Senior Minister Kun Kim, secretary-general of the Cambodia Veteran Association (CVA), has instructed the Pursat provincial Department of Veterans to expedite the issuance of equity cards to veterans so they can receive benefits from the government.

To honour their sacrifices for the nation, Kim advised local authorities to prioritise their wellbeing. He made the call during a public meeting with 150 – mostly disabled – CVA members in Pursat province, most of whom hold ID Poor cards.

The meeting was also attended by provincial governor Cheav Tay – who is the honorary president of the CVA Pursat branch – and officials from the provincial council, as well as current members of the armed forces.

Kim thanked the provincial branch for their close attention to providing for veterans, especially for their prompt payment of insurance to the families of deceased vets.

“The [branch] should continue to monitor the living conditions of veterans, as Pursat recently handed over more than 600 houses and social land concessions to them,” he said.

Kin said the CVA, with Prime Minister Hun Sen as chairman, will continue to provide social land concessions, construct houses, and ensure veterans receive regular health check-ups and monthly pensions.

According to Kim, there are more than 100,000 veterans nationwide, of whom nearly 9,000 are landless or have no shelter and have fallen below the poverty line.

Hun Sen last week instructed the Ministry of Economy and Finance to cooperate with relevant ministries and institutions to accelerate pension increases for former civil servants and veterans who receive lower pensions. This was intended to close the pension gap between old and new retirees.

He also recommended that pensions be paid regularly, so that recipients can rely on the payments for their daily needs.