Cambodian parliament begins debating anti-corruption law

Cambodia’s National Assembly began debating the long-awaited anti-corruption law on Wednesday of the 123-member National Assembly, 101 deputies attended the debate.

Parliamentarians from opposition Sam Rainsy Party have proposed to delay the debate, saying the draft has arrived in their hands late, fearing they do not have enough time to study.However, they gave support for anti-corruption law saying it will help reduce corruption.

The law was first proposed 15 years ago, but the final draft was made available last week after it was seriously scrutinized by concerning ministries.

All parliamentarians were given copies of the draft on Thursday last week. The 25-page anti-corruption law consists of 9 chapters with 57 articles, covering many forms of corruptions.

The draft law requires all government officials in particular to declare their assets and debts. The court is empowered to seize assets of those found guilty of corruption, and will face a maximum jail term of 15 years.

Source: Xinhua