Tuesday, January 10, 2012
ASEAN senior officials’ meeting kicks off in Cambodia
SIEM REAP, Cambodia, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- Senior officials of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) met here on Tuesday in a preparatory meeting ahead of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ retreat, which will be held on Jan. 11.
Speaking at the opening of the meeting, Soeung Rathchavy, secretary of state at Cambodia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, said Cambodia, 2012’s ASEAN chair, would try all its best to lead ASEAN summits and related meetings this year successfully in order to realize an ASEAN community by 2015.
According to the agendas, the ASEAN senior officials would discuss ASEAN connectivity including Thailand’s non-paper on ASEAN plus 3 partnerships on connectivity, information paper on the 15 priority projects of the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity, and ASEAN Institute for Peace and Reconciliation.
Moreover, they would talk on the implementation of the declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DoC) including the results of the ASEAN senior official meeting working group on regional Code of Conduct (CoC) in the South China Sea, Singapore’s proposal for a Track II Workshop on Maritime Ecosystems and Biodiversity, and 4th ASEAN-China senior official meeting on DoC and the 7th ASEAN-China Joint Working Group on the CoC.
The officials would also debate on the implementation of the ASEAN Charter including ASEAN Declaration on Human Rights.
Finally, they would discuss about Timor-Leste’s membership in ASEAN.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
AIDS kills 2,608 Cambodians in 2011, down 11 pct
PHNOM PENH, January 5 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia estimated that about 2, 608 people were killed by HIV/AIDS in 2011, a decrease of 11 percent from 2,943 people in a year earlier, Dr. Teng Kunthy, secretary general of National Aids Authority (NAA), said Thursday.
He said among the 2,608 deaths last year, some 2,484 were over 15 years old and 124 were children, whilst in 2010, among the 2, 943 deaths, 2,783 were over 15 years old and 160 were children.
He continued to say that the last year's new infection rate was also declined by 12 percent to 1,517 people including 191 children from 1,726 people including 256 children in a year earlier.
"We see a good result in our efforts to fight against HIV/AIDS; however, we still not satisfy with it and hope to see further decline in years to come," he told Xinhua.
Currently, an estimated 75,000 Cambodian people in 60,000 households are living with HIV/AIDS, according to a 2011's survey on the Socioeconomic Impact of HIV in Cambodia conducted by the United Nations Development Program. About 96.7 percent of them have received antiretroviral therapy.
The impoverished Southeast Asian nation needs about 58 million U.S. dollars a year to fight against HIV/AIDS, said Dr. Kunthy. More than 90 percent of the fund comes from external donors.
He said among the 2,608 deaths last year, some 2,484 were over 15 years old and 124 were children, whilst in 2010, among the 2, 943 deaths, 2,783 were over 15 years old and 160 were children.
He continued to say that the last year's new infection rate was also declined by 12 percent to 1,517 people including 191 children from 1,726 people including 256 children in a year earlier.
"We see a good result in our efforts to fight against HIV/AIDS; however, we still not satisfy with it and hope to see further decline in years to come," he told Xinhua.
Currently, an estimated 75,000 Cambodian people in 60,000 households are living with HIV/AIDS, according to a 2011's survey on the Socioeconomic Impact of HIV in Cambodia conducted by the United Nations Development Program. About 96.7 percent of them have received antiretroviral therapy.
The impoverished Southeast Asian nation needs about 58 million U.S. dollars a year to fight against HIV/AIDS, said Dr. Kunthy. More than 90 percent of the fund comes from external donors.
Cambodia's former anti-drug head gets life sentence for corruption, drug trafficking
BANTEAY MEANCHEY, Cambodia, January 5 (Xinhua) -- A Cambodian court on Thursday convicted the former head of the National Authority for Combating Drugs Lt. Gen. Moek Dara of corruption and organized drug trafficking and sentenced him to life in prison and fined 220,000 U.S. dollars.
His two subordinates: former Colonel Chea Leang, chief of the anti-drug department's money laundering office, was also sentenced to life in jail and fined 21,000 U.S. dollars, and Morn Doeun, who remains at large and was tried in absentia, was sentenced to 25 years in jail and fined 34,000 U.S. dollars.
In addition, the verdict read by the presiding judge Ith Samphos at Banteay Meanchey Provincial Court said all of their properties including land, houses and cash are confiscated.
They were charged with falsifying reports in order to hide confiscated drugs for sales and depicting suspected drug dealers as mere addicts to win them lighter sentences in order to exchange for bribery.
Moek Dara and Chea Leang were arrested on January 12, 2011 after the complaint filed against them by the Anti-Corruption Unit.
Speaking to reporters after the verdict delivery, Moek Dara said he would consider appealing against the court's verdict.
His two subordinates: former Colonel Chea Leang, chief of the anti-drug department's money laundering office, was also sentenced to life in jail and fined 21,000 U.S. dollars, and Morn Doeun, who remains at large and was tried in absentia, was sentenced to 25 years in jail and fined 34,000 U.S. dollars.
In addition, the verdict read by the presiding judge Ith Samphos at Banteay Meanchey Provincial Court said all of their properties including land, houses and cash are confiscated.
They were charged with falsifying reports in order to hide confiscated drugs for sales and depicting suspected drug dealers as mere addicts to win them lighter sentences in order to exchange for bribery.
Moek Dara and Chea Leang were arrested on January 12, 2011 after the complaint filed against them by the Anti-Corruption Unit.
Speaking to reporters after the verdict delivery, Moek Dara said he would consider appealing against the court's verdict.
Cambodia PM pledges to chair ASEAN with responsibilities
PHNOM PENH, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen said Thursday the country would chair the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) this year with responsibilities in order to achieve an ASEAN community by 2015.
"We will put all our efforts to chair the ASEAN with responsibilities in 2012 in order to push ASEAN towards One Community, One Destiny," he said during a visit to residents in Kampong Cham province, some 124 kilometers East of Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia.
"As ASEAN chair this year, we will try all our best to act as a fair mediator in all regional and international issues," he added.
The premier said that the ASEAN would stick to the principle of non-interference in internal affairs of member states.
Cambodia became the ASEAN member in 1999 and it firstly chaired the ASEAN in 2002.
Hun Sen said that the country's entry into the ASEAN has provided huge advantages to Cambodia in terms of social and economic development, security and diplomacy.
ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
"We will put all our efforts to chair the ASEAN with responsibilities in 2012 in order to push ASEAN towards One Community, One Destiny," he said during a visit to residents in Kampong Cham province, some 124 kilometers East of Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia.
"As ASEAN chair this year, we will try all our best to act as a fair mediator in all regional and international issues," he added.
The premier said that the ASEAN would stick to the principle of non-interference in internal affairs of member states.
Cambodia became the ASEAN member in 1999 and it firstly chaired the ASEAN in 2002.
Hun Sen said that the country's entry into the ASEAN has provided huge advantages to Cambodia in terms of social and economic development, security and diplomacy.
ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Road accidents kill 1,890 Cambodians, up 10 pct in 2011
PHNOM PENH, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- Road accidents had claimed 1,890 Cambodian lives in 2011, an increase of 10 percent from 1,709 deaths in a year earlier, according to a report from the Ministry of Public Work and Transport on Tuesday.
The report recorded that there had been 5,007 road accidents happened in 2011, down 10 percent from 5,577 cases in a year earlier.
Besides the deaths, in the 2011's accidents, 8,554 people were injured, down 11 percent from 9,662 in 2010, said the report.
"We see that the number of the dead has remarkably increased despite the declines in accident cases and injured people," Preap Chan Vibol, director of the Ministry's Transport Department, told Xinhua on Tuesday. "We observe that road accidents are crueler than before."
He said about 45 percent of the accidents was due to over-sped driving, 11 percent was alcohol driving, 16 percent was neglect driving and the rest was violation of traffic law and vehicle problems.
Traffic accidents have become the No. 1 killer in Cambodia among those of HIV/AIDS and mine casualties. The ministry estimated that the accidents cost the country 279 million U.S. dollars in 2010.
Dengue fever kills 72 Cambodian children in 2011, up 89 pct
PHNOM PENH, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's Ministry of Health reported on Tuesday that at least 72 Cambodian children had been killed by dengue fever in 2011, an increase of 89 percent, compared with the 2010's deaths of 38 kids.
It said that there were 15,805 dengue fever cases reported in 2011, up 26 percent from 12,500 cases in a year earlier.
"The disease broke out in a large scale every three to five years and the year 2011 was the large scale breakout, that's why the cases were on the rise and the deaths were almost double," Ngan Chantha, director of dengue control at the Ministry of Health, told Xinhua over telephone on Tuesday.
He said the long-stayed floods that had submerged most provinces between August and October were also the main cause of the disease increase.
Ngan Chantha estimated that the country spent an average 7 million U.S. dollars a year for campaigns to prevent the disease and for medical attention.
Dengue is caused by mosquitoes. The disease causes an acute illness of sudden onset that usually follows symptoms such as headache, fever, exhaustion, severe muscle and joint pain, swollen glands and rash.
In Cambodia, the outbreak of dengue fever usually begins at the onset of the rainy season from May to October.
It said that there were 15,805 dengue fever cases reported in 2011, up 26 percent from 12,500 cases in a year earlier.
"The disease broke out in a large scale every three to five years and the year 2011 was the large scale breakout, that's why the cases were on the rise and the deaths were almost double," Ngan Chantha, director of dengue control at the Ministry of Health, told Xinhua over telephone on Tuesday.
He said the long-stayed floods that had submerged most provinces between August and October were also the main cause of the disease increase.
Ngan Chantha estimated that the country spent an average 7 million U.S. dollars a year for campaigns to prevent the disease and for medical attention.
Dengue is caused by mosquitoes. The disease causes an acute illness of sudden onset that usually follows symptoms such as headache, fever, exhaustion, severe muscle and joint pain, swollen glands and rash.
In Cambodia, the outbreak of dengue fever usually begins at the onset of the rainy season from May to October.
Cambodia's Parliament passes draft law on public procurement
PHNOM PENH, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's National Assembly on Tuesday adopted a draft law on public procurement, aimed at ensuring that all state's expenses are used appropriately and transparently.
Although all the 26 Members of Parliament (MPs) of the main opposition party and the 3 MPs of the Human Rights Party boycotted the session, 84 MPs who were present in the meeting unanimously passed the draft law.
Cheam Yeap, chairman of the National Assembly's commission of economy, banking, finance and audit, said the law covers all public procurement in Cambodia, except procurement that may affect confidentiality in national defense and public security.
The law on public procurement was compiled by the Ministry of Economy and Finance, it comprises of 14 chapters with 76 articles, he said.
Speaking in the National Assembly's session, the Deputy Prime Minister Keat Chhon, minister of economy and finance, said the law was a new legal tool to ensure that the expenses of national budget and financing budget from development partners would be transparent, accountable, effective and high frugal.
"The law is also to contribute to prevent corruption," he added.
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