The Ministry of Economy and Finance has informed officials who are willing to contribute their salaries to fight Covid-19 that most donations won’t be deducted from their bank accounts until May, and if they wished to make donations before then, they could make a personal payment to the National Committee for Combating Covid-19.

Minister Aun Pornmoniroth issued the order on Friday, explaining how government officials and civil servants could contribute their salaries to the committee.

The move came after many officials, public servants and members of the armed forces announced their desire to donate their salaries to help combat Covid-19. But some of those salaries had already been transferred to the recipients’ bank accounts.

Last week, Prime Minister Hun Sen announced that he would contribute his salary to the committee for seven months.

Officials who receive their salaries through partner banks facilitated by the ministries of Economy and Finance, and Civil Service would have their contributions deducted from their accounts from May, Hun Sen said.

Officials who receive their salaries through other means could directly contribute to the Committee with personal payments.

“We encourage them to start contributing from May. For those who wanted to contribute from April, they can do it by themselves,” Hun Sen said.

Ministry of Economy and Finance spokesperson Meas Sok Sensan said on Monday that April salaries had already been transferred to officials’ bank accounts.

As of Saturday, Hun Sen said more than $10 million has been donated to the Committee, including that from private individuals and government officials.

“We prepared this budget to help those in difficult situations during Cambodia’s battle with Covid-19. The money will be used to buy face masks, medical equipment, sanitisers and other things people may need according to the situation,” Hun Sen said.

In the meantime, ministries and police commissariats on Monday received scores of donations to join the fight against the disease. Phnom Penh municipal police chief Sar Thet received 12,000 face masks, 610 bottles of sanitiser and 60 litres of hand-washing sanitiser.