Work is carried out on a new road in Ou Oknha Heng commune, in Preah Sihanouk province's Prey Nob district, on July 6. Facebook Kao Leng
Ministry of Interior Sar Sokha has warned that legal action will be pursued against officials should “irregularities” be discovered in regard to commune development projects.
He explained that officials from provincial and district level planning and investment offices who are found to have interfered in the bidding process for such projects will be prosecuted.
In a July 16 letter, the minister said the ministry has noted irregularities in relation to the implementation of commune development projects. He believed that these issues were the result of carelessness or weak management, and meant that some projects did not comply with the correct guidelines and procedures.
He added that the ministry has received complaints – as well as requests for intervention – about the officials of planning and investment offices in several provinces. It was alleged that they were responsible for irregularities in the implementation of commune project funding, such as a lack of transparency in the bidding process.
In some instances, invitations for bids were not publically announced, while some projects were undertaken before the bidding process had concluded. Some projects did not meet the technical standards specified in the invitation to tender, he added.
To deal with these irregularities, Sokha instructed all capital and provincial governors to ensure that investment and planning officials – as well as commune officials – publish detailed invitations to bid on bulletin boards at commune, district, provincial and capital halls. They must also post them online, via the website of the Secretariat of the National Committee for Sub-National Democratic Development (NCDD).
He explained that all officials involved in the use of commune development funds must follow the appropriate instruction manuals and submit the correct proposal documents and contracts.
“It is necessary to strengthen the monitoring and quality control of the use of funds to ensure that they are used in accordance with technical standards and the law in force,” he said.
He warned that in the event that irregularities, conspiracy, fraud, coercion or other forms of corruption are discovered, legal action will be pursued against anyone involved, whether a civil servant or individual who was awarded a contract.
Examples of these irregularities are reportedly commonplace.
Last month, there were chaotic scenes in Khna Sa commune, in Kampong Cham province's Srey Santhor district, when more than 20 individuals almost got into a physical altercation as they tried to submit bids for a local project.
In Kampong Thom province’s Chhouk Khsach commune, in Baray district, local media outlets reported that a road was constructed before bids were even called for.
According to public allegations from last year, the bidding for a roading project in Svay Yea commune, of Svay Rieng province’s Svay Chrum district was not held in the commune hall, but behind it.
The development budget announced for each commune in 2024 is 410 million riel (around $101,000), a 14.5 per cent increase on last year.
However, each commune also receives additional support, meaning their development budget sits at 763 million riel (around $188,000), according to the Budget Law 2024.
Yong Kim Eng, director of the People Center for Development and Peace, suggested that the bidding or auction process in some communes may involve conspiracy between officials and bidders who are related or otherwise connected. He warned that this lack of transparency has a negative impact on people’s perception of development projects.
He believed that strengthening the management of these projects is crucial, because they are meant to be implemented in response to the needs of the people.
Kim Eng reiterated that the projects should support local residents rather than benefiting the rich and powerful.
“The interior ministry’s commitment is a good thing, but they should not limit their efforts to the commune level. They also need to pay close attention to projects at the district and provincial level. This cannot be done only at the commune level,” he said.
