Defense is accounted for $300 million out of the $1.4 billion national budget in 2008 and it is proposed in October 2008 to be increased by Hun Sen to the amount of $500 millions in the proposed national budget of $1.89 billion in 2009.

Why the Ministry of National Defense can´t afford to supply these stuff with such amount of the annual budget? Why our beloved soldiers still don´t have enough supply? Where are all the hundreds of million dollar gone? I mean if the budget is transparently expensed wihtout corruption, our soldiers will surely have a very high salary, equipped with up-t0-dated technological equipments, weapon and sufficient day-to-day supply. Furthermore, if our soldiers are really cared by and deserve the respect from the current leader, they will live like a soldier but not like a beggar who depends his survial on alm.

Actually, I really feel sad to read or hear such a news. I mean our solidiers are cheated again and again by the current leader- Hun Sen. As we know Hun Sen keeps saying that he pities on our soldiers, but in fact he never cares for their well-being and life.

It is heart-breaking to see our soldiers go out to fight against the siamese invasion walking with their bare feet, torn clothes, no proper miliary uniform, food , medicine and all other needed supplies. Sadly, we see no sign of help from the Ministry of National Defense and even Hun Sen as leader.

With this, in stead of helping our soldiers through the administrative system, Hun Sen and his cronies take a chance to beg money from the poor Cambodians in the country and even Cambodian oversea for help to the soldiers and they even try to manipulate the issues and show off their personal generosity through the politics of demagogue. And suprisingly, we have seen that all the high ranking officials from the Ministry of National Defense and others minsitries who went down to give personal donations or alm to our poor soldiers are surounded by dozens of personal bodyguards and mordern, expansive vehicles. I just wonder how do these officials earn the money and become so rich?

Now it´s enough and please stop cheating our sacrificing soldiers. Bun Rany please just do your job by helping the people who have suffered by flood, the poor who have no rice to eat and the evicted people who are in need right now.

To Hun Sen, please open your eye and open your ears and listen to us. If you are really a strong and clean leader as you always boasts, please help our soldiers, investigate the budget allocated for the National Defense Ministry right now to see where the money has gone and how it is expensed. And then punish the criminal before the real justice. Do it and prove it to us that you are a man and a true leader, but not just a scarecrow leader.

To Soy Sopheap, you are Hun Sen´s advisor, please help remind him about my request and help him improve his leadership for all. Please do it!

Stop letting our soldiers living on alm and please respect them!

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