GOVERNMENT-DONOR COORDINATION COMMITTEE (GDCC)

Kingdom of Cambodia
Nation Religion King

Ministry of National Assembly-
Senate Relations and Inspection

3 October 2006

H.E. Keat Chhon
Senior Minister, Minister of Economy and Finance
First Vice Chairman of CDC
Chairman, GDCC

Subject: Progress on Joint Monitoring Indicators

I. Draft Anti Corruption Law

The draft was submitted to the Office of the Council of Ministers on 12 January 2006. It was reviewed by the Council of Jurists and the Economic, Social and Cultural Observation Unit of the COM and was further revised on 17 March 2006. The revised draft law is being reviewed by the Ministry of Justice and French experts to ensure its consistency with the Criminal Procedures Code and other relevant laws.
An inter-ministerial meeting to review the draft law was planned on 12 September 2006. But the draft law was returned to MONASRI to make revisions in cooperation with the Ministry of Justice.
MONASRI hopes that the draft law will soon be submitted for approval by COM.

II. Measures to Prevent and Combat Corruption

The Royal Government of Cambodia is committed to combating all forms of corruption as has been reiterated by Samdech Prime Minister in a Seminar on Anti Corruption Law held on 17-18 August 2005 and in other public forums. To implement Samdech Prime Minister's commitment, the following results have been achieved:

1- Administrative sanctions

Administrative sanctions have been levied against 7 officials, four of whom were transferred from position and three were suspended in violation of the Forestry Law.

2- Court indictment and incarceration

2 officials have been indicted and jailed on charge of encroaching on private property.
1 official has been indicted on charges of: taking bribe, complicity in encroaching on public property, complicity in forestry encroachment, and fraud.
1 officials has been indicted on charges of destroying natural resources and environment (as per article 22 of the Law on the Protection of Environment and Natural Resources) and on crimes related to forestry (as per article 101 of Forestry Law).
1 senior official of the Ministry of Rural Development, former PRIP director, was
accused of embezzlement of national budget (as per article 38 of the Criminal
Law for the Transitional Period).

III- Prosecution by Courts

11 government officials have been sentenced by the court for illegal forest clearance in the Dragon Tail region of Rattnakiri Province (as per article 38 of the Criminal Law for the Transitional Period).

MONASRI has also developed its priority Action Plan which included Draft Law on Inspection and Draft Law on Access to Information to support RGC's effort on combating corruption as has been specified in the Rectangular Strategy.

MONASRI hopes that development partners would provide support to MONASRI to implement its priority Action Plan as above.

RGC is committed to rooting out all forms of corruption with capacity, predictability, transparency and accountability in all actions (NSDP 2006-2010).

RGC has firm political commitment to combating corruption with concrete actions. Anyone found guilty of corruption will be prosecuted.

For Senior Minister
Secretary of State

Hong Them