130708-The Post English

South Korea’s Park caught up in intelligence scandal

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Issue NUMBER 1663

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Successful People Read The Post

MONDAY, july 8, 2013

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Bodh Gaya blasts

An Indian security guard walks next to bloody footprints at the Mahabodhi temple complex after a series of explosions at Bodh Gaya in the eastern Indian state of Bihar yesterday. A series of explosions in and around Buddhism’s holiest shrine in Bihar injured two persons early yesterday in what the government described as a terror attack. REUTERS

sTORY > 11

Rainsy pledges return David Boyle and Meas Sokchea

S

ELF-exiled opposition leader Sam Rainsy on Saturday announced he will return to Cambodia before this month’s national election, despite facing more than a decade of jail time for criminal convictions many believe to be politically motivated.

In a video posted to his Facebook page, and in a series of brief notices disseminated by his party, the Cambodia National Rescue Party president explained that his attempts to

CNRP leader plans to roll dice ahead of poll negotiate a royal pardon from King Norodom Sihamoni with the approval of Prime Minister Hun Sen had failed. But he would nevertheless return “by my own volition and fully aware of the personal risks that I will run, to return before Voting Day”.

“I have decided to return because my presence as leader of the opposition and the fate that awaits me will be a test of the reality of the ‘free and fair elections’ promised by the Paris

Accords, which also promised for Cambodia ‘a system of liberal democracy, on the basis of pluralism’," he continued in an emailed statement.

In his video, widely disseminated on social media, Rainsy went even further, saying: “I agree to sacrifice my life for national homeland, daring to die myself to rescue the nation from catastrophe.”

Several calls to Rainsy went unanswered yesterday and his wife, law-

maker Saumura Tioulong, who is currently in Europe with Rainsy, said he was too busy to speak with the press.

“At this stage, I don’t think I would have anything else to add. Probably in the next few days we will make more announcements,” she said.

Both she and CNRP spokesman Yim Sovann said a specific date had yet to be agreed upon.

“We are discussing that. We did not yet come up with a conclusion.

We had a meeting [earlier yesterday], but we did not come to a conclusion for a date. But he is coming back before the election for sure,” he said.

Mu Sochua, CNRP public affairs head, said a planned committee meeting to set the date of Rainsy's return failed to take place last night due to technical issues.

While Rainsy and other senior party officials have previously claimed that he would return, there has never

Asics pays out victims’ families

Bhutan invests big in hydropower

National rugby team cruises to victory

NATIONAL – page 3

BUSINESS – page 10

SPORT – page 24

Continued on page 2

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THE PHNOM PENH POST July 8, 2013

National

Rainsy pledges election return Continued from page 1

before been an unequivocal public announcement. He faces a total of 11 years in jail for producing maps he claimed demonstrated Vietnamese territorial encroachment on Cambodia, uprooting border posts and making defamatory accusations against Foreign Affairs Minister Hor Namhong.

Council of Minister’s spokesman Phay Siphan said yesterday Rainsy was welcome to return if that was his decision.

“The government does not have any stance to value Excellency’s leaving the Kingdom of Cambodia and also does not have any stance for Excellency Sam Rainsy’s return. It is Excellency Sam Rainsy’s personal issue,” Phay Siphan said.

Siphan said that, for him personally, Rainsy’s fate remained under the rule of law and any solution outside of the judiciary was beyond his purview.

Ho Sethy, chief of Prime Minister Hun Sen’s Cabinet and the premier’s personal spokesman, Eang Sophalleth, could not be reached for comment yesterday.

To return or not to return Should Rainsy follow through and return, observers say, he could dramatically bolster his party’s chances in the ballot and force the ruling Cambodian People’s Party into uncomfortable territory.

He has not set foot on Cambodian soil since 2009, and there has been increasing public pressure for him to return.

The CPP could intervene to free him from arrest by requesting a pardon from the king, thus quelling public backlash and potential international condemnation of the electoral process, which is already facing heavy scrutiny.

But that could be seen as a sign of weakness on the part of

Hun Sen and allow Rainsy to claim to have triumphed over him, while imprisoning Rainsy could help establish a martyr.

Political analyst Kem Ley said yesterday that such scenarios, and whether or not Rainsy’s return would help or hinder his party, depended on the terms on which he returned.

“I have recommended to him many times: you must come without apology letter.

You must come back, and you can face a trial and you must go to prison if they charge, if you want your party to get more popularity,” he said.

In 2006, Rainsy – then, too, in self-imposed exile – negotiated a political solution allowing him to return to Cambodia after his parliamentary immunity was stripped and he was convicted of defaming Hun Sen and Prince Norodom Ranariddh.

Rainsy was required to write a letter of apology to Hun Sen, a move that would advantage the

Ex-officer lengthens rap sheet Kim Sarom

N Self-exiled opposition leader Sam Rainsy speaks via video conference to Cambodia National Rescue Party supporters at the CNRP headquarters in Phnom Penh in June. vireak mai

In the absence of a pardon, Rainsy’s return would dominate the political agenda right before the election, and political analyst Chea Vannath says it could even “change the outcome of the election itself”.

“I think for the political tactic, he should come because it

Even if the government does not drop the charges against him or he is arrested . . . he should return to Cambodia government should it be repeated this time, Kem Ley said.

“If I’m a government leader, I would allow Sam Rainsy to come to Cambodia with a strong apology letter, because when the CPP does that, they will get more support than they currently have,” he said.

“If he comes without an apology letter, he can go to the court, he can go to prison, [but] I think not only the international community will put pressure on the government but also the local people”.

A senior official from the Royal Palace who spoke on the condition of anonymity said no request to pardon Rainsy had been submitted by the government to King Sihanomi.

would really make an impact. In this world . . . any move is a risk; the greater the risk the greater the achievement,” she said.

“People do not want to take the risk because there is so much uncertainty. But if we look at any national heroes from countries around the world, Mandela or Gandhi . . . they took a big risk.”

International impact In the past year alone, Rainsy’s case has been raised, variously, by US President Barack Obama, French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault and UN special rapporteur Surya Subedi.

And though the government has brushed off international “interference” in the elections,

they have also reversed controversial decisions based on just such pressure – such as the much-criticised foreign radio ban, which was revoked almost immediately amid backlash.

A high-ranking party member speaking on condition of anonymity said Rainsy was seeking just that type of pressure and was currently in Belgium lobbying European and US officials to escort him back to Cambodia.

The Australian, French and European embassies did not respond to inquiries from the Post yesterday or could not be reached.

When asked if the US had been involved in any negotiations to ensure Rainsy could return on terms acceptable both to himself and the government, embassy spokesman Sean McIntosh would say only that: “the United States believes in a free and fair electoral process that requires a level playing field and the full and unfettered participation of all political parties, including the opposition”.

But if it is international outrage he needs, it is the local reaction his return could stir that would most impact his chances, analyst Vannath said.

“For me, as a local citizen, I am more concerned about the local reaction, the reaction from the public. Because in any country the change comes from the citizens itself. The outsiders are just the catalyst for change, not the change itself,” she said.

Urging his return A range of people interviewed last week overwhelmingly supported the idea of Rainsy returning.

Touch Thea, a first-year student from the electrical department at the Multiple Technologies Institute, told the Post she believed the government should drop the charges against Rainsy, but even if they didn’t, he should come back and face the music.

“Even if the government does not drop the charges against him or he is arrested by government officials, he should return to Cambodia to respond the supporters.”

Sean Bunsan, a 47-year-old tuk-tuk driver, said he believed the government would definitely arrest Rainsy.

“However, he should come back to Cambodia to stop the pride of the CPP,” he said.

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY KHOUTH SOPHAK CHAKRYA

OTORIOUS former military officer Sath Soeun – better known as Soeun Phendey, or “Master of the Earth” – was arrested in Ratanakkiri’s Banlung town on Saturday for allegedly firing more than a dozen shots after being told his preferred karaoke hostess was busy with another client, military police said yesterday.

Provincial military police commander Kim Raksmey said Soeun, 51, who has a history of violent altercations, was currently being questioned before being sent to court.

“We have [preliminarily] charged him with using an illegal gun,” Raksmey said.

According to a military police official who asked not to be named, Soeun and his driver had gone to drink at Ponlork Meas Karaoke in Banlung. Upon learning his favourite hostess was unavailable, Soeun walked outside, fired 13 shots and drove off, only to be arrested minutes later, the official said.

The arrest follows a string of brutal incidents involving the powerful, and seemingly untouchable Soeun. In 1995 a UN report cited an incident in which he allegedly cornered a 16-yearold accused thief in the house the teen had allegedly robbed and shot him at close range in front of several police officers.

“Instead of arresting Lieutenant Colonel Sath Soeun for this obvious homicide, the police allowed him to depart,” the report said.

Soeun has been acquitted for the murder of one journalist, summonsed for questioning in the killing of a second and seen murder charges dropped after drunkenly running over a man but paying compensation. In the late 1990s he was stripped of his rank for illegal logging.

Re-Announcement Vacancy Announcement Announcement No: Location: Closing Date:

EC-AN-13-0682 The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), Phnom Penh.

July 15, 2013 @ 4 pm.

The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) is seeking highly qualified applicants for the position of Short Term International Consultant.

For more details of the TERMS OF REFERENCE (TOR), please visit the ECCC website at http: www.eccc.gov.kh/en/about-eccc/jobs Submission of Applications Qualified candidates may submit their applications, including a letter of interest, Curriculum Vitae indicating personal and technical skills, academic qualifications and experience in similar assignments along with at least 3 referees with contact information along with the duly completed and signed ECCC Application Form for Employment available in the above website to: Human Resources Section (National) National Road 4, Chaom Chau Commune Porsenchey District, Phnom Penh, Cambodia The ECCC gate B or Email: personnel@eccc.gov.kh P.O Box No.71 Please note that incomplete applications or applications received after the closing date will not be considered. Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.

Applications from qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

KREDIT Microfinance Institution Plc., founded in 1993, is a permanent license Christian Microfinance Institution which is contributing to the social and economic development of communities by enabling the economically active poor to improve their lives through its reliable and sustainable financial services such as loan, savings and money transfer.

To meet our recent operational growth and expansion, KREDIT Microfinance Institution Plc.is currently seeking for qualified Cambodian candidates for the positionsas the following:

Position Title Location Closing Date

:Oracle DBA(01) : Phnom Penh, Job Type: Full Time : 12-July-2013 at 4: 00 p.m

Job Responsibilities:  Perform all aspects of database administration management including backup and recovery, upgrade testing and implementation, and storage monitoring on Oracle 11g  Database design, optimization, and tuning  Write complex SQL Queries and Stored Procedures  Business Intelligence, data warehousing, reporting solutions  Other duties will be assigned by superior Job Requirement:  Bachelor degree in computer science or equivalent  One year experience as an Oracle DBA  Solid PL/SQL programming skills  Strong understanding of database structures, theories, principles  Working knowledge of Oracle Data Guard  Experience with Oracle Solaris or any kind of Unix is a plus  Sense of ownership and responsibility towards problems and solutions Interested candidate should submit yourCV and cover letter to KREDIT Microfinance InstitutionPlc. Head Office at #71 St. 163SangkatToulSvay Prey I Khan Chamkarmorn, Phnom Penh or to Email: kimchhay_sok@kredit.com.kh. More details see: www.kredit.com.kh

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THE PHNOM PENH POST July 8, 2013

National Military cop Asics pays out victims’ families charged for Officer cuffed

Shane Worrell

J

APANESE footwear company Asics has agreed to pay the families of two factory workers killed in the Wing Star shoes ceiling collapse on May 16 an undisclosed but “sizeable” amount of compensation, the company and labour groups said on Saturday.

While announcing the payouts – possibly tens of thousands of dollars – Asics Corporation senior executive officer Ron Pietersen also revealed to the Post that a birth certificate listed victim Kim Dany as being only 13 years old, not 15.

“We agreed with all parties concerned that it’s not in the best interests of the families [to reveal the compensation figure]. For us, there’s nothing [financially] to be ashamed of,” Pietersen said.

Pietersen, whose company is the sole buyer from the Wing Star factory in Kampong Speu, called on the government to also “take responsibility” by paying the families of Dany and Rim Roeun, 22, any money they are entitled to under the National Social Security Fund.

“I think we did what our responsibility is,” Pietersen said.

“If there is a responsibility for

The body of former Wing Star Shoes factory employee Kim Dany is surrounded by family and community members in her home in Kampong Speu province in May. shane worrell

the NSSF, take your responsibility.”

Dany’s father, Korn Vet, 45, said he was pleased with the outcome.

“I met Asics officials on Saturday along with Rim Roeun’s mother and wife. Both families are happy with the compensation. It is fair,” he said.

“I’ve asked ACILS [the Ameri-

can Center for Labor Solidarity] to help me with NSSF payments. But compensation is not something I want to think about. My daughter is gone and we cannot bring her back.”

Pietersen said Asics had not demanded anyone at Wing Star be held responsible for the collapse of the unauthorised storage level. “[The police] should

point out who is guilty and who is not guilty,” he said. “It’s not like I can jump in and say, ‘you’re out’.” [But] we should make some kind of tribunal to find out who did what.”

Pietersen said his officials had visited Wing Star’s sister factory, Ying Dong Shoes, to address issues after the Post reported allegations on May

29 that workers as young as 13 were making Asics shoes.

But Pietersen said it was unclear how old Dany – who was using a fake ID to work at Wing Star – had been. “I haven’t seen documents, but our lawyer here has. He has seen a birth certificate [saying she was 13].”

He was concerned Dany’s age could compromise her parents’ attempts at receiving compensation from the NSSF. Dany’s father said yesterday his daughter was born in 1999.

Dave Welsh, country manager for Solidarity Center/ACILS, which, along with Better Factories Cambodia initiated discussions with Asics, had previously told the Post the families could be eligible for more than $50,000 in compensation, based on a model used in Bangladesh.

He said yesterday that Asics had fulfilled its obligations by paying an amount that “by Cambodian standards is sizeable”.

It was now the NSSF’s responsibility to follow with payments.

“This is a system that is generated by monthly payments from some of the poorest workers in the world,” he said. “There’s a clear obligation.”

The NSSF could not be reached yesterday. ADDITIONAL

alleged shots

A

MILITARY police officer who allegedly shot a masseuse in the leg last week after she turned him away has been arrested and charged by Phnom Penh Municipal Court.

Captain Sum Sinan, a deputy chief in the research department of the Phnom Penh Municipal Military Police, was charged yesterday with “committing a violent act causing serious injury”, said military police deputy commander Khen Sovann.

At about 1am on July 2, Sinan allegedly showed up at a Toul Kork district massage parlor while drunk, Sovann said, only to be turned away by employee Keo Srey Pov, 47.

“He got angry with the victim for refusing him the massage, so he fired three bullets into the ground near her legs,” Sovann said. “One of three bullets hit her right leg and caused her serious injury.”

Sinan initially got away on his motorbike but was arrested on Friday. If found guilty, he faces a minimum sentence of five years in prison. BUTH REAKSMEY

KONGKEA

REPORTING BY CHHAY CHANNYDA

Press Release HONG LEONG BANK RECEIVES OPERATING LICENSE IN CAMBODIA Phnom Penh, 8 July 2013– Hong Leong Bank Berhad announced today that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Hong Leong Bank (Cambodia) Plc (“HLBCAM”), has received an operating license from the National Bank of Cambodia, allowing it to serve business and retail customers in Cambodia effective today.

HLBCAM received in-principle approval to establish and operate in Cambodia six months ago to offer banking products and services to the nation of over 14 million people.

“We are very excited about building our presence here in Cambodia. With the nation’s strong leadership, and rapidly growing economy and population, Cambodia is one of our key regional markets and our presence here is part of our strategy to expand our footprint in the region. The opening of HLBCAM stems from our commitment to grow and contribute to the banking sector in Cambodia as well as its broader economy,” said Mr. Tan Kong Khoon, Group Managing Director, Hong Leong Bank Berhad.

Mr. Joe Farrugia, Chief Executive Officer of Hong Leong Bank (Cambodia) Plc., confirmed that after 6 months of hard work by the team as well as the support and guidance received from the National Bank of Cambodia, the Bank and its staff force of over 40 talented and highly trained employees, are now ready to serve the local community.

He added “With our philosophy of value creation and commitment to local embedment, we will be able to provide the Cambodian community easy access to banking services that are progressive, relevant, bespoke and efficient.”

Hong Leong Bank Cambodia is located at No. 28, Samdech Pan Avenue (St. 214) in the main business center of Phnom Penh, Cambodia. ### About Hong Leong Bank Berhad Hong Leong Bank Berhad is one of the leading financial services organisations in Malaysia. With a heritage of more than 100 years, it provides comprehensive financial services covering consumer banking, business banking and trade finance, treasury, branch and transaction banking, wealth management, private banking and Islamic financial services. Its merger with EON Bank Group in 2011 has further embedded its position as a core banking franchise with an expanded distribution network of more than 300 branches across the country.

With a proven track record in value creation and a highly recognised brand, Hong Leong Bank has also been extending its footprint in the region, with branches in Singapore, Hong Kong and wholly owned subsidiaries in Vietnam and Cambodia. In China, the Bank has a 20% shareholding in Bank of Chengdu Co., Ltd., Sichuan and a consumer finance joint venture.

Hong Leong Bank is a subsidiary of Hong Leong Financial Group Berhad, the financial services arm of the Hong Leong Group. Apart from banking, Hong Leong Financial Group is involved in the provision of insurance and takaful, as well as investment banking, unit trust, fund management and stock broking services.

For further information, please visit www.hlb.com.my or contact: Group Media contact: Norlina Yunus, General Manager, Group Corporate Affairs & Public Relations Hong Leong Bank Berhad Tel: +603-2180 0965 E-mail: norlina.yunus@hlbb.hongleong.com.my

Media contact in Phnom Penh: Joe Farrugia, Chief Executive Officer Hong Leong Bank (Cambodia) Plc. Tel: +855-12 482 307 E-mail: joefarrugia@hlbkh.hongleong.com Paid advertisement

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THE PHNOM PENH POST July 8, 2013

National

Woman set ablaze by own husband: police Sen David

T

Scouts wave national flags while participating in a celebration marking the fifth anniversary of a UN decision to list Preah Vihear temple as a World Heritage Site at Phnom Penh’s Olympic Stadium yesterday. hong menea

Temple milestone celebrated Vong Sokheng

More than 15,000 flag-waving Cambodian youths joined senior government officials at Olympic Stadium yesterday to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the ancient Preah Vihear temple being granted UNESCO world heritage status.

In front of a dramatic backdrop featuring the cliff top temple surrounded by storm clouds, Deputy Prime Minister Sok An, Phnom Penh Municipal governor Pa Socheatvong and president of the Union of Youth Federations of Cambodia Hun Many presided over the ceremony.

The temple’s 2008 listing led to an outbreak of protests in neighbouring Thailand, which

disputes colonial-era maps used by Cambodia to claim the temple, with intermittent border clashes culminating in fighting in 2011 that left 18 dead.

“Now we are waiting for the last verdict of the International Court of Justice,” Sok An said, referring to 4.6 square kilometres of adjacent land that remains disputed and was the subject of ICJ hearings in April. “We welcome the fifth anniversary and it is a proud moment for Cambodia.”

Nineteen-year-old student Kong Sovannarom said that although he did not know much about the ICJ case, he was proud.

“I am happy and proud for my country that it has a temple listed as a world heritage site.”

HE Kampong Cham provincial court yesterday charged a man with setting fire to his pregnant wife on Friday, police said.

Bos Khnor commune police chief Heng Meng said that Yo Ra, 25, poured gasoline on his 21-year-old wife, who was eight months pregnant, and set her on fire after she refused to give him money for alcohol, leaving her seriously burned.

On the night of the incident, Ra had returned home drunk and flew into a rage when his wife refused to give him money so he could continue drinking, Meng said, adding that the wife’s parents also had told him to stop drinking.

“He became so angry,” Meng said. “He took two bottles of gasoline and poured them on his wife and [lit] them with a cigarette lighter.”

The wife and her parents called for help, and police managed to arrest Ra, while his wife was sent to the Kampong Cham provincial hospital, Meng said.

As of yesterday, the wife re-

A 21-year-old pregnant woman who was allegedly set on fire by her husband, Yo Ra, 25, gets medical treatment at the Kampong Cham provincial hospital on Friday. photo supplied

mained in hospital with serious burns over most of her body, but doctors said both she and her baby would survive, he said.

The husband also had been slightly injured when sparks flew from his burning wife and struck him, Meng added.

One of the couple’s neighbours, Chan Srey, 43, said she had alerted police after she heard the woman’s cries for help and saw her aflame in front of the family’s house.

She added that she had seen Ra beating and shouting at his

wife in the past, but that this was the worst incident by far.

“I feel so bad for her,” Srey said. “She was pregnant, but her husband did not take care of her health. Just the opposite – he set fire to her.”

The Ministry of Women’s Affairs, the United Nations Development Program, rights group Adhoc and a range of other bodies have found in Cambodia that women often fail to report all but the most serious domestic violence for fear of losing the economic support of their husbands.

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THE PHNOM PENH POST July 8, 2013

National

Dear parliamentary candidates of all political parties, We, the staff and members of the civil society groups listed, and our partners, families and friends, who are registered voters throughout Cambodia, will only consider voting for members of parliament of all political parties that keep the media free at all times.

Respectfully yours,

Independent Democracy of Informal Economy Association (IDEA)

Banteay Srei Boeung Kak Lake Community (BKL)

Messenger Band (MB)

Borei Keila Community (BK) CamASEAN Youth’ Future (CamASEAN)

Neutral and Impartial Committee for Free and Fair Election in Cambodia (NICFEC)

Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR)

NGO Forum on Cambodia (NGO Forum)

Cambodian Center for Independent Media (CCIM)

People’s Action for Change (PAC)

Cambodian Confederation Unions (CCU)

Sahmakum Teang Tnaut (STT)

Cambodian Food and Service Worker Federation (CFSWF)

SILAKA

Cambodia’s Independent Civil-Servants Association (CICA)

The Advocacy and Policy Institute (API)

Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights (LICADHO)

The Cambodian Committee of Women (CAMBOW)

Cambodian Worker Center for Development(CWCD)

The Cambodian NGO Committee on CEDAW (NGO-CEDAW)

Cambodian Youth Network (CYN) Coalition of Cambodian Farmer Community (CCFC) Community Legal Education Centre (CLEC) Community Peace-Building Network (CPN) Equitable Cambodia (EC)

The Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC)

The Cambodian Tourism and Service Workers Federation (CTSWF) The Building and Wood Workers Trade Union Federation of Cambodia (BWTUC) Thmor Kol Community (TK)

Farmer Development Association (FDA)

keepthemediafree@gmail.com

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THE PHNOM PENH POST July 8, 2013

National

In brief S Korea to lend $200 million over three years

CAMBODIA is set to receive a loan from South Korea for $200 million, money that will go toward rehabilitating several major roadways between 2013 and 2016. The agreement will be signed by Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong and South Korean ambassador Kim HanSoo on Wednesday, with Prime Minister Hun Sen serving as a witness. The loan, from South Korea’s Economic Development Cooperation Fund, will go towards repair work on National Road 2 and National Road 22 as well as the rehabilitation of National Road 48. It will also fund improvement of rural roads in nine provinces. Cheang Sokha

Termination of workers’ contracts legal: NGO

RESPONDING to a protest by 44 former condom packer employees, Population Services Khmer and its onceparent organisation, Population Services International, denied violating the law by ending the packers’ employment last week. In a letter sent to the Post last Thursday, PSK and PSI said that they had given the workers all required benefits and had met with them several times to explain that their contracts had been ended because of a “change in product procurement and limited in-country packaging needs”. Mom Kunthear

Party members’ clash probed Cheang Sokha

Man takes flight after causing head-on crash

Young CNRP supporters speak to the press during a demonstration outside a CPP supporter’s home in Phnom Penh’s Chamkarmon district on Friday night. PHoto SUPPLIED

the CPP supporters withdrew into Kimlon’s compound and closed the gate, prompting fears that several CNRP members had been grabbed and taken inside, Virak said. CNRP supporters threw stones over the wall, and CPP supporters tossed back dinner plates.

Finally, someone inside fired several shots into the air.

Authorities arrived and brokered a peace, and police and opposition members were al-

lowed to search the house for stray members but none were found. A few people were slightly injured in the brouhaha and three vehicles were damaged.

“Ung Chanthan has claimed that he was the one who shot into the air to threaten the group of CNRP people rallying outside, but actually his uncle, Ly Kimlon, did it,” said Municipal Military Police deputy commander Pou Davy, saying the matter was “not about po-

litical threatening; it was a personal argument”.

Virak expressed a similar sentiment, saying the incident was “just a bunch of young men whose blood was boiling”.

“There are these young hotheads who seem not to be able to control themselves, but also the opposition is a bit more emboldened,” he said, noting the newly merged party was “not as easily intimidated” as in years past.

A more personal B Kak Crop burning alleged dispute makes airwaves Phak Seangly

Khouth Sophak Chakrya and Shane Worrell

IN THE past few years, the explosive events at Boeung Kak lake – including violent evictions and arrests – have gone largely unreported outside the Kingdom’s independent media outlets.

But during the past week, things have changed.

Outspoken community representative Tep Vanny has been under attack from her fellow Boeung Kak residents, who have accused her of corruption and even “Pol Pot-like behaviour” – and Cambodia’s televisions stations have taken a sudden interest.

A number of stations, seen as heavily aligned with the government, have been broadcasting frank criticism of Vanny, including lengthy excerpts of a press conference led by her former cellmates in Prey Sar prison, Heng Mom and Tol Srey Pov. The Council of Ministers’ Press and Quick Reaction Unit, too, has been covering the schism – at least from the point of view of Vanny’s critics.

On Saturday, the government website ran a press release from residents including Srey Pov and Mom, along with no fewer than 24 photos of the group speaking to journalists and lodging petitions with foreign embassies.

Boeung Kak lake activists clash with police during a demonstration in Phnom Penh’s Hun Sen park last week. heng chivoan

In the statement, Vanny is accused of inciting violent protests, pocketing donations and ordering evictees to burn themselves for attention.

“Tep Vanny is a selfish woman who regards herself as an authoritarian protest leader and does not concern about the common interest with behaviour like Pol Pot,” the statement says.

Press and Quick Reaction Unit spokesman Tith Sothea was not available for comment yesterday, while Council of Ministers spokesman Phay Siphan said he wasn’t able to comment on PQRU matters.

After videos were posted on YouTube of disgruntled Boeung

Cops: suspect kept theft all in the family

IT’S NOT clear what the rules are for ending one’s relationship with one’s god brother, but a 31-year-old construction worker may have begun the process last week when he stole said relation’s motorbike.

Police said the man’s 47-yearold god brother asked him to use his bike to go buy food, but instead of returning, the suspect drove the bike to his home province of Kampong Speu. The bike’s owner filed a complaint with police, which circulated the bike’s plate number and used it to arrest the false god brother. Nokorwat

T

HE PHNOM Penh Municipal Court yesterday evening questioned a tycoon and his nephew, a military police official, over their involvement in shots fired during a brief clash between supporters of the Cambodian People’s Party and the Cambodia National Rescue Party on Friday night, court and police officials said.

Court prosecutor Meas Chanpisith said that four had been arrested, but two were ultimately released after they were found to be uninvolved with the shooting, leaving only tycoon Khy Kimlon and military police officer Ung Chanthan in custody.

According to Cambodian Center for Human Rights president Ou Virak – who reviewed CCTV footage of the incident – a group of CNRP supporters was parading through a Phnom Penh neighbourhood when they began verbally sparring with CPP supporters attending a private party at Kimlon’s house.

“So they drove past and [the CPP supporters] were screaming ‘number four’, and the CNRP was screaming ‘number seven’, so there was a fight,” Virak said, referring to the parties’ numbered positions on the voting ballot. “It’s not clear who started it.”

After the fighting broke out,

police blotter

Kak residents accusing Vanny of corruption, the activist called a press conference on Thursday to deny allegations, during which she questioned the news judgment of local television producers.

“Thousands of villagers have been evicted . . . some have been arrested when marching for a solution. But state television and radio stations have not covered these events – nor have private stations,” she said.

Heng Mom said Vanny was “working on behalf of the opposition party and her own benefit, not ours”.

“Vanny always accuses us of selling out to the CPP, but we haven’t,” she said.

LESS than two months after staffers at a Vietnamese rubber concessionaire were charged over setting homes aflame during a land dispute, the company has been accused of burning and bulldozing more than 900 cashew nut trees and eight hectares of plantation land in O’Chum district, according to an Adhoc complaint.

Five families filed the complaint on Saturday, requesting intervention after CRD staffers named Saing Chantha and Vork allegedly burned down 930 cashew nut trees and illegally grabbed eight hectares of land in O’Chum district on June 13.

“The plantation was measured by Hun Sen volunteer youth, who issued legal documents already, but the Viet-

namese firm still grabbed it and planted rubber trees,” said Mean Promony, Adhoc provincial investigator, yesterday.

Promony added that the villagers came to Adhoc after authorities ignored their request for intervention. Adhoc plans to forward the complaint to the provincial court today.

O’Chum District Governor Sak Sun said he wasn’t aware of the land grab, but said “if it happened, it is illegal”.

“Please come to me with documents so I can solve the problem,” he added.

The Cambodian government granted CRD 7,591 hectares of land in three districts in 2011 for rubber development, but the firm has since faced multiple accusations of malfeasance.

CRD could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Swindler faces charges Buth Reaksmey Kongkea

A 39-YEAR-OLD Siem Reap hotel director has been arrested and charged with fraud after pretending to be a court official and a close adviser of Prime Minister Hun Sen in order to extort money from individuals.

Ith Sothea, investigating judge at the Siem Reap Provincial Court, said yesterday that Srey Polo, vice-director of the Angkor Silk Hotel in Siem Reap province, was charged with fraud on Saturday and has been placed in pre-trial detention.

“He has used the name of our

Siem Reap court institution as well as the name of the Cambodian leader to extort money from people,” he said.

Polo was arrested on July 5 in Siem Reap town, Sothea said, after two victims lodged complaints with the court claiming he cheated them out of $800 each by saying he had links to court officials and promising he would be able to secure release for their imprisoned sons.

He added that Polo had defrauded others by saying he had connections with Hun Sen. The court is waiting to receive more complaints.

A 21-YEAR-OLD medical student learned on Saturday that her medical know-how could not always spare her from others’ carelessness. Police said the student was driving with her 15-year-old brother on a motorbike in Phnom Penh’s Por Sen Chey district when a man speeding on another bike in the opposite direction crashed into them, leaving the student with a broken leg and her brother slightly injured.

Unable to restart his bike, the man left it and escaped on foot. Kampuchea Thmey

Hapless tractor thieves caught stealing again

TWO MEN in Takeo’s Angkor Borei district failed for the second time to get away with stealing a tractor on Friday.

The two men snuck into a farmer’s yard in the early hours of Wednesday, took the tractor and hid it in an abandoned field while they looked for someone to buy it, police said. But the farmer filed a complaint to police, who questioned the two men because they had tried to steal a tractor once before. They confessed and showed police where they hid it. Koh Santepheap

Victim gets wallet back, minus more than $300

A SINGAPOREAN man in Phnom Penh was happy to have his stolen wallet returned on Friday but less happy it no longer contained the $370 it had held when four men took it on Wednesday. The man also regained his Singaporean ID, driver licence and four bank cards when police arrested two of the four alleged thieves, but the two said they and their friends had spent all the money. Police sent them to court and are searching for the other two. Rasmey Kampuchea

Robbery fails as pair falls victim to nerves

TWO ALLEGED necklace snatchers in Phnom Penh’s Tuol Kork district let panic get the better of them when confronted with some coordinated police work on Friday. Police said they heard the shouts of the woman whose necklace the two had taken and used their walkie-talkies to call up other cops to intercept them. Seeing their way blocked, the pair panicked and toppled off their bike – and into arrest. NOKORWAT Translated by Phak Seangly

7

THE PHNOM PENH POST July 8, 2013

Business Indicative Exchange Rates as of 5/07/2013. Please contact ANZ Royal Global Markets on 023 999 910 for real time rates.

USD / KHR

EUR / USD

AUD / USD

NZD / USD

GBP / USD

USD /CNY

4,085

1.2901

0.9133

0.781

1.5045

6.1275

USD / JPY

100.39

USD / HKD

7.7535

USD / SGD

USD / THB

1.2747

31.13

Cambodia looks to export rice to Brunei Rann Reuy

An employee counts banknotes and coins at a bus company in Haikou, China, in April. reuters

China currency deals surge Hor Kimsay

A

S trade activity between Cambodia and China intensifies, banks are seeing an increase in deals transacted in yuan, the Chinese currency.

Operating in Cambodia since 2010, Bank of China’s Phnom Penh Branch has been trying to promote business transactions in yuan, and has seen a significant increase in its use to pay for imports and exports over the past six months.

Chen Chang Jiang, Chief Executive Officer at the Bank of China Phnom Penh Branch, told the Post the amount

of yuan received by the bank of China reached almost $163 million from January to June this year, up 50 per cent from the first half of last year.

“The growth is fast, and we are very happy,” Chen said. “It is the result of increasing exports and imports among businesses in Cambodia and China.”

Several other banks, such as Acleda, ANZ Royal, Cambodia Public Bank, Union Commercial Bank and Maruhan Japan Bank, also advertise yuan payment settlement services in Cambodia.

In Channy, president and CEO of Acleda Bank, said he has also seen

more trade settlement in the currency, a lot of which he attributes to agricultural exports.

“There is a big jump of Cambodian rice flowing to China, and I believe that the trend of using Chinese yuan will be moving forward in Cambodia,” Channy said.

According to official data, of the 146,854 tonnes of rice Cambodia exported in the first five months of this year, 12,687 tonnes, or 8.6 per cent, went to China. Governments of both countries are aiming for trade volumes to reach $5 billion by 2017.

Recent figure from the Chinese embassy in Cambodia show trade

between the two countries was valued at $1.79 billion in the first four months this year, a 42 per cent increase compared to the same period last year.

Nguon Sokha, director general of the National Bank of Cambodia, agrees that deals transacted in Chinese currency will increase, but she says the US dollar is still the dominant international currency.

“Currently, the yuan can only be used for international trade between Cambodia and China,” Sokha said. “The currency is still far behind the dollar, which represent at least 80 per cent of the Cambodian economy.”

CAMBODIA will start exporting rice later this year to Brunei Darussalam for the first time, according to a deal signed between officials on Saturday in Phnom Penh.

With its first shipment expected in November, the Baitong Rice Export Company and the Federation of Cambodian Rice Millers Association will send 3,000 tonnes of fragrant rice to Brunei, the smallest of the 10-member ASEAN states, with a population of a little more than 400,000.

“The Brunei government, in accordance with a policy to diversify supplies and sources of rice, has agreed to buy some somaly [the Khmer word for fragrant rice] from Cambodia,” said the Brunei director of the Department of Supply and State Stores at the Ministry of Finance, identified as Pg Haji Mohd Noordin Plp Pg Haji Mold. Calling the one-year contract a “trial scheme”, he said on Saturday that the price set was $1,020 per tonne.

The deal’s amount places Brunei among the top 15 importers of Cambodian rice, according to official data. Rice exports have increased 127 per cent to just under 147,000 tonnes in the past five months of this year when compared to the same period in 2012. The output is well on its way to smashing the figure of about 205,000 tonnes for the entire 12 months of last year.

Phou Puy, president of the Baitong Rice Export Company, said the amount sent to Brunei could increase.

“If we have good quality and good marketing, they will buy beyond the actual amount.”

8

THE PHNOM PENH POST July 8, 2013

Business

Malaysia’s main bank puts limits on lending MALAYSIA’S central bank has imposed measures on household lending, including limits to loan tenures, which economists yesterday said will rein in “excessive” consumer borrowing and curb property speculation.

Bank Negara Malaysia said it will now only allow personal loans of up to 10 years while financing for both residential and non-residential properties will have a maximum payback term of 35 years. Previously, consumers were allowed to apply for personal and property loans of up to 25 years and 45 years respectively.

The central bank also announced a ban on “pre-approved personal financing products” – unsolicited loan and credit card offers – effective immediately. Although a longer loan term may reduce monthly repayments, it encourages “excessive debt accumulation” and saddles consumers with heavier overall debt burden, the central bank said in a statement Friday.

Yeah Kim Leng, group chief economist with financial firm RAM Holdings told AFP that the “mild credit tightening” is designed to curb household debt from rising excessively.

Household debt has expanded rapidly over the past five years, increasing by 12 per cent a year, the central bank said.

Wan Suhaimi Saidi, economist with Kenanga Investment Bank, described the measures as positive for the economy because it would prevent a “possible bubble burst” in the household debt if consumers continue to enjoy easy borrowings.

The central bank, however, said households who have the financial capacity to take on borrowings will continue to enjoy access to financing. Malaysia’s economy is expected to grow five to six per cent this year. AFP

Strategy advice for Vietnam V

IETNAM should consider following the model of Singapore’s Temasek Holdings Pte and Malaysia’s Khazanah Nasional Bhd as it seeks ways to boost productivity at state-owned enterprises (SOEs), McKinsey & Co’s country head said.

“It could be very interesting to look at successful stories that Malaysia and Singapore had,” Marco Breu, McKinsey’s chief executive officer in Vietnam, said in a recent interview. “They created this arm’s-length view between the government and the SOEs, this entity which then started managing them professionally with only business incentives in mind.”

Singapore created Temasek in 1974 to nurture the development of state corporations including the national phone company and airline. Khazanah was set up in 1993 with a similar mandate. Temasek managed S$215 billion (US$169 billion) in investments as of March 31, while Khazanah’s net asset value reached 86.9 billion ringgit (US$27 billion) at the end of 2012.

Vietnam is trying to raise competitiveness and efficiency at state companies as economic growth slows after the ruling Communist Party said in 2011 that unprofitable governmentcontrolled firms had become a burden. Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung approved a master plan in February to spur its companies to focus on core businesses and accelerate public share sales.

The Singapore and Malaysia models allowed the state investment firms to introduce common corporate governance practices and impose higher management standards. They have successively sold shares in former state companies and then reinvested the proceeds outside their home countries.

Temasek’s biggest holdings now include shares in Singa-

Fixed Deposit Interest Rates Cambodian

Financial Institutions

Traffic moves along a road in Hanoi, Vietnam, last year. bloomberg

pore Telecommunications Ltd, Southeast Asia’s biggest phone company; DBS Group Holdings Ltd, the region’s biggest bank; UK lender Standard Chartered Plc; and Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Ltd, the nation’s largest bank.

Khazanah owns stakes in some of Malaysia’s biggest listed companies, including electricity producer Tenaga Nasional Bhd, mobile-phone company Axiata Group Bhd, lender CIMB Group Holdings Bhd and hospital operator IHH Healthcare Bhd. The investment firm sold Proton Holdings Bhd, the national carmaker and owner of sports-car maker Lotus, last year.

Breu also mentioned Kazakhstan’s Samruk-Kazyna, the sovereign wealth fund that controls assets accounting for about half of the country’s economic output, as a model.

Vietnam’s sovereign credit rating was cut one step to B1 in December 2010 by Moody’s Investors Service,

which cited concerns, including “debt distress at Vietnam Shipbuilding Industry Group,” or Vinashin.

The country targets 5.5 per cent economic growth this year, which would be its first period of three straight years of growth below six per cent since 1988, according to International Monetary Fund data.

The government is trying to fix a banking sector weighed down by bad debt, which the central bank said was 7.8 per cent of outstanding loans at the end of 2012.

Governments have difficulty giving state-owned companies more independence because they often serve as vehicles for state policies, Breu said.

“In SOEs, you will find a lot of hidden inefficiencies because they might not have been managed according to business principles,” Breu said in the July 2 interview.

Without mechanisms to retrain workers, “it is very hard to all of a sudden say cut it

JOB TITLE : MERCHANDISER or SENIOR MERCHANDISER JOB LOCATION : PHNOM PENH

On Deposits 6 Months

USD

RIEL

USD

RIEL

USD

RIEL

Prasac

5.50%

6.50%

6.50%

7.50%

8.00%

9.75%

ABA Bank

3.50%

N/A

4.50%

N/A

5.50%

N/A

ACLEDA Bank

2.50%

5.00%

3.75%

6.00%

5.00%

7.00%

ANZ Royal Bank

1.45%

3.50%

2.75%

4.00%

3.75%

5.50%

Bank of India

2.25%

N/A

3.00%

N/A

4.00%

N/A

preferably in textile/garment manufacturing, 3years and above experience will may consider as senior position.

- Organized, proactive, mature and self motivated person.

- Proficient in Ms office such line excel/word sheet etc is an advantage

Cambodia Asia Bank

As of JULY 8, 2013

12 Months

JOB REQUIREMENT :

3 Months

- Candidate Must process at high school, or any field of diploma,

can write & communication in English.

- At least 1 years working experience in a similar capacity and

3.50%

N/A

4.50%

N/A

5.50%

N/A

JOB RESPONSIBLEBILTIES:

Cambodia Mekong Bank 2.75%

N/A

3.25%

N/A

3.50%

N/A

Cambodian Public Bank 2.25%

N/A

3.25%

N/A

4.00%

N/A

- Company system maintains, data key-in, order inform tracking.

- Purchaser material from fabric to trims.

- Monitory approval, material movement & tracking production status. Work closely with respective sales/production controller.

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Canadia Bank

2.50%

5.00%

3.50%

6.00%

4.75%

7.00%

Maybank

2.25%

N/A

3.25%

N/A

4.25%

N/A

Maruhan Japan Bank

2.00%

2.00%

3.00%

3.00%

4.50%

4.50%

RHB Indochina Bank

2.75%

4.00%

3.50%

5.00%

4.75%

6.00%

SBC Bank

3.00%

N/A

3.50%

N/A

4.50%

N/A

Union Commercial Bank 3.50%

N/A

4.50%

N/A

5.50%

N/A

How to Apply Interested applicants please send the application form or submit CV to : Ghim Li (Cambodia) Pte Ltd National road No.4, Sangkat Kambol Khan Porsenchey, Phnom Penh E-mail : eefong.lim@ghimli.com, Tel : 012 890 011 Tel : +855 24 399986 (Cambodia), +607 663 1580 (Malaysia) Fax : +855 24 393838 (Cambodia), +607 663 4296 (Malaysia)

30, 40 per cent,” he said. Breu declined to say whether McKinsey is advising Vietnam’s government.

Vietnam has taken small steps to replicate entities like Temasek with its State Capital Investment Corp, which was formed in 2006 to manage government shareholdings and operates under the Ministry of Finance, said Alan Pham, chief economist at VinaCapital Group. SCIC’s role should be expanded, he said.

A Temasek-like organisation would have difficulty functioning within the fragmented power structure in Vietnam, said Jonathan Pincus, an economist with the Harvard Kennedy School’s Vietnam Program in Ho Chi Minh City.

“The problem is every level of government controls entities that are commercial in nature.” he said in a phone interview.

Vinashin, the state-run firm that had planned to build and export $1 billion of ships in 2009, almost collapsed in 2010

because it over-diversified and failed to manage its cash flow and debt properly, according to the Ministry of Transport.

Prime Minister Dung faced a call for a confidence vote in the National Assembly in late 2010 for his handling of Vinashin.

Dung, who apologised for the shortcomings in a televised broadcast in October 2012, eventually faced the vote last month and passed with 67 per cent support from lawmakers.

A stock market slump has slowed down Vietnam’s equitisation process, Dominic Scriven, the CEO of Ho Chi Minh City-based fund manager Dragon Capital, said on behalf of the Capital Market Working Group at a conference last month.

The Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange’s benchmark VN Index (VNINDEX) has lost 7.7 per cent from this year’s June 7 high. The gauge has rallied 18 per cent this year, at least seven percentage points more than any other Southeast Asian benchmark tracked by Bloomberg.

Vietnam Airlines Co., the national carrier, has selected banks to manage an initial public offering, CEO Pham Ngoc Minh said April 9. He didn’t give a time frame for the sale.

One in five publicly traded companies may post losses this year, State Securities Commission Chairman Vu Bang said last month. Investors are awaiting the results of the government’s plans to resolve non-performing loans and restructure banks and stateowned enterprises, he said.

Productivity in manufacturing and services must improve by 50 per cent for Vietnam’s economic growth to return to more than six per cent, Breu said, citing a McKinsey report published last year. Vietnam can’t rely on two other drivers of economic expansion, the labor force and urbanisation, for growth, he said. BLOOMBERG

9

THE PHNOM PENH POST July 8, 2013

Markets Business Malaysian bank eyes the affluent Daniel de Carteret

A NEW Malaysian player in Cambodia’s expanding banking sector aims to capture the “emerging affluent” with its mobile and online services.

Malaysian-based Hong Leong Bank will begin operating in Phnom Penh today, with a branch on Street 214. Joe Farrugia, CEO of Hong Leong Bank Cambodia, said yesterday the company will establish internet and mobile service platforms in early 2014 that cater to the expanding middle class.

“Long term [it is the] Gen Y segment that I am targeting on the retail side” he said, adding that in terms of business clients, Hong Leong will seek out small to medium enterprises, and intends to roll out branches in Cambodia’s provinces.

The National Bank of Cambodia (NBC) said that Hong Leong will be the 34th commercial bank in Cambodia. NBC director general Nguon Sokha said the number doesn’t translate to oversaturation, because most banks operating here, when compared with regional institutions, don’t manage large amounts of assets.

Poll shows Thais accept graft

T

hai people’s willingness to accept corruption remains disturbingly high despite the growing attention devoted to the issue, according to an Abac Poll.

Sixty-five per cent of respondents surveyed last week said government corruption was acceptable if they also benefited from such activity.

The result was little changed from a survey done in March, when 65.5 per cent said corruption was acceptable. The figure has been 60 per cent or higher ever since the Abac Poll began asking the question in November 2011.

The pollsters from Assumption University conducted their latest survey between July 1 and 5 among 2,107 people aged 18 years and over in 17 provinces in Thailand. The poll result has a margin of error of plus or minus 7 per cent.

When classified by gender, 67.7 per cent of men and 60.5 per cent of women were willing to accept the existence of corruption if the public benefited.

More than half of the respondents in all age ranges had the same attitude, with the highest acceptance level

Protesters demonstrate against government corruption in Bangkok last month. reuters

at 73 per cent found among respondents aged between 30 and 39 years old.

By occupation, the group with the highest acceptance level was farmers and daily labourers at 78.9 per cent, followed by students and university students at 73.3 per cent, employees of private organisations (67.1 per cent), housewives and retirees (63.5 per cent), traders and entrepreneurs (62.8 per cent), civil servants and employees of state enterprises (54.0 per cent).

Poontharee Issarangkul na Ayutthaya, the assistant director of Abac Poll, said the results showed that a dangerous attitude still existed among the majority of people.

Because of such attitudes, she said, it could be difficult for the government to solve corruption problems plaguing its rice-pledging program because farmers and workers and civil servants accept the practice.

The public’s acknowledgement that there was corrup-

tion by those who should be preventing it also made it more difficult to eradicate the problem, she added.

The Abac Poll believes that to change unhealthy attitudes, a more truly democratic system is needed.

This would involve allowing households and other stakeholders to evaluate government agencies at all levels such as police, public hospitals and schools, as well as officials in district offices or local administration organisations.

The evaluation results would then be used for budget allocations and the appointment of civil servants.

Poontharee said the government should create true transparency in the auditing system for the administration of the state budget, so detailed information could be disclosed on how the money is spent.

A report by the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce earlier this year indicated that graft accounted for about 30-35 per cent of the cost of state procurement projects. That worked out to more than 300 billion baht or up to 2.5 per cent of gross domestic product, it said. BANGKOK POST

Surfs up

Thai internet users soar as rates double

T

HE number of internet users in Thailand could reach 52 million this year thanks to the proliferation of smartphones and increasing availability of broadband.

Gp Capt Anudith Nakornthap, the information and communication technology (ICT) minister, said the number would represent a doubling in users, and credited lower prices for smartphones and tablets.

At the end of last year, Thailand had 26 million internet users, or about 37 per cent of the population.

A survey by the ICT Ministry’s Electronic Transaction Development Agency found that Thais spend an average of 32 hours a week on the internet, up from 18 hours in 2011. The top three online activities are sending email, conducting searches and using social media.

The survey showed the main obstacles to internet usage are low speeds, high service charges and poor network coverage.

Notebooks, smartphones and tablets are the primary devices for accessing the internet, together surpassing desktop computers. BANGKOK POST

10

THE PHNOM PENH POST July 8, 2013

Business

Bhutan bets big on hydropower Rachel O’Brien

H

OME to meditating monks and Himalayan nomads, the sleepy kingdom of Bhutan has set its sights on becoming an unlikely energy powerhouse thanks to its abundant winding rivers.

Hydropower plants have already harnessed the country’s water flow to light up nearly every Bhutanese home, generating electricity that is sent to remote villages by cables strung through rugged mountain terrain.

It is a rapid transformation for the long isolated nation, where less than a quarter of households had electricity in 1999, the same year Bhutan became the last country to introduce television.

But the kingdom now has much greater ambitions for renewable hydropower (already its biggest export) which it hopes will provide more than half of its gross domestic product by 2020.

“It is the white gold for Bhutan today,” said Chhewang Rinzin, managing director of state-owned Druk Green Power Corporation, which runs the state’s hydropower sector.

Bhutan’s first megaproject, opened in the southwestern Chukha district in the 1980s, is now one of four major plants that between them have almost 1,500 megawatt capacity, a peak output roughly equivalent to a large nuclear power station, and only five per cent of Bhutan’s hydropower potential.

Already going far beyond domestic needs in summer months, when monsoon rains fill up the rivers, most of the electric power is sold to India, Bhutan’s giant energy-hungry neighbour.

In cooperation with the Indian government, and funded by its grants and loans, the kingdom is now aiming to reach capacity of 10,000 megawatts by 2020 through the building of 10 new plants.

In contrast, politically deadlocked and once war-wracked Nepal has just 700 megawatts of installed capacity, despite being among the top potential hydropower producers in the world according to the World Bank.

While hydropower is hailed as the country’s ticket to selfsufficiency after years of depending on donors, there are reservations about the speed

The Po River flows through Bhutan’s Punakha valley.

and scale of its development while other sectors of the economy lag behind. One of the first new plants being built, the Punatsangchhu I project, is projected to cost about two billion dollars, more than Bhutan’s total gross domestic product – and there are nine more projects to complete.

“While no one disputes that harnessing hydropower energy is the way to go, there is concern that Bhutan is trying to do too much, too soon,” said an April editorial in the national Kuensel newspaper.

At the Chukha plant, colour-

kara fox

ful murals depicting the Buddha’s life-cycle contrast with the whirring machinery but hint at the country’s unique development model of pursuing “Gross National Happiness” (GNH).

Retaining Bhutan’s Buddhist identity and protecting the environment are key parts of the GNH philosophy, which aims to balance the financial advancement of the nation with spiritual wellbeing.

The existing hydropower schemes are all “run of the river” sorts that depend on natural water supplies rather than

large reservoirs, designed to cause less disruption to their surroundings. But three reservoir dams have been proposed among the upcoming projects to ensure plentiful water in the cold, rain-free winter months, when power output currently drops by about three quarters.

Rinzin says Bhutan’s steep and sparsely populated valleys will suffer much less impact than areas affected by big Indian or Chinese reservoirs.

The number of households displaced is in the hundreds rather than thousands.

But Samir Mehta, South Asia program director at US-based watchdog International Rivers, expressed concern at a lack of transparency on the proposals and their impact.

He warned that hydropower plants also face serious threats from climate change, given Bhutan’s susceptibility to floods from lakes formed high in the mountains by melting glaciers.

In the capital Thimphu, people have other concerns on their mind about hydropower’s rise, sometimes described as “jobless growth”.

Despite its dominance in Bhutan, Druk Green has a staff of only 1,800, which is

expected to rise to no more than 6,000, in a country where unemployment is a growing worry among its youthful population of 736,000.

The construction phase is more labour-intensive, but only 10 to 15 per cent of these jobs are going to the Bhutanese by Rinzin’s calculation, as most of the building work is carried out by Indians.

The kingdom, which is holding its second parliamentary elections after shifting to democracy in 2008, is already hugely dependent on India for imports and soaring demand led it to run out of Indian rupee supplies last year.

Many think the flurry in hydropower development, and subsequent demand for costly imported equipment and machinery, fanned the crisis.

While he believes in hydropower’s long-term benefits for Bhutan, Tensing Lamsang, editor of The Bhutanese newspaper says the financial and environmental concerns show that it should not be relied upon at the cost of other industries.

“The danger here is that we put all our eggs in one basket.

If the basket falls, then we’re in for a lot of trouble.” AFP

11

THE PHNOM PENH POST July 8, 2013

World Eight bombs explode at one of Buddhism’s holiest temple sites M Imran Khan

ULTIPLE small bomb blasts at one of Buddhism’s holiest sites – the Bodh Gaya temple complex in eastern India – wounded two monks yesterday, but the historic temple itself was not damaged, police said.

The Indian government called the blasts a “terror attack” after eight bombs exploded at the complex in Bihar state, which attracts Buddhists and other visitors from all over the world.

No one claimed responsibility for the attack, but police said they earlier warned officials that Islamic militants could target the site, as revenge for Buddhist violence against Muslims in neighbouring Myanmar.

“Eight low-intensity serial blasts took place early this morning, injuring two people,” said senior police official SK Bharadwaj.

Two more bombs were found and defused inside the complex, one of them near the temple’s celebrated 24metre-tall statue of the Buddha, Bharadwaj said.

“The holy bodhi tree is safe and there is no damage to it,” Bihar police chief Abhayanand, who goes by one name, said.

Along with temples, dozens of monasteries, housing monks from around the world, are located near the com-

plex, which is believed to contain the tree under which the Buddha reached enlightenment in 531BC. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh condemned the blasts at the complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and said “such attacks on religious places will never be tolerated”.

Junior home minister RPN Singh told reporters “it is clear that this was a terror attack” and teams of investigators were probing the incident.

Police in New Delhi had warned state officials last winter that Islamist militants from the Indian Mujahideen group were planning to attack the complex, an official focused on antiterror operations said.

“We told state police that the Indian Mujahideen planned to carry out an attack as retaliation for Buddhist violence against Muslims in Myanmar,” the official said on condition of anonymity.

“We told them that Bodh Gaya is a probable target for attack,” he said.

Indian Mujahideen has admitted carrying out numerous bomb blasts in recent years, and is often listed as a suspect in attacks across the country.

Attacks on Buddhists are rare in India but there have been tensions in the wider region recently following clashes between Buddhists and Muslims in Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Additional security forces have

been deployed to guard the complex after the blasts, which wounded two monks, a 50-year-old Tibetan and a 30-year-old Myanmar national, who have been taken to hospital.

Windows were shattered at one of the buildings, while a wooden door at a small temple was destroyed and debris was strewn inside another building.

Sri Lanka Buddhist monk Gomarankadawala Hemarathana, 28, who raced to the scene after the blasts, said one of the bombs had been placed at the base of the statue.

“It is a miracle that the Buddha statue was not harmed. The bomb was placed at the foot of the statue but it did not go off,” he said.

Former local legislator Sarbajeet Kumar said he was on his daily morning walk to the temple when the bombs exploded.

“Suddenly I saw smoke and heard the sound of the blasts. I realised that something bad had happened and ran for shelter,” he told local reporters.

The Bodh Gaya complex, 110 kilometres south of the state capital Patna, is one of the earliest Buddhist temples still standing in India.

The first temple was built in the 3rd century BC by the Buddhist Emperor Asoka and the present temples date from the 5th or 6th centuries, according to UNESCO. The complex houses the holy bodhi tree as well as the giant Mahabo-

An injured Buddhist monk arrives at Gaya Anugrah Narayan Magadh Medical College following blasts at the Bodh Gaya Buddhist temple complex yesterday. AFP

dhi statue of Buddha, and multiple shrines marking the places where he is believed to have spent time after his enlightenment.

Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama makes frequent trips to the complex, which attracts visitors dur-

ing the peak tourist season from October to March.

After his meditations beneath the tree, Buddha is said to have devoted the rest of his life to teaching and he founded an order of monks before dying aged 80. AFP

Confusion over new Egypt PM

Egypt’s interim president Adly Mansour (right) meeting with opposition National Salvation Front leader Mohamed El Baradei in Cairo on Saturday. AFP

THE choice of Nobel Peace laureate Mohamed ElBaradei as Egypt’s interim premier hit opposition within the coalition that backed Mohamed Morsi’s overthrow, as supporters and opponents of the deposed Islamist president planned rival rallies yesterday.

The official MENA news agency said on Saturday that caretaker president Adly Mansour had appointed the outspoken liberal opponent of Morsi, only for his office to later deny any final decision had been taken.

Reporters had already assembled at the presidential palace for promised statements from Mansour and ElBaradei which were then abruptly called off.

Salafi Islamists, who gave their back-

ing to Morsi’s overthrow in a military coup on Wednesday, were holding out against ElBaradei’s appointment, officials close to the talks said.

Presidential adviser Ahmed al-Muslimani said ElBaradei, the former head of the UN nuclear watchdog, remained the “strongest candidate”. “He is on top of the list of names,” Muslimani said.

But by yesterday morning, after another round of talks, a senior Salafi politician said his Al-Nour party would not accept ElBaradei.

“Our position is simple. There are two reasons to reject ElBaradei: We need to technocratic economic figure; and we need to end polarisation on the street,” said Nader Bakkar.

“We can’t talk of national reconcili-

ation and then make Morsi’s most ardent opponent prime minister,” he said.

An official close to ElBaradei conceded there were fears of alienating Al-Nour, which won almost a quarter of votes in a 2011 parliamentary election, and “driving them” into Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood camp.

Meanwhile, the presidency held out an olive branch to Morsi supporters in the Brotherhood as its leaders vowed to press protests rejecting his ouster.

“We extend our hand to the Muslim Brotherhood,” Muslimani told a news conference.

“I think the Muslim Brotherhood has many opportunities in the coming period to enter elections.” AFP

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World

Five killed ahead of Philippine peace talks FIVE Philippine soldiers and three rogue Muslim rebels have been killed in clashes ahead of the resumption of peace negotiations aimed at ending a decades-old rebellion, the military said yesterday.

The Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, a splinter guerrilla group, ambushed an army truck and attacked an army camp on Saturday, said regional military spokesman Major-General Romeo Gapuz.

The fighting occurred two days before the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the country’s largest Muslim guerrilla force, were to resume talks in neighbouring Malaysia today.

“The BIFF is hell-bent on derailing the (PhilippinesMILF) peace talks by launching simultaneous attacks against civilian and military installations,” Gapuz said in a written statement.

The BIFF set off a roadside bomb as a military truck drove past in the mainly rural Datu Piang municipality, killing three soldiers, officials said. AFP

Runway air crash kills two A Glenn Chapman

N Asiana Airlines Boeing 777 passenger jet crashed and burst into flames on Saturday as it landed short of the runway at San Francisco International Airport, killing two people and injuring 182 others.

Flight 214 originated in Shanghai, and had 307 people on board – 291 passengers and 16 crew – after it stopped to pick up passengers in Seoul. The aircraft apparently struck a rocky area at the water’s edge short of the airport runway.

“It is incredible and very lucky that we have so many survivors.

But there are still many that are critically injured,” said San Francisco Mayor Edwin Lee, who sent condolences to the families of those killed and hurt.

The crash sheared off the plane’s landing gear and tore the tail off the fuselage.

San Francisco International Airport was immediately closed, though two runways later reopened. Some flights were diverted to Los Angeles.

Aboard the flight were 141 Chinese nationals, 77 South Koreans, 61 Americans, one Japanese, three Indians, three Canadians, one French, one

Vietnamese, three others with unidentified nationality and 16 crew members, according to Asiana.

Anxious relatives swarmed the airline’s headquarters in Seoul, seeking details of the crash and information on the victims.

The two people killed were Chinese passengers sitting in back seats, said Yoon YoungDoo, the CEO of the Seoulbased airline.

South Korea’s transport ministry said separately they were both women, born in 1996 and 1997.

The ministry also said the plane’s tail hit the runway and the aircraft veered to the left off the runway.

Yoon was remorseful as he spoke at a press conference in Seoul. “Please accept my deepest apology,” the CEO said, bowing in front of TV cameras.

Yoon said his company bought the plane in 2006, and that “currently we understand that there are no engine or mechanical problems”.

The plane was flown by experienced pilots, and there was no emergency warning ahead of the crash. “Our pilots strictly comply with aviation rules,” Yoon said.

San Francisco General Hospital said it was treating 34 patients,

An Asiana Airlines Boeing 777 on the runway at San Francisco International Airport after crash landing on Saturday. AFP

five of them in critical condition.

Other patients were rushed to different area hospitals.

In total, 123 people aboard the flight escaped unharmed, US officials said.

Survivor Elliott Stone told CNN that as it came in to land, it appeared the plane “sped up, like the pilot knew he was short”.

“And then the back end just

hit and flies up in the air and everybody’s head goes up to the ceiling.”

Video footage showed the jet on its belly surrounded by at least six fire engines that sprayed white foam on the wreckage. Debris was scattered on the runway and in the surrounding area.

A four-member South Ko-

rean government team was also heading to inspect the site of the accident, officials in Seoul said.

One dramatic photo tweeted by a survivor showed people streaming out of the jet following the crash-landing. An inflatable slide was at the front entrance. Other emergency exits also appeared to have been used. AFP

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World

US spies with West: Snowden

F

UGITIVE intelligence leaker Edward Snowden said the US National Security Agency operates broad secret spying partnerships with other Western governments now complaining about its programs, in an interview published yesterday.

Snowden said in comments made before his exposure of US espionage practices came to light last month and printed in German news weekly Der Spiegel that NSA spies are “in bed together with the Germans and most other Western states”.

In remarks published in German, Snowden said an NSA department known as the Foreign Affairs Directorate coordinated work with foreign secret services.

The partnerships are organised so that authorities in other countries can “insulate their political leaders from the backlash” if it becomes public “how grievously they’re violating global privacy”, he said.

The interview was conducted by US cryptography expert Jacob Appelbaum and documentary filmmaker Laura Poitras using “encrypted emails shortly before Snowden became known globally for his whistleblowing”, Spiegel said.

Demonstrators stand in front of the Brandenburg Gate and show their support for former technical contractor of the Central Intelligence Agency Edward Snowden in Berlin on Thursday. AFP

On cooperation with Germany’s BND foreign intelligence agency, Snowden said the NSA provides “analysis tools” for data passing through Germany from regions such as the Middle East.

The US government has revoked the passport of Snowden, a former NSA contractor who is seeking to evade US justice for leaking details about a vast

US electronic surveillance program to collect phone and internet data.

He has been stranded at a Moscow airport for two weeks but three Latin American countries have now offered him asylum.

His claims about widespread US spying on Western partners have sparked uproar among European allies in particular

and threatened to derail talks on the world’s largest free-trade zone due to start Monday.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke with US President Barack Obama on Wednesday and agreed to a “high-level meeting” between US and German security officials in the coming days to address intelligence matters. AFP

Scores missing as oil train explodes in Quebec town AT least 80 people are missing after a driverless oil tanker train derailed and exploded in the small Canadian town of Lac-Megantic, destroying dozens of buildings, a firefighter back from the scene said on Saturday.

The accident in the small Quebec town, located about 250 kilometres east of Montreal, created a spectacular fireball and forced 2,000 people from their homes.

Officials earlier confirmed one fatality, but had warned the toll could rise. A search for bodies was to begin yesterday at dawn.

The firefighter said on condition of anonymity that there had been at least 50 people in one bar that was consumed by the flames.

“There is nothing left,” he said.

Witnesses reported as many as six explosions after the train derailed at about 1:20 am Lnear the border with the US state of Maine.

Michel Brunet, a spokesman for Quebec’s provincial police, said late Saturday that the official death toll remained at one but added: “We expect there will be more fatalities.”

Radio-Canada had earlier reported that 60 people were unaccounted for in Lac-Megantic, where the blaze was still raging, 20 hours on.

“There have been several reports” from people who said they were unable to reach relatives who lived near the accident site, Brunet said.

“The fire is still raging, our investigators have not yet even be able to get close to the scene,” he added, more than 12 hours after the incident.

An initial evacuation zone of a kilometer around the crash site was widened Saturday as a precaution against harmful particles in the air, bringing the total to 2,000 people forced to leave their homes.

Around 150 firefighters were battling the blaze, including some who came across the border from Maine, just 25 kilometres south of the town.

The cause of the crash was still unknown, but a spokesman for the Montreal Maine & Atlantic company, Christophe Journet, said the train had been stopped in the neighbouring town of Nantes, around 13 kilometres west of Lac-Megantic, for a crew changeover. AFP

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World

Groundwater is radioactive

T

OXIC radioactive substances have once again been detected in groundwater at the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant, its Japanese operator said yesterday, the latest in a series of incidents at the tsunami-battered complex.

Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO) said tests showed that tritium, a radioactive isotope of hydrogen used in glow-in-the-dark watches, was present at levels 10 times the permitted rate.

“From test samples on July 5 . . . we detected a record high 600,000 becquerels per litre” of tritium, 10 times higher than the government guideline of 60,000 becquerels per litre, TEPCO said in a statement.

“We continue efforts to prevent further expansion of contamination by construction works . . . and will strengthen monitoring of pollution comprehensively,” it said.

The new readings came after TEPCO said in late June that it had detected the highly toxic strontium-90, a by-product of nuclear fission that can cause bone cancer if ingested, at levels 30 times the permitted rate.

At the time it had detected tritium at about eight times the allowed level, or 500,000

Five men stuck up tree evading deadly tigers FIVE Indonesian men remained trapped up a tree yesterday three days after being chased into its branches

by Sumatran tigers who also mauled their friend to death, police said.

Four of the snarling animals were still surrounding the base of the tree following their initial attack on Thursday, which they launched

Four tigers are still surrounding the men under the tree

A worker walks in front of water tanks at Tokyo Electric Power Company’s tsunami-crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Fukushima prefecture on June 12. AFP

becquerels per litre. The substances, which were released by the meltdowns of reactors at the plant in the aftermath of the huge tsunami of March 2011, were not absorbed by soil and have made their way into underground water.

Subsoil water usually flows out to sea, meaning these two substances could normally make their way into the ocean, possibly affecting marine life and ultimately im-

pacting humans who eat sea creatures.

However, a TEPCO official said last month that seawater data showed no abnormal rise in the levels of either substance as the company believed the groundwater was largely contained by concrete foundations and steel sheets.

The revelations are the latest in a growing catalogue of mishaps at the crippled plant, more than two years

after the nuclear disaster.

TEPCO said last week it would ask Japan’s nuclear watchdog for the green light to re-fire two of the seven units at the world’s biggest Kashiwazaki Kariwa nuclear plant in Niigata prefecture, a move rebuked by local leaders.

Tens of thousands of people were forced from their homes by the threat of radiation after the tsunami and Fukushima disaster. AFP

after the men accidentally killed a tiger cub.

Humans and animals are increasingly coming into conflict in Indonesia – but in most cases, it is the animals who end up the losers.

The men entered the Mount Leuser National Park in the north of Sumatra island on Tuesday searching for rare incense wood, district police chief Dicky Sondani said.

“The wood is very expensive . . . but they run a risk looking for it as they have to go to more remote parts of Leuser where there are many tigers and elephants,” he said.

The men set up traps for

deers and antelopes for food – but accidentally trapped and killed the tiger cub.

The adult tigers reacted by attacking the men. They killed a 28-year-old identified only as David, but the five others took refuge up a tree, Sondani said.

“Four tigers are still surrounding the men under the tree,” he added.

Thirty rescuers including police and soldiers set out on Saturday to rescue the men after villagers who tried to help them turned back after seeing the tigers.

But the rescuers would take two to three days to reach the men, Sondani added.

“If the tigers remain under the tree, we may have to shoot or sedate them to rescue the five people,” he added.

The Leuser ecosystem is home to about 5,800 of the remaining 6,600 critically endangered Sumatran orangutans as well as elephants and tigers, but it is threatened by commercial logging and clearance for palm oil plantations.

The Sumatran tiger is the world’s smallest tiger. There are only an estimated 400 to 500 still alive in the wild. AFP

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World

Islamist faces trial after deportation I SLAMIST cleric Abu Qutada pleaded not guilty on Sunday to terror charges pressed

by Jordanian military prosecutors just hours after his deportation from Britain, his lawyer said.

Reporters were not allowed into the courtroom to hear the charges being read out despite a pledge by Information Minister Mohammad Momani of “transparency” in Jordan’s handling of Abu Qatada’s retrial on charges that have already earned him a life sentence in his absence.

“State security court prosecutors charged Abu Qatada with conspiracy to carry out terrorist acts,” a judicial official said.

“He was remanded in judicial custody for 15 days in the Muwaqqar prison,” in eastern Jordan, the official added without elaborating.

But Abu Qatada’s lawyer Taysir Diab said he would make a bail application today in the light of the not guilty plea.

“Abu Qatada pleaded not guilty. I will appeal tomorrow

to the court to release him on bail,” Diab said.

Jordanian law gives Abu Qatada the right to a retrial with him present in the dock following his deportation from Britain earlier on Sunday which ended a decadelong legal battle.

Abu Qatada was condemned to death in absentia

This dangerous man has now been removed from our shores in 1999 for conspiracy to carry out terror attacks, including on the American school in Amman, but the sentence was immediately commuted to life imprisonment with hard labour.

In 2000, he was sentenced in absentia to 15 years for plotting to carry out terror attacks on tourists in Jordan during millennium celebrations.

Britain was finally able to expel the 53-year-old fatherof-five after the two governments last month ratified a Treaty on Mutual Legal As-

sistance in Criminal Matters, guaranteeing that evidence obtained by torture would not be used in his retrial.

He was taken from prison in an armoured police van to a military airfield on the outskirts of London, from where he was flown out at 0146 GMT. Home Secretary Theresa May said his departure proved that the government’s efforts to deport him had been worth the £1.7 million ($2.5 million legal bill and would be “welcomed by the British public.”

“This dangerous man has now been removed from our shores to face the courts in his own country,” she said in a statement released just after Abu Qatada’s plane took off.

Television pictures showed Abu Qatada dressed in a white robe as he boarded the aircraft at the RAF Northolt base in west London. He had earlier left high security Belmarsh jail in southeast London in a blue armoured police van flanked by three police cars.

The radical cleric has been in and out of UK prisons since

Radical Islamist cleric Abu Qatada boarding a privately chartered jet at the RAF Northolt base in west London yesterday as he gets deported to Jordan. afp

2002, although he has never been convicted of any crime, and London has been trying to deport him since 2005.

British and European courts blocked his expulsion on the grounds that evidence might be used against him that had been obtained by torture.

But after years of legal battles his lawyers unexpectedly said in May that he would return there once the fair trial treaty was ratified by the Jordanian parliament.

“I am glad that this government’s determination to see

him on a plane has been vindicated and that we have at last achieved what previous governments, parliament and the British public have long called for,” May said.

British Prime Minister David Cameron had previously said he would be “one of the happiest people in Britain” when Abu Qatada was finally deported.

Abu Qatada’s wife and five children are expected to remain in Britain, where he first sought asylum in 1993.

Born Omar Mahmud Mo-

hammed Otman in Bethlehem in the now Israeli-occupied West Bank, Abu Qatada has Jordanian nationality because the town was part of Jordan at the time of his birth.

Videotapes of his sermons were allegedly found in the Hamburg flat of 9/11 ringleader Mohammed Atta.

Top Spanish judge Baltasar Garzon once branded Abu Qatada Bin Laden’s righthand man in Europe, although the cleric denies ever having met the now slain AlQaeda leader. AFP

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World

and Pyongyang Spy agency stirs controversy Seoul agree to reopen zone

South Korean President Park Geun-hye (second left) smiles during the reopening ceremony of Namdaemun gate in Seoul on May 4.

Chico Harlan

D

URING last year’s presidential election, a team of South Korean intelligence agents allegedly flooded the internet with thousands of political comments, including some describing leftleaning candidates as North Korea sympathisers.

Then, while that scandal played out, another drama has unfolded, as the spy agency last month declassified a 2007 transcript that showed thenpresident Roh Moo-hyun, a liberal, pressing to create a peace zone along a maritime border disputed with the North.

Conservative lawmakers say the transcript proves Roh preferred to cooperate with Pyongyang than protect security. Liberal lawmakers say the spy agency, instead, was manufacturing one controversy to distract from the other.

The two events are convoluted, but both have dominated headlines for weeks in the South. They also have a common thread: South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS), which some analysts here say has turned into a political provocateur, using its power to champion conservative causes and widen a partisan divide.

Because of its Stalinist neighbour, the South has long defined itself along Cold War lines, with political ideology here linked in part to one’s sentiment about the North. But in the 2012 election, that had appeared to be changing. On the campaign trail, conserva-

tive Park Geun-hye and liberal Moon Jae-in shared similar visions for social spending and tentative engagement with the North. When Park won by three percentage points, she vowed to unify the nation.

In the six months since her victory, that hasn’t happened, and Park’s opponents criticise her for staying quiet about the spy agency’s actions. Only in late June did she first discuss the alleged election-meddling that came to light in December – saying she had was neither connected to nor a beneficiary of the potential misdeeds.

“I don’t think this allegation puts her legitimacy in question,” said Kang Won-taek, a right-leaning professor of political science at Seoul National University. “How many people’s opinions could have been affected by some internet postings? But it’s true that it’s not a pretty scene for Park.”

Her approval rating remains high – above 60 per cent, according to most polls. But opposition lawmakers have seized on the election-tampering charges to raise questions about Park’s victory, and small groups of protesters have gathered in recent days in cities across South Korea to demand an investigation.

The NIS, South Korea’s version of the CIA, is supposed to be politically neutral. But prosecutors say its former leader, Won Sei-hoon, indicted last month on charges of election meddling, believed “leftist followers of North Korea” were trying to regain power.

He ordered his agents to post comments not only criticis-

ing Park’s opponents, but also lauding Park, prosecutors say.

Won resigned earlier this year, having served under the previous president, Lee Myung-bak.

If found guilty, Won would face up to five years in jail.

“It is grave – a big deal. It’s all about dividing the country into two parts – the patriots, and those who sympathise with North Korea,” said Pyo Chang-won, who hosts a current affairs internet television show and has spoken at protests. “The NIS is supposed to be politically neutral, but it has used its intelligence force to attack half the nation.”

Left-leaning lawmakers say the problems at the NIS have continued under Won’s successor, Nam Jae-joon, who they say unilaterally released a document that shouldn’t have been made public for decades.

At a meeting of the National Assembly’s intelligence committee, Nam was grilled about the release, according to South Korean media, and asked whether he had any intention to resign. (He said he didn’t.)

South Korea’s intelligence agency has gone by several names since the Korean War 60 years ago, but it has a dubious history. Former authoritarian leader Park Chung-hee, who seized power in a 1961 military coup, used the agency as a tool to crack down on student protests. In 1979, Park was assassinated by his own spy chief.

After South Korea’s democratisation in the late-1980s, the NIS officially became apolitical. But opponents say it is now helping Park in much the way it helped Park Chung-hee, her fa-

reuters

ther. Last week, the Hankyoreh, a liberal newspaper, ran a cartoon showing Park in military dress, surrounded by cronies holding computer keyboards and mouses. The image was modelled after a photo of Park Chung-hee, flanked by top military officials, after his coup.

Analysts say the alleged election tampering is far more serious than the debate about the 2007 transcript. But that controversy, too, has provided weeks of fodder.

The transcript showed the conversation between Roh and then-North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong-il during a summit meeting in Pyongyang.

Interest in the specifics of what Roh told Kim dated back to last year, when some conservative lawmakers suggested that Roh had offered to surrender parts of South Korean maritime territory in an undisciplined effort to make peace. The charge was potent, because the liberal running for president last year, Moon, had once served as Roh’s chief of staff.

According to the transcript, while discussing the maritime border, Roh said that it “should change”. But he also said, presciently, that the issue was touchy. “The problem is that whenever the [maritime border] is mentioned, everyone rises and make noises like a swarm bees,” Roh said.

In the closest she’s come to taking a side on the issue, Park, one day after the transcript’s release, told her cabinet that the South should never forget the “blood and deaths” that occurred in defense of that border. THE WASHINGTON POST

NORTH and South Korea yesterday made a crucial step forward in winding down months of high tension, agreeing to reopen a joint industrial zone seen as the last remaining symbol of reconciliation.

The deal follows months of friction and threats of war by Pyongyang after its February nuclear test attracted tougher UN sanctions, further squeezing its struggling economy.

At the end of a gruelling 15hour talk, the two sides said in a joint statement that they had agreed to let South Korean firms restart their shuttered plants at the Kaesong complex near the border when conditions are ripe.

“The South and the North will let business companies at Kaesong resume operation when [they are] ready to do so,” said the joint statement.

The two sides will meet again on Wednesday to discuss details over reopening the zone, including a demand from Seoul that the North guarantees it will never again unilaterally shut down the estate.

The North, however, will likely find it hard to accept such a demand as it would amount to accepting full responsibility for the suspension.

The complex – built in 2004 about 10 kilometres north of the border as a symbol of interKorea cooperation – had previously remained largely resilient to turbulence in relations.

But the North, citing military tensions and Seoul’s hostility, pulled out all its 53,000 workers from the 123 Seoul-owned factories in April, prompting the South to withdraw the managers of around 120 companies in early May. After signing the agreement, Suh Ho, Seoul’s chief delegate for the latest talks, said the North’s officials had appeared “very enthusiastic” in negotiations to rescue the complex – a valuable source of hard currency for the impoverished communist state.

Neither side declared the complex officially closed, instead referring to a temporary shutdown, while blaming each other for its suspension.

“I’ve got an impression that the North was making very active efforts to solve the issue of the Kaesong complex,” Suh told journalists.

Under the agreement Seoul businessmen will be allowed to cross the border to check on their facilities at Kaesong from Wednesday.

The news was warmly welcomed by the South Korean firms at Kaesong.

“I was overcome with emotions and shed tears for a while,” Moon Chang-seop, a top representative of the 123 companies said.

But other businessmen expressed concern that it would be difficult for them to solicit buyers who have left them during the past three months of suspension.

The zone had become the most high-profile casualty of recent elevated tensions on the peninsula.

Representatives of South Korean companies based there had repeatedly urged the two sides to open talks to revive the moribund industrial park.

Some firms have threatened to withdraw from Kaesong, complaining they have fallen victim to political bickering between the two rivals.

After repeatedly threatening Seoul and Washington with conventional and nuclear attack, Pyongyang has appeared in recent weeks to want to move towards dialogue.

Analysts say North Korea is mindful of a US demand that it improve ties with Seoul before there can be any talks with Washington.

The North made a surprise move last Wednesday by restoring a cross-border military hotline and promising to let South Korean businessmen visit the Kaesong complex.

“The talks are boiled down to this: North wants to restart Kaesong up front while the South calls for a guarantee against such unilateral actions to suspend Kaesong,” Professor Yang Moo-jin of the University of North Korean Studies said.

The two sides have so far been unable to resolve this question but it is significant that they have discussed the issue and set a date for a further round of talks, he said.

“Wednesday’s talks will serve as a good indicator to see where the two Koreas are headed – restoration of dialogue or build-up of tension.” AFP

UN to interview exiles from N Korea’s regime UNITED Nations human rights investigators will go to South Korea and Japan next month to interview North Korean exiles about alleged crimes against humanity in the secretive state.

Michael Kirby, a former judge of Australia’s top court and chairman of the panel, said the team would hold public hearings and interview witnesses on alleged rights violations, including kidnappings of foreign nationals, torture and a gulag system.

Pyongyang, which denies

the charges and the existence of labour camps alleged to hold at least 200,000 people, has said it will not cooperate with the commission of inquiry, set up by the UN Human Rights Council in March.

But Kirby said he hoped for an opening to “hear their point of view”.

“That ought to be our first port of call. That would have top priority, so we would be suggesting that sometime in the middle of August,” Kirby said in an interview. REUTERS

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World

Top cocaine smuggler in custody Dario Thuburn

A

DRUG trafficker believed by Italian investigators to be the biggest cocaine smuggler in the world was deported back to Italy from Colombia on Saturday after being arrested in a Bogota shopping mall with fake Venezuelan papers.

Roberto Pannunzi, who fled from an Italian prison in 2010, smiled and chatted with officers as he arrived at Rome airport surrounded by Italian police and dressed in a white polo shirt and dark trousers – the same clothes he was detained in, a police video showed.

Referred to by Colombian authorities as the “Pablo Escobar of Italy”, Pannunzi was a member of the Calabrian mafia from southern Italy but had close ties with Colombian and Mexican drug cartels as well as the Sicilian Cosa Nostra.

Investigators said the 65year-old Pannunzi, known by his associates as “Bebe” (Baby), organised massive shipments of cocaine from South America to Europe but managed to remain relatively

anonymous in the criminal underworld.

“Bebe is not a mafioso, not a killer, Bebe is a broker,” said Roberto Saviano, an Italian investigative journalist with extensive knowledge of the Italian mafia who published a book on the global cocaine trade earlier this year.

Pannunzi, who has to serve out a 16 and a half year sentence in Italy and was on Interpol’s most wanted list, was arrested in a joint operation

by Colombian police and the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

A video distributed by Colombian police showed the moment of his arrest at a table in a shopping centre after he nonchalantly took out identity papers that turned out to be in a different name.

“He is the biggest cocaine importer in the world,” said Nicola Gratteri, deputy chief prosecutor in Reggio Calabria – a bastion of Pannunzi’s ‘Ndrangheta crime syndicate.

“He is the only one who can organise purchases and sales of cocaine shipments of 3,000 kilos and up,” Gratteri told reporters.

“He is definitely the most

powerful drug broker in the world,” he said, adding that Pannunzi was a businessman who could work even with rival gangsters.

Pannunzi’s capture is being hailed as an important victory in the decades-long struggle to crack down on one of the most lucrative global drug routes.

“His arrest could change the history of drug trafficking in Italy and internationally,” Saviano said.

“He changed the way the business works, he understood the new dynamics of the cocaine market.”

In April, Colombia captured another suspected top mafioso, Domenico Trimboli, alleged to be a lynchpin between the Medellin drug cartel and the ‘Ndrangheta.

Pannunzi fled Italy after having himself transferred from prison to a private clinic complaining of heart trouble and then apparently simply walking out of the hospital – repeating an earlier flight in the same way in 1999.

He was previously detained in Colombia at a mafia funeral in 1994, when he reportedly offered the arresting officers a million dollars in cash to walk away.

Employment Opportunities Initially established in 1996 as a project of International HIV/AIDS Alliance, KHANA operated as an NGO from 1997 and was officially registered as a local NGO in 2000. Since then it has operated as a linking organization of the International HIV/AIDS Alliance and is so far a leading non-governmental organization in Cambodia that has made outstanding contributions to the HIV response. KHANA’s work has been made possible through support from USAID, the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, European Commission, World Food Programme and AusAID. We are now seeking qualified Cambodian nationals for the following vacancies: 1. Finance Analyst – 1 position Purpose of position: Responsible for the overall management accounts system, KHANA budgeting and donors reporting.

Compile financial information, along with explanations for variances into the management account, sending it to the necessary officers. S/he will also be responsible for reviewing or developing financial policies and guidelines and raise awareness of compliance to all staff.

Selection Criteria:  Graduate bachelor or master degree in finance/ accounting, or related field  At least four years working experience in financial management, analysis, etc.  High proficiency in speaking and writing English  CAT or ACCA qualification and experience in using SunSystem accounting software is a plus 2. Team Leader: IP Finance – 1 position Purpose of position: The post holder leads the team that provides financial, technical and procurement support to the staff of KHANA implementing partners (IP). S/he will lead the process of embedding the team and coordinate the efforts of the team to ensure high standards of accountability and grant management across KHANA and IP.S/he will also be responsible for reviewing or developing standardpolicies and guidelines and raise awareness of compliance to all IP. Selection Criteria:  Graduate bachelor or master degree in : Financial Management, Accounting, Economic or Business Administration, or related field  At least four years working experience in grant/ financial management, etc.  Ability to plan and organize a substantial workload comprised of complex, diverse tasks and responsibilities.  High proficiency in speaking and writing English

3. Planning, Monitoring and Reporting Officer – 1 position Purpose of position: The post holder is a key member of a planning, monitoring and reporting unit that handles, collects, reviews, and consolidates workplan, M & E plan, and reports of IPs under his/her responsibilities on regular basis.

Selection Criteria:  Bachelor’s degree in public health, social sciences or other relevant fields  English proficiency in both writing and speaking  2 years of relevant experience in planning, monitoring, and reporting, and capacity building 4. Research Fellow: HIV & Health – 1 position Purpose of position: S/he is responsible for coordinating relevant researches and collecting and analyzing the secondary data on HIV and health related issues to inform KHANA programming, publication and policy and advocacy efforts.

Selection Criteria:  Master of Health Social Science or Psychology or Anthropology, or other related field  4 yearsof experience in conducting researches  Knowledge of statistical software, Epi-Data, Epi-Info, SPSS or STATA  High proficiency both writing and speaking English 5. Finance Officer – 1 position Purpose of position: The post holder takes responsibility for the day-today management of the accounting transactions and recordings in KHANAaccounting system and to assist the Team Leader: Corporate Finance with management accounts and financial reporting.

Selection Criteria  Bachelor degree in business administration, majoring in accounting/finance  At least 2 years of relevant work experience with NGO or private sector  English proficiency in both writing and speaking

For more information about the key responsibilities, required qualifications and detailed job descriptions, please visit KHANA’s website at www.khana.org.kh.

Interested candidates must apply online via www.khana.org.kh(Employment Opportunities Section) by19 July 2013 before 5 p.m.Only short-listed candidates will be notified for further process. Applications via email or hard copies will not be considered.

KHANA is committed to equal opportunities and welcomes applications from appropriate qualified people from all sections of the community. Qualified people living with HIV, MSM, disabled people and women are particularly encouraged to apply.

Roberto Pannunzi (centre), an Italian mafia capo alleged to be the world’s biggest cocaine trafficker, after he was arrested in a shopping mall in Bogota on July 5. AFP

Italian media reported that Pannunzi mediated in the release of a Sicilian mafia boss who was being held hostage

by Colombian drug traffickers over a deal gone bad.

They also said he was a snappy dresser who ran an upmarket fashion boutique in Rome as a cover in the 1980s when he was making his way

in the heroin business. The shop was called “Papavero” (“Poppy”).

To organise a major shipment from Colombia he once bought a Greek container ship in cash, the Mirage II, which subsequently sank with its cargo lost, the reports said.

Gratteri said that during Friday’s arrest, Pannunzi had

told Colombian and US officers that he was ill.

He said he hoped the trafficker would not be granted house arrest in a hospital in Italy again.

“He could attempt a third escape,” he said.

“It’s exhausting having to go around the world to find him every time he escapes.” AFP

18

THE PHNOM PENH POST July 8, 2013

Opinion www.phnompenhpost.com

editorial personnel Publisher Ross Dunkley Editor-in-Chief Alan Parkhouse Managing Editor David Boyle Editor-in-Chief Post Khmer Kay Kimsong Managing Editor Post Khmer Sam Rith Chief of Staff Cheang Sokha Deputy Chief of Staff Chhay Channyda National News Editor Chad Williams Deputy National News Editor Abby Seiff Deputy News Editor Vong Sokheng Group Business Editor May Kunmakara Deputy Business Editor Joe Freeman Property Editor Rupert Winchester Foreign News Editor Dan Besant Sports Editor Dan Riley Pictorial Editor Kara Fox Lifestyle and 7Days Editor Poppy McPherson Deputy Head of Lifestyle Desk Pan Simala Special Projects Officer Stuart Alan Becker Chief sub-editor Michael Philips Sub-editors Joe Curtin, Daniel de Carteret, Justine Drennan, Rosa Ellen, Claire Knox, Kevin Ponniah, Anne Renzenbrink, Shane Worrell, Stuart White, Sean Teehan Reporters Meas Sokchea, Mom Kunthear, Khouth Sophak Chakrya, May Titthara, Khuon Leakhana, Ung Chamroeun, Sen David, Phak Seangly, Rann Reuy, Buth Reaksmey Kongkea, Chhim Sreyneang, Sieam Bunthy, Lieng Sarith Photographers Vireak Mai, Sreng Meng Srun, Heng Chivoan, Pha Lina, Hong Menea Regional Correspondent Roger Mitton Web Editor Leang Phannara Webmasters Seng Sovan, Uong Ratana, Horng Pengly

Jakarta’s governor Joko Widodo plays a bass guitar gifted to him by the rock band Metallica.

Hats off to Indonesia’s Jokowi

Siem reap bureau

Bureau Chief Peter Olszewski Office Manager Thik Skaline Distribution Manager Seng Sech Reporters Thik Kaliyann, Miranda Glasser Marketing Executive Sophearith Blondeel production & printing

Head of Desktop Publishing Nhim Sokphyrak Desktop Publishing Suon Savatdy, Tep Thoeun Thyda Chum Sokunthy, Yousos Hafisoh, Aim Valinda, Meng

head office

Post Media Co, Ltd. 888, Building F, 8th floor, Phnom Penh Center, Cnr Sothearos & Sihanouk Blvd, Chamkarmon, Phnom Penh, Cambodia Tel: 023 214 311, 0214 311-017 Fax: 023 214 318 siem reap

No 629, Street 6 Dangkum Commune Tel: 063 966 290, Fax: 063 966 590 Chief Executive Officer Chris Dawe sAles department National Sales Director Borom Chea Account Directors Chap Narith Post Khmer Sales Manager Toun Chanreaksmey Classified Ad Manager Lim Bunthoeun circulation & distribution

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www.phnompenhpost.com

AFP

Regional Insider Roger Mitton

S

OMETIMES you get lucky, as I did 20 years ago when a quartet of Malaysian politicians struck me as flagging the future.

It was an unexpected realisation, because most people, including my Asiaweek editors, had never heard of these young upstarts.

But they gave the go-ahead and my August 1994 story, headlined “Now, the Third Wave”, gave Hishammuddin Hussein, Khaled Nordin, Saifuddin Nasution and Shafie Apdal their first prominent coverage.

In their early 30s, they were then mere foot soldiers in the United Malays National Organisation and many readers within Malaysia, let alone among the international community, had yet to notice them.

But that quickly changed alongside the rise and rise of the talented foursome, one of whom will almost certainly become prime minister eventually.

Hisham is already the defence minister and UMNO’s top-ranking vice-president, while Shafie is a fellow VP and also a cabinet minister.

Khaled, after two stints in cabinet, was recently appointed chief minister of mighty Johor state, the birthplace of UMNO. Saifuddin split from UMNO over the treatment of his mentor, Anwar Ibrahim, and is now secretary-general of the opposition People’s Justice Party, headed by Anwar.

It was hard to imagine another such prescient feature coming my way, yet luckily one did five years later when two relatively unknown politicians, this time from Thailand, set my antennae buzzing.

The resulting article, in May 1999, boldly claimed that one of the duo, Abhisit Vejjajiva and Chaturon Chaisang, would be prime minister before the age of 50.

A decade later, Abhisit was PM at age 44, and it is not impossible that Chaturon, who was reappointed minister of education last week, will follow in his footsteps.

Why this reiteration of prophetic predictions of the past? Well, because another beckons and if it does not

prove equally accurate, then I promise to devour another steamed hat.

Early last year, a colleague in Indonesia urged me to keep an eye on a guy called Jokowi, whom I had never heard of, but quickly rectified that failing.

Joko Widodo, known locally as Jokowi, was then a relatively unknown mayor of the East Java town of Solo who had decided to launch an audacious bid to become the governor of Jakarta.

He was given no chance, especially since he was not even a Jakarta native and because incumbent Governor Fauzi Bowo was supported by Indonesia’s President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

But sensing the same buzz elicited in past years by those Malaysian and Thai pretenders, I travelled to East Java and quickly became convinced that Jokowi would be elected the boss of Indonesia’s sprawling capital.

And so he was in October.

Now, after being tagged as “Indonesia’s most promising politician” and even being compared to United States President Barack Obama, Jokowi is eyeing the nation’s highest office.

Already, there are moves within the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle to position him as its presidential

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candidate and not the party’s current leader, former president Megawati Sukarnoputri.

Indeed, recent surveys indicate that the fledgling Jakarta governor would wallop other presidential candidates like Prabowo Subianto, Aburizal Bakrie and retired army general Wiranto.

Let me say without a shred of conceit that it feels good to have enabled The Phnom Penh Post to spot him ahead of other regional publications.

If he does run, it is almost certain that the immensely popular Jokowi, 52, will be elected as Indonesia’s president next year.

In doing so, he will become the region’s most powerful politician, and given his innovative dynamism, he may, with luck, shake things up a bit.

More to the point, like those earlier Malaysian and Thai aspirants, his equivalent ascent marks an uplifting boost for democratic values and the rejuvenation of an open and pluralistic system.

Youthful new figures with fresh ideas must come through the system regularly. It is the hallmark of a true democracy, while the reverse, when incumbents retain power for decades, makes a mockery of it.

19

THE PHNOM PENH POST July 8, 2013

Lifestyle Wannabe stars shine bright in K-popularity competition

In brief

Long wait to see first panda born in Taiwan

THE public will have to wait three months to catch a glimpse of the first panda born in Taiwan, officials said on Sunday, a day after she was successfully delivered by parents who were gifts from China. The female cub was delivered on Saturday night following a series of artificial insemination sessions after her parents, known locally as Tuan Tuan and his partner Yuan Yuan, failed to conceive naturally. They were given to Taiwan by China in 2008. afp

Cosmetics are recalled over skin stain fears

Members of dance troupe Hak Gentryman, who won the Cambodia K-POP World Festival (from second left): Hak Pechmolita, Hak Pichmorkord and Hak Gentryman.

Mak Lawrence Li

A

STORM of applause from a crowd of hundreds brought down the Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP) last Friday at the 2013 Cambodia K-POP World Festival – but it wasn’t superstar Psy with his hits Gangnam Style and Gentleman, but Cambodian teenagers competing to show their passion for Korean culture.

Organised by the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Cambodia, the festival, held in the Cambodia Korea Cooperation Centre at RUPP, saw 14 contestants – divided into vocal and performance categories – perform their favourite K-pop songs before a judging panel.

The competition was one of the preliminary rounds of the larger 2013 K-POP World Festival organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Korea, which is held in 44 countries worldwide.

Cambodia’s winners included a trio of siblings whose dance rendition of Bubble Pop by Korean idol HyunA was met with thunderous applause, and an aspiring singer from Battambang, who took home the vocal award.

They, along with other winners from each country taking part, will advance to the semi-finals.

Videos of their performance will be posted to the competition’s official website and 15 final teams will be selected

based on online votes received, number of page views and the evaluation of a panel of judges in Korea.

The chosen teams will then compete in the final round held in Changwon City, South Gyeongsang Province of Korea, on October 20.

“We have witnessed a sharp and steady increase in number of K-pop fan groups around the globe,” said Lee Yoon Seok, both the organiser of the festival and the first secretary of the Korean Embassy in Cambodia.

“They keep calling on us to offer assistance for K-pop events, including those in Cambodia.”

A further purpose of the festival, he added, was to

strengthen the strong economic ties and trading volume between the two countries as Korea was the largest investor in Cambodia in 2012.

Both local Cambodians and Koreans turned out on Friday to support the teams.

Hak Pechmolita, 18, a member of the winning dance troupe, Hak Gentryman, said she was “super surprised” to have won, despite her professed addiction to the genre.

“I love the rhythm, the music style and the dance moves of the Korean songs - I am so addicted,” said the student, adding that she listens to Kpop songs hundreds of times a day.

Female solo singer Kheav Sodaroth was awarded the

PHOTO SUPPLIED

trophy in the vocal category for her rendition of the popular girls group 2NE1’s I Love You. “I love K-pop and I want to share what I love to more people around the world,” said Sodaroth.

Despite the language barrier, she said that even people who cannot speak the language can still enjoy Korean music.

“Almost everywhere around the world, people listen to the Korean songs, and that is the reason why I like it. It is universal.”

Videos of their performances can be viewed and voted on from September 2 to 22 on the website k-popworldfestival. kbs.co.kr

World awaits birth of Britain’s royal baby COULD this be the week? Britain’s royal family and the world’s media are on tenterhooks awaiting the birth of Prince William and wife Catherine’s first child, a baby who will one day be king or queen of Britain and a diverse group of commonwealth countries.

Millions of people worldwide watched William’s glittering televised marriage to Kate Middleton in 2011 and, judging by the media camped outside her London hospital, their baby’s arrival will be a similar global sensation.

The baby is not officially due until mid-July but this hasn’t stopped news organisations from setting up dozens

of camera positions outside the private Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital, where William was born in 1982 and his brother Harry in 1984. The palace is also making preparations.

A privately charted helicopter is reportedly on standby to whisk William, a Royal Air Force search-andrescue helicopter pilot based in Wales, to his wife’s side in what British newspapers on Sunday dubbed “Operation heir-lift”.

The royal couple, both 31, insist they do not know whether their firstborn is a girl or boy - but in either case the baby will be third in line to the throne after 64-year-old Prince Charles and his son

William, pushing William’s younger brother Harry into fourth place.

And if it is a girl she will be the first princess in British history who cannot be pushed down the line of succession by any younger brothers, following a momentous change in the law.

Bookmakers say punters heavily back a female child, with Alexandra and Charlotte the top picks for girls’ names and James and George for a boy.

The baby’s arrival comes as the royal family enjoys record popularity after a difficult few decades, and highlights the British monarchy’s enduring strength even as its European counter-

parts undergo fundamental changes.

Huge crowds thronged London’s streets for William and Kate’s wedding in April 2011, and again in 2012 for the diamond jubilee celebrations marking Queen Elizabeth II’s 60th year on the throne.

The feelgood factor of a new royal baby, delivering a much-needed public morale boost at a time of economic gloom, is likely to increase the royals’ current popularity even further.

But public support is volatile, warns Patrick Jephson, former chief-of-staff to William’s late mother Princess Diana.

“The bad times, that will be the test,” he said. afp

JAPANESE cosmetics maker Kanebo announced on Thursday that it was recalling 54 skin whitening products from all over Asia because of fears they could cause white patches and uneven colouring. The cosmetics contain a substance called 4HPB, which was developed

by Kanebo, the company said.

The recall affects Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Vietnam. afp

Art collector Saatchi divorcing TV chef wife

BRITISH art collector Charles Saatchi told a newspaper on Sunday that he is divorcing his wife, celebrity chef Nigella Lawson, following an incident in which he grabbed her by the neck outside a London restaurant. Under the headline “I’m divorcing you Nigella”, 70-year-old Saatchi said in a statement to the Mail on Sunday that he had made a “heartbreaking” decision to separate from his 53-year-old wife because she had not defended him over the row. AFP

What car would Jesus drive? Pope speaks out

POPE Francis said on Saturday that it pained him to see priests driving flashy cars, and told them to pick something more “humble”. As part of his drive to make the Catholic Church more austere and focus on the poor, Francis told young and trainee priests and nuns from around the world that having the latest smartphone or fashion accessory was not the route to happiness. “It hurts me when I see a priest or a nun with the latest model car; you can’t do this,” he said. reuters

20

THE PHNOM PENH POST July 8, 2013

Travel PREAH SIHANOUK - SIEM REAP Flighs Days Dep Arrival K6 130 1-3-5 12:55 13:55

INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT SCHEDULE FROM PHNOM PENH Flighs

Days

Dep

TO PHNOM PENH Arrival

PHNOM PENH - BANGKOK

Flighs

Days

Dep

Arrival

BANGKOK - PHNOM PENH

K6 720

Daily

12:05

01:10

K6 721

Daily

02:25

03:30

PG 938

Daily

06:40

08:15

PG 931

Daily

07:55

09:05

PG 932

Daily

09:55

11:10

TG 580

Daily

07:55

09:05

TG 581

Daily

10:05

11:10

PG 933

Daily

13:30

14:40

PG 934

Daily

15:30

16:40

FD 3616

Daily

15:15

16:20

FD 3617

Daily

17:05

18:15

PG 935

Daily

17:30

18:40

PG 936

Daily

19:30

20:40

TG 584

Daily

18:25

19:40

TG 585

Daily

20:40

21:45

PG 937

Daily

20:15

21:50

PHNOM PENH - BEIJING CZ 324

Daily

BEIJING - PHNOM PENH 08:00

16:05

CZ 323

Daily

14:30

20:50

PHNOM PENH - DOHA ( Via HCMC)

DOHA - PHNOM PENH ( Via HCMC)

QR 605

1.2..5.6

22:35

05:15+1

QR 604

1.2..5.6

08:00

21:00

QR 603

..34..7

15:50

22:25

QR 602

..3.4..7

01:25

14:20

PHNOM PENH - GUANGZHOU Daily

08:00

11:40

CZ 6059

2.4.7

12:00

13:45

CZ 6060

2.4.7

14:45

18:10

CZ 323

Daily

19:05

20:50

09:40

13:00

PHNOM PENH - HANOI Daily

17:30

20:35

VN 841

Daily

HO CHI MINH CITY - PHNOM PENH

VN 841

Daily

14:00

14:45

VN 920

Daily

15:50

16:30

VN 3856

Daily

19:20

20:05

VN 3857

Daily

18:00

18:45

PHNOM PENH - HONG KONG 1.2.4.7

11:25

15:05

KA 208

1.2.4.6.7 08:50

10:25

KA 207

6

11:45

22:25

KA 206

3.5.7

14:30

16:05

KA 209

1

18:30

22:05

KA 206

1

15:25

17:00

KA 209

3.5.7

17:25

21:00

KA 206

2

15:50

17:25

KA 205

2

19:00

22:35

PHNOM PENH - INCHEON Daily

23:40

06:40

KE 689

Daily

18:30

22:20

OZ 740

Daily

23:50

06:50

OZ 739

Daily

19:10

22:50

PHNOM PENH - KUALA LUMPUR

MH - Malaysia Airlines

2 Tuesday

AK - Air Asia

MI - SilkAir

3 Wednesday

BR - EVA Airways

OZ - Asiana Airlines

4 Thursday

CI - China Airlines

PG - Bangkok Airways

5 Friday

CZ - China Southern

QR - Qatar Airways

6 Saturday

FD - Thai Air Asia

QV - Lao Airlines

7 Sunday

FM - Shanghai Air

SQ - Singapore Airlines

K6- Cambodia Angkor Air

TG - Thai Airways | VN - Vietnam Airlines

This flight schedule information is updated about once a month. Further information, please contact direct to airline or a travel agent for flight schedule information.

Hula dancers sway to the music in the empty courtyard of the usually bustling Aloha Tower Marketplace in Honolulu, Hawaii. bloomberg

AIRLINES

KUALA LUMPUR - PHNOM PENH

AK 1473

Daily

08:35

11:20

AK 1474

Daily

15:15

16:00

MH 755

Daily

11:10

14:00

MH 754

Daily

09:30

10:20

MH 763

Daily

17:10

20:00

MH 762

Daily

3:20

4:10

20:05

06:05

PHNOM PENH- PARIS

PHNOM PENH - PARIS 20:05

06:05

PHNOM PENH - SHANGHAI 2.3.4.5.7

1 Monday

5J - CEBU Airways.

INCHEON - PHNOM PENH

KE 690

FM 833

KA - Dragon Air

HONG KONG - PHNOM PENH

KA 207

2

COLOUR CODE

2817 - 16 Tigerairways

HANOI - PHNOM PENH

PHNOM PENH - HO CHI MINH CITY

AF 273

AIRLINES CODE

GUANGZHOU - PHNOM PENH

CZ 324

VN 840

SIEM REAP - PREAH SIHANOUK Flighs Days Dep Arrival K6 131 1-3-5 11:20 12:20

19:50

AF 273

2

SHANGHAI - PHNOM PENH 23:05

PHNOM PENH - SINGAPORE

FM 833

2.3.4.5.7 19:30

22:40

SINGAPORE - PHNOM PENH

Air Asia (AK) Room T6, PP International Airport. Tel: 023 6666 555 Fax: 023 890 071 www.airasia.com

Cambodia Angkor Air (K6) PP Office, #90+92+94Eo, St.217, Sk.Orussey4, Kh. 7Makara, 023 881 178 /77718-333. Fax:+855 23-886-677 www.cambodiaangkorair.com E: mai@royalaviationexpert.com

Jetstar Asia (3K) PP: No. 333B Monivong Blvd.

Myanmar Airways International Tel: 023 220909.Siem Reap: No. 50,Sivatha Blvd.Tel: 063 964388 #90+92+94Eo, St. 217, Sk. Orussey4, Kh. 7 Makara, www.jetstar.com Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

T:023 881 178 | F:023 886 677 www.maiair.com

Dragon Air (KA) #168, Monireth, PP Tel: 023 424 300 Fax: 023 424 304 www.dragonair.com/kh

Cebu Pacific (5J) Phnom Penh: No. 333B Monivong Blvd. Tel: 023 219161 Siem Reap: No. 50,Sivatha Blvd.

Tel: 063 965487 E-mail: cebuair@ptm-travel.com www.cebupacificair.com

MI 601

1.3.5.6.7

09:30 12:30

MI 602

1.3.5.6.7 07:40

08:40

MI 622

2.4

12:20

15:20

MI 622

2.4

08:40

11:25

3K 594

1.3.6

12:35

15:55

3K 593

1.3.6

10:40

11:50

3K 599

2.4.7

17:25

20:25

3K 591

5

18:45

20:00

3K 592

5

20:45

23:45

3K 591

5

18:45

20:00

MI 607

Daily

18:10

21:10

MI 608

Daily

16:20

17:15

2817

1.3

16:40

19:40

2816

1.3

15:00

15:50

2817

2.4.5

09:10

12:00

2816

2.4.5

07:20

08:10

2817

6

14:50

17:50

2816

6

13:00

14:00

2817

7

13:20

16:10

2816

7

11:30

12:30

09:10

11:35

PHNOM PENH SORYA BUS TRANSPORT SCHEDULE INTERNATIONAL ROUTES

PHNOM PENH -TAIPEI BR 266

Daily

TAIPEI - PHNOM PENH 12:45

17:05

PHNOM PENH - VIENTIANE

BR 265

Daily

VIENTIANE - PHNOM PENH

Qatar Airways No. 296 Blvd. Mao Tse Toung (St. 245), Ground floor, Intercontinental Hotel PP Tel: +23 42 40 12/13/14 www.qatarairways.com

Tiger airways G. floor, Regency square, Suare, Suite #68/79, St.205, Sk Chamkarmorn, PP Tel: (855) 95 969 888 (855) 23 5515 888/5525888 E: info@cambodiaairlines.net

SilkAir (MI) Regency C,Unit 2-4,Tumnorb Teuk, Chamkarmorn Phnom Penh Tel:023 988 629 www.silkair.com

VN 840

Daily

17:30

18:50

VN 841

Daily

11:30

13:00

PP-HO CHI MINH DEPATURE

HO CHI MINH-PP

QV 920

Daily

17:50

19:10

QV 921

Daily

11:45

13:15

6:45, 8:30, 11:45

6:45, 8:00,11:30

PP-BANGKOK

BANGKOK-PP

6:30

6:30

PP-PAKSE,VIENTIANE

PAKSE,VIENTIANE-PP

6:45

7:30

PHNOM PENH - YANGON 8M 404

3. 6

YANGON - PHNOM PENH 20:10

21:35

8M 403

3. 6

16:45

FROM SIEM REAP

TO SIEM REAP

SIEM REAP - BANGKOK Flighs Days Dep Arrival K6 700 Daily 12:50 2:00 PG 924 Daily 09:45 11:10 PG 906 Daily 13:15 14:40 PG 914 Daily 15:20 16:45 PG 908 Daily 18:50 20:15 PG 910 Daily 20:30 21:55 SIEM REAP - GUANGZHOU CZ 3054 2.4.6 11:25 15:35 CZ 3054 1.3.5.7 19:25 23:20 SIEM REAP -HANOI K6 850 Daily 06:50 08:30 VN 868 1.2.3.5.6 12:40 15:35 VN 842 Daily 18:05 19:45 VN 844 Daily 19:45 21:25 VN 800 Daily 21:00 22:40 SIEM REAP - HO CHI MINH CITY VN 3818 Daily 11:10 12:30 VN 826 Daily 13:30 14:40 VN 3820 Daily 17:45 18:45 VN 828 Daily 18:20 19:20 VN 3822 Daily 21:35 22:35 SIEM REAP - INCHEON KE 688 Daily 23:15 06:10 OZ 738 Daily 23:40 07:10 SIEM REAP - KUALA LUMPUR AK 281 Daily 08:35 11:35 MH 765 3.5.7 14:15 17:25 SIEM REAP - MANILA 5J 258 2.4.7 22:30 02:11 SIEM REAP - SINGAPORE MI 633 1, 6, 7 16:35 22:15 MI 622 2.4 10:40 15:20 MI 630 5 12:25 15:40 MI 615 7 12:45 16:05 MI 636 3, 2 18:30 21:35 MI 617 5 18:35 21:55 3K 599 2.4.7 15:50 20:25 SIEM REAP - VIENTIANE QV 522 2.4.5.7 10:05 13:00 SIEM REAP - YANGON 8M 402 1. 5 20:15 21:25

BANGKOK - SIEM REAP Flighs Days Dep K6 701 Daily 02:55 PG 903 Daily 08:00 PG 905 Daily 11:35 PG 913 Daily 13:35 PG 907 Daily 17:00 PG 909 Daily 18:45 GUANGZHOU - SIEM REAP CZ 3053 2.4.6 08:45 CZ 3053 1.3.5.7 16:35 HANOI - SIEM REAP K6 851 Daily 19:30 VN 843 Daily 15:25 VN 845 Daily 17:05 VN 845 Daily 17:45 VN 801 Daily 18:20 HO CHI MINH CITY - SIEM REAP VN 3809 Daily 09:15 VN 827 Daily 11:35 VN 3821 Daily 15:55 VN 829 Daily 16:20 VN 3823 Daily 19:45 INCHEON - SIEM REAP KE 687 Daily 18:30 OZ 737 Daily 19:20 KUALA LUMPUR - SIEM REAP AK 280 Daily 06:50 MH 764 3.5.7 12:10 MANILA - SIEM REAP 5J 257 2.4.7 19:45 SINGAPORE - SIEM REAP MI 633 1, 6, 7 14:35 MI 622 2.4 08:40 MI 616 7 10:40 MI 636 3, 2 13:55 MI 630 5 07:55 MI 618 5 16:35 3K599 2.4.7 13:50 VIENTIANE - SIEM REAP QV 512 2.4.5.7 06:30 YANGON - SIEM REAP 8M 401 1. 5 17:05

19:10

Arrival 04:05 09:00 12:45 14:35 18:10 19:55 10:30 18:30 21:15 17:10 18:50 19:30 20:00

10:35 12:35 16:55 17:40 20:45 22:15 22:40 07:50 13:15 21:30 15:45 09:50 11:50 17:40 11:35 17:45 15:05 09:25 19:15

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Getting jiggy with world’s best dances

W

HETHER it’s cathartic, energising, romantic, funny, celebratory or just plain embarrassing, excuses to get out on the dance floor are seemingly endless. The cross-cultural urge to move with the music has inspired online travel advisers Cheapflights.com to create a list of the world’s 10 top most irresistible traditional dances – dances that draw travelers in either for their colourful spectacle or for their toe-tapping danceability. Here are the top five.

1. Hula, Hawaii, United States

Nothing says Hawaii like hula dancing. This ancient dance tradition was brought over by the Polynesians to the Hawaiian Islands as a form of entertainment for the high chiefs and a worshipping ceremony to the gods. Many hula traditions have been altered in recent decades: the lei (the traditional fresh flower necklace) was intended as a gift to the gods and dancers were not allowed to wear them after their routine. The traditional costume of bare chests for women and loin cloths for men, has also been adapted for the tourist market.

2. Bon Odori, Japan Bon Festivals, known as Obon, have been a part of Japanese Buddhist culture for more than 500 years, and, like many traditional festivals, there is a dance affiliated with the celebration known as bon odori. The Obon festival typically lasts for three days, during which ancestors visit the living to make sure all is well in the family. Bon odori is a way to welcome the ancestors and thank them for their sacrifices. While there are different varieties of the dance depending on the region, many are performed

during street parades where anyone is welcome to join.

3. Irish Stepdance, Ireland Michael Flatley and his Riverdance might make Irish stepdance look unsuitable (if not impossible) for amateurs, but this long-standing dance tradition has many styles.

While Irish stepdance can be traced back to pre-Christian times across Ireland, nowadays it has become a staple at Irish festivals and St Patrick’s Day events all over the world.

But for those looking to strut their stepdancing stuff, it’s not just about the dance moves; traditional dress, drink and toe-tapping Irish music are also necessities.

4. Ghoomar, Rajasthan, India This folk dance of Southern India is not just a display of rhythmic talent – its an aesthetic treat for the senses.

Famous for the vibrant, spinning colours of the dancers’ long-flowing skirts, the female performers are joined by men and women audience members who are expected to sing along. Like many folk dances, ghoomar is traditionally performed during special occasions to worship gods.

5. Maypole Dance, United Kingdom Originally a pagan custom, the maypole, a wood pole standing from two to 20 metres, was traditionally erected on the first of May and danced around by women to celebrate fertility.

Today the dance has transformed into a children’s event: ribbons are wrapped around the pole in different patterns while dancers weave in and out, singing in celebration of May Day. Although several Western European countries have a similar maypole ritual, the celebration in the United Kingdom is considered the largest and most established. reuters

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THE PHNOM PENH POST July 8, 2013

Entertainment NOW SHOWING

Theatre @ Botanical Cafe

LEGEND CINEMA

The Moradokmai Theatre Company, in corporation with with Osonó Theatre from Saint George, Romania, is sending its Thai and Romanian actors to Phnom Penh for a run of the plays The Nontok and The Carnival.

The Nontok is based on the Thai epic, Ramakien, which is an adaptation of the Ramayana, while The Carnival is a tale of modern day capitalism.

MAN OF STEEL A young journalist is forced to confront his secret extraterrestrial heritage when Earth is invaded by members of his race. He uses his extraordinary powers to become Superman and protect his new home from an insidious evil.

11am, 9:15pm WHITE HOUSE DOWN While in a tour of the White House with his young daughter, a policeman springs into action to save his child and protect the president from a heavily armed group of paramilitary invaders.

Jamie Foxx plays the president, alongside bodyguard Channing Tatum and Maggie Gyllenhaal.

11:45am, 3:55pm, 6:35pm, 9:20pm

Botanic Cafe, #126 Street 19 7pm

James Voan @ Village Are you a fan of the grunge era? How about the psychedelic ’70s? Local singer James Voan draws inspiration from the world of Western rock music, with memorable classics from the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s rock scenes.

MONSTERS UNIVERSITY Mike Wazowski and James P Sullivan are an inseparable pair, but that wasn’t always the case. From the moment these two mismatched monsters met they couldn’t stand each other.

But Mike and Sulley overcome their differences to become the best of friends.

9:25am, 1:45pm, 7:35pm WORLD WAR Z United Nations employee Garry Lane transverses the world in a race against time to stop the zombie pandemic that is toppling armies and governments.

9:30am, 11:35am, 2:25pm, 3:35pm, 4:45pm, 7pm, 9:45pm

The Village, #1 Street 360, 7:30pm

The Moradokmai Theatre Company will perform an adaptation of the Ramayana tonight at Botanic Cafe. PHOTO SUPPLIED

TV PICKS

PLATINUM CINEPLEX

9:55am - PLANET OF THE APES: An Air Force astronaut crash lands on a mysterious planet where evolved, talking apes dominant a race of primitive humans. FOX MOVIES 1:20pm - ACT OF VALOR: An elite team of Navy SEALs embark on a covert mission to recover a kidnapped CIA agent. FOX MOVIES

MAN OF STEEL (See above) 8:10pm WHITE HOUSE DOWN (See above) 4pm, 8:20pm

3:10pm - THE HUNGER GAMES: Katniss Everdeen voluntarily takes her younger sister’s place in the Hunger Games, a televised fight to the death in which two teenagers from each of the twelve districts of Panem are chosen at random to compete. FOX MOVIES

MONSTER UNIVERSITY (See above) 9:15am, 1:15pm

9:30pm – X-MEN: FIRST CLASS: The United States government enlists the help of Mutants with superhuman abilities to stop a malicious dictator. FOX MOVIES

Actors Jennifer Lawrence, left, and Liam Hemsworth star in The Hunger Games on Fox Movies tonight. BLOOMBERG

Pizza @ Show Box Pizza and reggae music, a winning combination? The Katy Peri pizza chefs are moving their oven from Street 51 to Show Box for a night of American pizza.

Reggae tunes ranging from Bob to Damien Marley accompany the cheese and pepperoni.

Show Box, #11 Street 330, 6pm

Yoga @ Yoga Phnom Penh Slow Flow Yoga, a class for all abilities to stretch out, relax. Don’t have time for both class and lunch? No problem! Just take a look at the menu at the reception and place your order before class, and your meal will be delivered by ARTillery.

#172 z2, Norodom Boulevard, 12:15pm

Thinking caps “BEJEWELED” ACROSS 1 5 9 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 23 24 25 27 30 32 33 36 39 41 42 43 44 46 47 49 51 53 55 56 62 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71

Picket line crosser Disparaging remark On the ___ of (approaching) “Rio ___” (John Wayne flick) Spanish house One who’s in your business?

Black-and-white treat Sign of what’s to come Hemispherical home Scrubbing target The Cramps’ ___ Interior Duo’s word Ill will Madmen, south of the border Classroom delivery “Well, ___ be!”

Humphrey the VP Like the stepsisters in “Cinderella” Word with “driver’s” or “booster” Sea gem Three-sided rapier Sumptuous 3.26 light-years Motel alternative Equality Some deer Unstressed vowel sounds Business outfit?

“I’ve got it now!”

Place to learn some manners Language in Calcutta In ___ of (supplanting) Aquarium dweller Land of the Raj Big name in jazz singers Gripe, gripe, gripe Swiss city that borders France and Germany Padded pad, perhaps Roman welcomes

DOWN 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 21 22 26 27 28 29 30 31 34 35 37 38 40 45 48 50 51 52 53 54 57 58 59 60 61 63

Clutter creator Wife of Mr. Dithers Assist illegally “Poor me!”

Clean with steel wool Epitomes of innocence One logging in Madras monarch Winners’ gestures Famous Siamese twin It lays out the dough Leave the house High-strength adhesive Keister or fanny Crunch creator Pouting puss Speak like Sylvester the Cat Substitute spread One way to show support ’60s tripper Timothy Is fallible Snooty Get the better of Advance on credit Pinings Warming Snappy Like some profiling or relations Cornell locale Address in colonial India Expensive dishes Something in a trash heap Unextraordinary Guinness who was knighted Incite anger Kingly name in Norway Barbarous one Baby seats? “___ Hard” (1988)

Friday’s solution

Friday’s solution

22

THE PHNOM PENH POST July 8, 2013

Lifestyle Welcome for Malaysian PIKOM @ Titanic Restaurant Chhim Sreyneang Social Life Manager

Hajah Norazah Sahud, MD producer at Tenview, with Rozaidah KC Lee and Francis at the dinner on Thursday.

Aldul Ghani and Norzana Rafie from Tenview.

Peggie Ng and PIKOM president Shaifubahrim Roz Lita and Ann Khoo Saleh, visiting from Malaysia.

Rafiel Tahir, Ameera Mohsin and Amir.

Last Thursday, July 4, the Cambodia branch of the National ICT Association of Malaysia (PIKOM) hosted a welcome dinner for their Malaysian counterparts, who were in town for the Mobile Social Commerce International Conference and Expo at Phnom Penh's City Mall. PIKOM chairman Woon Tai Hai joined in the dinner, which featured entertainment in the form of traditional dance.

Charle Yang, director at APAQ, and Patrick Lee.

Adrian Chau and Goh Tian Loong, from Malaysia's Terrence Choong and Wani Shaari.

Max Q Multimedia.

Chun Vat and Suhaimi Badrul Jamil, executive director at Ferrier Hodgson.

Check-mates Sean and James relax at the event.

Gan Seokehoo and Woon Tai Hai, Chairman of the National ICT Association of Malaysia.

Woo Tai Hai, PIKOM chair, and Shaifubahrim Saleh, president and CEO.

Manulife's first anniversary @ Le Royal Raffles Hotel Le Royal was the glamorous venue for the first anniversary of Manulife Financial on Friday, June 28. Think insurance and urban culture don’t mix? Think again. Breakdancers from creative NGO Tiny Toones were the night’s spectacular closing act, after dinner and speeches from CEO and General Manager Robert J Elliott.

Kao Sreypov, Kao Un, Pannareth

Manulife team leaders cut the cake to celebrate

Karen Elliott and Robert J Elliott, Christine Naidoo and Indren Naidoo, Regional CEO at Manulife CEO and GM at Manulife

Saya Molika, Suong Sovann, Khieu Seng On, Kret Puthearith

Tom Piseth, Head of Banking Operations at Vattanac Bank, Neth Piseth, Deputy Head of Operations Division at ACLEDA Bank, Ponlu Tola, Chief Customer Officer at Manulife

Wat Jason, Chief Agency Officer, Prachi Shanbhag, Regional Monika Kong, Personal Assistant, Saya Molika, Marketing Specialist, Kret Puthearith, Office Service Officer at Manulife Director Strategic Channel Development at Manulife

23

THE PHNOM PENH POST July 8, 2013

Lifestyle

Socheata and Sontery Social Life Team

The Cambodian-American Friendship Concert @ Intercontinental Hotel

Last Tuesday July 2, the songs of King Father Sihanouk made an unusual marriage with children’s choral music at the Cambodian-American Friendship Concert held at the InterContinental Hotel. The show, organised by Cambodian Living Arts, showcased a young choir from the Boston Children’s Chorus, who performed traditional American choral music along with tunes penned by the late King Father. Handmade Cambodian goods, such as scarves, bags, books and CDs, were on sale.

All photos by Chhim Sreyneang and Hong Menea

Sarah Sitts (red dress), Kurt MacLeod (white jacket ), Vice President at Pact Org and their team.

The Boston Children's Chorus in full swing.

Leng Nawin, Chin Sina and the InterContinental team.

Tim Stephens, Alison Stephens, Isaac Stephens.

Frances Rudgard, Maia Nadon Chbib, marketing and communications manager at InterContinental, and Gillian Rhodes.

Clara Prim, Lanin Hak.

Chhith Soklunn, Soth Chandaly and Seng Tharin

Nicole Dalsaso, Valerie Dalsaso and Maria Dalsao.

Chhuon Sarin with Ros Rotanak.

Chan Sory, Khan Chanmonyka, Pich Rothvoleak and Touch Srey Sopheak, Eden Prim, Sayana Two in blue: Katel Guillou and Helene Bataille. Colleen and Sophie with their mother. Ros Sovila.

Monika Chum and Dannith Oung.

Prim, Pane Heing.

Alice Frentz, president at Churchill Consulting Group, and Bruce Douglas, managing director All smiles: Debbie Robb and Georgie Brice. at MANGO.

David Benaim and Emma Pollard.

Patricia Baars and Stephen Paterson, from Puthisastra University.

Lanin Hak with Sophea Touch.

Ponnarattanin Sim and Chakrya Gui.

Sa Sokuntheary, Tha Sothea, travel consultant at Exotissimo. The Boston Children's Chorus

Sam Chau, operation manager, Keo Naren, unit manager at Manulife.

Jennie Taing, Chep LeeIng, sales and marketing at Himawari.

Robert A. Cook, senior executive, vice-president and general manager, Asia of Manulife, with Mey Vann.

Ngourn Vanreth, bank supervisor at National Bank of Cambodia, and Goh Ser Kee, chief financial officer at Manulife.

Youth dance troupe Tiny Toones gave a glowing performance.

Soy Soklina, distribution compliance specialist, Suong Sovann and Monika Kong.

Elise Nguyen, finance project manager, Christine Naidoo, Indren Naidoo, regional CEO at Manulife.

24

THE PHNOM PENH POST July 8, 2013

Sport Cambodia breeze past Brunei HS Manjunath

T

he Cambodian national rugby team, the Koupreys, breezed past the Leopards of Brunei 28-0 in yesterday’s second leg at the Old Stadium to make a clean sweep of their HSBC Asian 5 Nations Division V series double-header.

The Koupreys banked four tries and as many conversions to kill any hopes of a Brunei fightback, having scored an emphatic 38-0 win in the first leg on Friday.

Winger Vannara Norn, flanker Matt Reese, scrum half Luke Wilkie and centre Vireak Vannak crossed over for the home team, while outside half Alexis Chevalier was spot on with all four conversions, two straight up and the other two nice and clean between the posts from out wide.

Cambodia captain Vireak Vannak, who polished off the game with a strong push through a series of hounding tackles to land the side’s fourth and final try late in the second session, put the victories down to solid preparation.

“Our teamwork was excellent as it was on Friday. We hadn’t won at this level for some time now and the two victories are highly satisfying,” he said, after leading the side to a two-match total of 11 points including a bonus for scoring four tries in the first half of Friday’s contest.

Koupreys coach Laurie Karatau of New Zealand told the Post he was very happy the hard work had paid off.

“I did expect the second game to be a lot harder than

Cambodian (in white) and Brunei players contest a lineout during yesterday’s HSBC Asian 5 Nations Division V clash at Old Stadium.

the first but our players got going just the way they did on Friday.”

Brunei coach Ben Bourne, meanwhile, was left to rue missed opportunities.

“On Friday, we made too many mistakes and wrong choices,” he added.

Winger Norn Vannara produced the first try for the hosts when he drifted

across midfield close to the touchline, taking the Brunei defence completely by surprise. He was lucky enough to see the ball he had just kicked to keep the move alive come back to him after hitting a lone defender.

Flanker Matt Reese, who had rounded off Friday’s tally with a lucrative double of trys, consolidated the lead as the

Koupreys took to the break 14-0. One of the try scorers in the first game, Luke Wilkie, carried the ball through for a five-point grab and Vireak touched down after braving a rough passage.

Chances for Brunei were few and far between. So hopelessly pinned down in their own real estate were they that the Leopards found

SRENG MENG SRUN

breaks into rival territory a tough proposition.

Before the final game, a HSBC ARFU grassroots coaching program involving scores of youths from local charities and schools was carried out.

On Friday, the visitors reeled under the relentless force of the Koupreys’ pack as Cambodia took a 24-0 first-half lead

through four tries, with a bonus point given for that feat.

Two more tries and conversions in the second session saw the home side to an impressive victory and sweet revenge for their 15-19 defeat

by Brunei in last year’s fixture at the same venue.

Stretched and strained as they were for most of the 80 minutes, Brunei could only manage space and possession sparingly, and a tight Cambodian defence ensured that the scoring opportunities for their rivals were effectively sealed.

Fullback Nheb Rotha and Luke Wilkie produced two strong efforts to push the Koupreys to the front, with Alexis Chevalier making a neat conversion for a 12-0 lead.

The dependable No8 Lavy Arashad completed Cambodia’s third try before Chevalier got going with his own to record the fourth for the side.

Centre Daniel Parkes converted Chevalier’s try to make it a solid 24-0 at half-time.

The Koupreys continued to pile the pressure on the visitors in the second session, with flanker Matt Reese crossing over twice and Chevalier’s conversions bang on target to leave Brunei with an uphill task in yesterday’s second game.

Last year Cambodia choked after taking a 15-0 lead and let Brunei get back into the game. That 19-15 loss pushed the Koupreys down to third place behind Laos and Brunei. On the strength of their two victories here in 2012, Laos earned promotion to Division IV this year.

Lions must make changes for continued success: Gatland The British and Irish Lions must be allowed adequate preparation time if they are to build on the success of their 2-1 series win over Australia when they travel to face New Zealand in 2017, coach Warren Gatland said yesterday.

The dust had barely settled on the tourists’ first series triumph in 16

years, sealed with Saturday’s crushing 41-16 victory over the Wallabies in Sydney, when thoughts turned to the next tour against the All Blacks in four years’ time.

The Lions have only won one series in New Zealand, back in 1971, and Gatland said his experience over the past two months proved to him that

British and Irish Lions’ head coach Warren Gatland shakes hands with team member Brian O’Driscoll (left) after clinching their series win over Australia in Sydney. REUTERS

there must be changes to the scheduling if they are to have a chance of another victory there.

“I think it’s important that the Lions and the home unions get together in terms of adequate preparation time,” he told reporters in Sydney.

“The season needs to be adjusted a little bit so we can spend a couple of weeks in the UK and Ireland preparing properly.

“There needs to be some negotiations with the southern hemisphere to push things back a bit in terms of lead-up games.

“To be successful, you want to have the best possible opportunity. New Zealand in four years time poses a different challenge to Australia.

“I’m not saying it’s harder, it’s different from a logistical point of view.

“They’ve got make sure they’ve got the proper processes in place to give the Lions the best opportunity to be successful.”

Gatland did not dismiss out of hand the suggestion that he might return as Lions coach for that tour, saying: “it’s something that potentially I’d look at”. As a successful New Zealander, however, he could just as easily be All Blacks coach in 2017.

Despite the satisfaction of a win on Saturday which vindicated his selection, Gatland was clearly still digesting the reaction to his decision to drop Ireland’s Brian O’Driscoll for the decisive test and pack his team with Welshmen.

“A lot of you made a point about the number of Welsh players that were selected but I think you missed the story,” the 49-year-old Wales coach said.

“The story was about the finishing team and the guys that came off the bench and the job they did. I thought they were absolutely outstanding.

“It came down to the wire, that’s why you’re involved in professional sport, you want it to be tough, you want it to be close, you want it to be exciting and you want it to be nailbiting, and it definitely fulfilled all those elements.”

As for O’Driscoll, who tour manager Andy Irvine said he rated as the greatest Lion of all, Gatland reiterated that he had made the decision for the right reasons.

“To be honest, if we had selected Brian, we would have won the game with that performance as well,” he said.

“But I felt at the time that the call was the right rugby decision, not a sentimental decision.

“Spoke to Brian after the game and said, I know how disappointing it was, but he was part of a winning series.”

Gatland said he would be delighted if the series triumph played a part in continuing Lions tours in the future.

“It’s something that we need to preserve for the modern game,” he said.

“It’s special, just the fans and so on, it’s been a privilege for me to be a part of it and to experience it.

“It’s not just in Britain and Ireland, I’ve had texts from friends back in New Zealand with people were more interested in the Lions than the French being in New Zealand because of the excitement it created.”

Lions tour captain Sam Warburton missed the final test with a hamstring injury and spoke perhaps for all the squad players outside the matchday 23 at the Olympic Stadium on Saturday night.

“It put a smile on my face when I woke up this morning,” he grinned.

“I looked over to my roomy and we both said ‘test series winners’ and that’s what it’s all about.” REUTERS

25

THE PHNOM PENH POST July 8, 2013

Basketball

Dragons put Ganzberg in place, Heat burn out HS Manjunath

A

highly charged Phnom Penh Dragons put their back-to-back defeats behind them to post an 80-69 win over Ganzberg in a high-intensity contest that stood out on game day three of the Cambodia Basketball League sponsored by Western Union and Coca-Cola at the Beeline Arena on Saturday.

The Dragons, who changed ends halfway with a 19-point lead, rode out a fourth quarter rally by Ganzberg. Eric Laughlin, who scored 23 points for Dragons, spent the final minutes behind the foul lines, but he had done a neat job of it by turning in nearly 50 per cent of his 21 free throws.

In the company of Ben Laird (21 points), it was Laughlin who had plotted Ganzberg’s downfall.

While the full strength Dragons took the court well-primed for this crucial tie and determined to overturn defeats in the first two rounds, Ganzberg showed up with just five players, the rest arriving during the first quarter.

The Dragons jumped into an early lead as Tai Ponlok hit hard with seven points in the first 10 minutes.

The first two quarters were dominated by the Dragons but at the start of the third, Ponlok had to sit out after his fifth foul even as Ganzberg switched from zonal defence to man-to-man with some degree of success, edging as close as seven points of their rivals in those frenzied last 10 minutes.

The Dragons, however, kept their nerves and the Ganzberg high press resulted in a clutch of fouls and bonus free throws to the opposition.

Geoff Cruz was the man of the hour for Ganzberg with 22 points, with admirable support coming from David Sander (11 points) “It is a great satisfaction that the offensive potential of the team has come out. We still have a lot to learn and improve, but we are getting better every game. Tonight, I am very proud of the boys,” Dragons team manager Michael Dibbern told the Post after the victory.

Cellcard Eagles made their game against the all-Chinese Galaxy into a one-way street, punching home with a 75-51 victory. A dominant performance under the rim by Keith Kelly (27 points) and Geoff Harry’s supporting 19 points tied Galaxy up in knots despite Kelvin Chan (16 points) doing his best on the counter.

Just one regular basket separated one of the prime contenders in IRB The Lord from Sela Meas 43-41 in a tight finish involving the two allCambodian teams.

With both sides being overtly cautious and defensive, the shooting rate, notably at three-point range, was quite low given their known potential in this area.

With barely 15 seconds to go, The Lord had a one-point lead when Ouch Phanat got two free throws to shoot. He could basket only one and Sela Meas rushed out in a panic shot that ended up as an air ball. Having gained possession, The Lord played out the remaining few seconds.

Chan Chanborey (13 points), Ouch Phanat (10) and Mong Rathana (8) were main scorers for IRB while Touch Sochea (9), Peng Darath (8), Sok Samnang (7) did well for Sela Meas.

Top ranked CCPL Heat suffered an unexpected reverse at the hands of Pate 310, who took the court as the bottom-most team in the rankings after game day two.

The fierce rivalry between these two all-Cambodian sides was palatable from get-go and Pate managed to pull off a 53-50 victory as two national players, Sok Tour and You

On Friday, July 12, The Phnom Penh Post proudly presents

FRANCE’S NATIONAL DAY /Ŷ ƚŚŝƐ ƐƉĞĐŝĂů ƌĞƉŽƌƚ ǁĞ ůŽŽŬ Ăƚ ƚŚĞ &ƌĞŶĐŚ ĐŽŶƚƌŝďƵƟŽŶ ƚŽ ĂŵďŽĚŝĂ ĚĂƟŶŐ Ăůů ƚŚĞ ǁĂLJ ďĂĐŬ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ &ƌĞŶĐŚ WƌŽƚĞĐƚŽƌĂƚĞ͗ ĐŽŶƚƌŝďƵƟŽŶƐ ŝŶ ĂƌĐŚŝƚĞĐƚƵƌĞ͕ ĨŽŽĚ ĂŶĚ ĐƵůƚƵƌĞ͘ tĞ ĂůƐŽ ůŽŽŬ Ăƚ ƚŚĞ ĐŽŶƚƌŝďƵƟŽŶ ŽĨ &ƌĂŶĐĞ ŝŶ ĂŵďŽĚŝĂ ƚŽĚĂLJ͕ ŝŶĐůƵĚŝŶŐ E'KƐ͕ ƌĞƐƚĂƵƌĂŶƚƐ͕ ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐĞƐ ĂŶĚ ŝŶƚĞƌǀŝĞǁƐ ǁŝƚŚ &ƌĞŶĐŚ ƉĞƌƐŽŶĂůŝƟĞƐ ĂƌŽƵŶĚ ĂŵďŽĚŝĂ͘ ^ŚŽǁ LJŽƵƌ ĐŽŶŶĞĐƟǀŝƚLJ ǁŝƚŚ &ƌĂŶĐĞ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞ &ƌĞŶĐŚ ƉĞŽƉůĞ ďLJ ƉůĂĐŝŶŐ LJŽƵƌ ĂĚ ŝŶ ƚŚŝƐ ǀĞƌLJ ƐƉĞĐŝĂů ƌĞƉŽƌƚ ƚŚĂƚ ƐĂLJƐ s/s > &Z E ͘

Phnom Penh dŽ ĂĚǀĞƌƟƐĞ ĐŽŶƚĂĐƚ͗ borom.chea@phnompenhpost.com or call 012 763 481 / 011 743 998 SƚorLJ ŝĚĞĂƐ͍ Email stuart.becker@gmail.com ŽŽŬŝŶŐ ĚĞĂĚůŝŶĞ͗ Friday July 5. ƌƚǁŽƌŬ ĚĞĂĚůŝŶĞ͗ Wednesday July 10; WƵďůŝĐĂƟŽŶ ĚĂƚĞ͗ Friday July 12.

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SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE READ THE POST

A Sela Meas player (in red) goes up for a shot during their Cambodian Basketball League game against IRB The Lord at Beeline Arena on Saturday. SRENG MENG SRUN

Meng Mour, led the charge for their teams and added to the intensity of the contest.

In the final minute of the game, Pate led by three points but You Meng Mour, who was Heat’s top scorer with 19 points, was fouled on his three-point attempt.

He was up at the foul line with three free throws to shoot with dead

zero on the clock. To his side’s utter disappointment, he missed all three.

For Pate, Sok Tour’s 14 points stood out. He was well assisted by Taing Peng Kay (9), and Chea Kok Try (8).

“We had several of our players injured today [such as] national player Nim Vannak. This impacted our shooting capacity,” Heat manager Davuth Sin told the Post.

26

THE PHNOM PENH POST July 8, 2013

Sport

Froome points finger at dirty rider generation

Tour de France leader Chris Froome fired a broadside at a cycling generation tainted by doping scandals as he insisted he is racing “100 per cent” clean at the world’s biggest and most notorious bike race. Kenyanborn Briton Froome capped a stunning performance on the first day in the high mountains with a memorable victory on Saturday’s stage eight which handed him the race’s fabled yellow jersey. Team-mate Richie Porte finished second at 51 seconds as several of Team Sky’s rivals, including Spaniard Alberto Contador and Australia’s Cadel Evans, spectacularly fell off the pace on the final climb to Ax-TroisDomaines. AFP

Pace bowler Onions is included in Ashes squad

England have included pace bowler Graham Onions in a 13-man squad for the first Ashes test against Australia starting at Trent Bridge in Nottingham on Wednesday.

Onions joins Tim Bresnan and Steven Finn in a battle to decide the final place in the XI to start England’s Ashes defence. The trio played in England’s warmup match against Essex for which James Anderson and Stuart Broad were rested. Joe Root will open the batting with captain Alastair Cook in place of Nick Compton, who opened in the home and away series against New Zealand. REUTERS

Worcester deny Aussies morale-boosting victory

Australia were left frustrated in their final warm-up game before next week’s Ashes test opener with England, failing to beat Worcestershire as the match ended in a tame draw on Friday. Australia, needing nine more wickets on the fourth and final day, had set Worcester an almost impossible target of 457 and the county side easily held out, largely due to 19-year-old Tom Fell’s unbeaten 62 in their closing 274-5. REUTERS

Whale knocks a surfer unconscious in Australia

A Sydney surfer had a lucky escape yesterday when he was hit by a whale frolicking off Bondi Beach and knocked unconscious. New South Wales Ambulance said several whales were close to the famous beach. Paramedics were called in to help when one of the large animals hit, or flicked with its tail, the male surfer or his board, knocking him out. “He was knocked unconscious very briefly,” the spokesman told AFP, adding that the man was rescued by fellow surfers and is now in a stable condition in hospital. AFP

Bulls earn home semi after a last-gasp miss

The Bulls clinched a Super Rugby home semi-final with a 20-19 victory at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday after South African rivals The Sharks missed a last-minute penalty. The win put the home side top of the table on 63 points, two more than New Zealand’s Waikato Chiefs, who lost on Friday. “My nerves were shot at the end,” home captain Dewald Potgieter told reporters after a bruising encounter. REUTERS

Marion Bartoli of France hits a return to Sabine Lisicki of Germany during their women’s singles final match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London on Saturday.

REUTERS

Bartoli overwhelms Lisicki Simon Cambers

T

here are some players for whom winning comes easy, who breeze through life and mop up the sport’s biggest trophies without really knowing how it all happened.

For others, such as France’s Marion Bartoli, the journey is so filled with obstacles that it must seem as if their dreams will go unfulfilled. No more.

The 28-year-old has added her name to the list of Wimbledon champions on Saturday with a 6-1, 6-4 win over a distraught, overwhelmed Sabine Lisicki of Germany.

This was Bartoli’s 47th grand slam appearance – the highest number made by any woman before winning a slam title, surpassing Jana Novotna’s 45 before her 1998 victory at Wimbledon.

Bartoli is also the first Wimbledon champion to use two hands on both sides and the first French player to win a grand slam since Amelie Mauresmo won here in 2006.

And she did it all without dropping a set.

Mauresmo, now her coach, was in Bartoli’s box for the final as the 15th seed wrapped up victory in 81 minutes, a late rally from the No23 seed proving far too little, too late.

The German had beaten the world No1 and defending champion Serena Williams and grand slam winners Francesca Schiavone and Sam Stosur to reach her first final, but froze on the biggest stage of all, unable to show off her undoubted talent.

It was ironic that Bartoli should clinch victory with an ace – just her second of the match – because she leads the women’s tour in double faults. Her serve, with all its idiosyncrasies, could never

be called a thing of beauty but when it was really needed, it came good.

“Finishing with an ace, in my wildest dreams I’d never believe it,” she smiled. “I have practised my serve for so long, at least I kept it for the best moment.

“Just to finish on an ace to win Wimbledon and see the chalk come out of the line, I could see it in slow motion. I could see the ball landing, the chalk come out, it’s an ace, and I just win Wimbledon.

“You can’t describe that kind of feeling. You cannot put any words to what I feel in this moment. I can’t believe I won Wimbledon this year. We’ll have to see the pictures, to see the match again on DVD to kind of start to realise it.”

In the build-up to the final, Bartoli had spoken about how personal problems, off the court, had left her at rock bottom. Her relationship with her father, who has been her coach for most of her life, has never been ultra-smooth and at times it seems his ideas for his daughter’s tennis, which at one stage involved asking her to put on a bit of extra weight to increase her power, appear to verge on the crazy.

He had been conspicuous by his absence for the previous six matches but was there to see Bartoli win her first grand slam title.

“Going through those hard moments makes this one even better,” she said.

Bartoli is not exactly your average tennis player. Her ticks and quirks on court would be enough to drive most players to distraction, but she also has an innate ability to take the ball early, to hammer it at pace and to deny her opponents the time they crave. And her mental strength got her through on the biggest stage of all.

“I’m a very tough person,” she said. “I played the whole second set with probably a 25-cent size blister under my big toe. When I took my sock off it was red of blood.

I didn’t show anything. I can focus and be really as strong as wood. You cannot see what I’m going through.”

She is also far from boring and is unusually intelligent, with a reported IQ of 175.

“It’s always been a part of my personality to be different,” she said.

“I think being just like the other one is kind of boring. I really embrace the fact of being a bit different and doing something that not everyone is absolutely doing.”

Lisicki simply admitted she could not handle the occasion. “I was overwhelmed by the whole situation,” she said.

“Credit to Marion, she handled it perfectly. She had been here before. She deserves it and I hope I get the chance to come back and try again.”

Wherever she goes, whatever she does from here, Bartoli will always be a Wimbledon champion. Can she win more?

“I have absolutely no idea, but one is pretty good for me,” she said.

“Wimbledon champ, even if I don’t get another one, I will still be very proud of it.

Of course I’m going to try my hardest to get some more.

Now that I get one, I definitely believe I can get more of them.”

BBC apologises for remarks A leading BBC sports presenter was deluged by a barrage of criticism on Saturday after he lambasted Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli for not being “a looker”.

The BBC was forced to apologise after John Inverdale made his remarks on a

radio program following the Frenchwoman’s 6-1, 6-4 win over Germany’s Sabine Lisicki in the women’s singles final.

Inverdale reportedly told listeners: “Do you think Bartoli’s dad told her when she was little: ‘You’re never going to be a looker, you’ll never be a Sharapova, so you have to be scrappy and fight’?

The BBC issued a rapid apology.

“We accept that this remark was insensitive and for that we apologise,” said a spokesman for the corporation.

Bartoli, 28, shrugged off the incident.

“It doesn’t matter, honestly.

I am not blonde, yes. That is a fact. Have I dreamt about having a model contract? No. I’m sorry.

“But have I dreamed about winning Wimbledon? Absolutely, yes.”

Inverdale insisted that he had meant his remarks to be light-hearted and said he was a great admirer of the French player who won her first Grand Slam title in her 47th major appearance.

“She is an incredible role model for people who aren’t born with all the attributes of natural athletes,” he said.

US twins grab Golden Slam American brothers Bob and Mike Bryan pulled off a feat on Saturday that has proved beyond tennis greats Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic as they won their fourth grand slam in a row to complete a “Golden Bryan Slam”.

By downing Ivan Dodig and Marcelo Melo 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 to win the Wimbledon men’s doubles title, the 35year-old identical twins became the first pair to hold all four grand slam titles at the same time since 1952.

In recent years, Federer, Nadal and Djokovic all won three in a row in men’s singles but fell at the final hurdle.

But in their advancing years, the Bryans are getting better and better and they show no signs of slowing down after picking up grand slam trophy number 15.

“It’s hard to even dream that we’d have the slam, all four at one time,” said Mike, who also struck gold with his brother at last year’s London Olympics.

“It all started back after we won the gold. It just felt like a huge pressure was released.

Went on to win the [US] Open and had a great summer.

“This year we’ve been on an amazing year. Never had a streak like this. Especially at 35, I feel like we’re hitting our peak.

“I didn’t think anything could feel as sweet as the gold medal, but this one just feels like there’s a cap, a lid, or a ribbon around our career.”

Taiwan’s first Slam winner Hsieh Su-wei became the first Taiwanese player to win a grand slam title when she and Peng Shuai beat Ashleigh Barty and Casey Dellacqua 7-6 (1), 6-1 in the Wimbledon women’s doubles final on Saturday.

Hsieh and China’s Peng, the eighth seeds, took the first set in a tiebreak and romped through the second against their 12th-seeded Australian opponents to claim their first grand slam crown. Peng is the third Chinese to win a grand slam doubles title.

It was the third time Dellacqua finished runner-up in a women’s doubles final at a grand slam. However, she did win the 2011 French Open mixed doubles title with American Scott Lipsky.

THE GUARDIAN/AFP/REUTERS

27

THE PHNOM PENH POST July 8, 2013

Football

Svay Rieng shoot to second Dan Riley and Chorn Norn

A

10-3 demolition

by Svay Rieng on Saturday at the Old Stadium in their Metfone C-League match against Asia Europe University secured their place in the Super 4 play-offs in emphatic fashion, while a 0-0 draw between Phnom Penh Crown and Kirivong Sok Sen Chey at Olympic Stadium saw the latter effectively drop out of the race for the remaining spot.

Naga Corp and Build Bright United feature in matches this afternoon, with results determining which side will qualify to face Boeung Ket Rubber Field in the play-offs semifinal next weekend.

In today’s early kick-off at 2pm at Olympic Stadium, reigning champions and league leaders Boeung Ket have the opportunity to deny Naga a chance to play them twice in successive weeks.

Naga can guarantee fourth place with a win, but a loss or draw will force them to sweat out the following game at 4pm between BBU and Ministry of National Defence.

BBU are currently a point behind both Naga and Kirivong but have a sizeable deficit in goal difference. Kirivong, who are based out of Takeo province, require a BBU loss or draw to the Army side as well as Naga getting defeated by 11 goals.

Svay Rieng and AEU produced a game flush with goals

The second round of the 2013 Anvaya Cup played out at the Mekong University fields on Sunday featuring a fiercely fought draw, two close results and a one-sided affair with an outrageous scoreline. In the opening match, PSE stood up to a combative encounter against Anvaya Sporting Club to end the tie locked at 2-2.

Bassac FC then rounded up the Red Cowboys for an 18-0 massacre to confirm their tag as tournament favourites.

Tiger FC edged Khmer Dev 3-2 before Victory, playing with just nine men throughout, managed to outclass PPIA 2-1.

DAN RILEY

Hundreds in game suffer depression: PFA boss

Crown’s Men Seyha (left) vies with Kirivong’s Savorn Ratanak Visa during their league match at Olympic Stadium on Saturday.

on Saturday that helped the Military Police-backed club reclaim second spot from Crown going into the play-offs.

With the exact same points total and goal difference, Svay Rieng’s 50 goals scored bettered Crown’s 36 to ensure they would switch places with the team they are set to clash with in next Saturday’s semis for a place in the July 20 final.

Another timely boost for Svay Rieng was a foul-goal haul for hotshot striker Khoun Laboravy, who came

off the bench to claim his 18th goal of the season, overtaking Boeung Ket’s Bisan George on 17 in the scoring charts. Both players will have at least one more chance to add to their tallies this campaign and capture the Golden Boot. Kirivong’s Friday Nwakuna is to finish on 16 goals.

Svay Rieng’s Nop Tola opened the scoring on six minutes with Tum Saray then doubling their lead on the half hour mark.

Prak Mony Odom and Nop

Tola tagged on two more goals as Tum Saray was pulled off for Khoun Laboravy, while Chhang Hay finally answered for AEU with a strike a minute before the break.

Chhang Hay pegged another one back shortly after the restart, but Laboravy was in no mood for mercy as he plundered four goals in the space of 22 minutes. Chea Samnang also got his name on the scoreboard and Nop Tola completed his own commendable hat-trick, as AEU’s

SRENG MENG SRUN

Thorn Darapich rounded off the goalfest with a last-minute consolation.

Prior to the Crown-Kirivong stalemate at Olympic Stadium, National Police Commissary gave the boys from Senate Secretariat their final whipping of 2013 with a 5-1 defeat.

Noun Borey netted a hattrick and Thak Pathdy and Japanese player Takahito Ota also providing contributions.

Ty Bunvichet was Senate’s solitary scorer.

Brazilian mob remove head of referee who stabbed player

Crown toppled Phnom Penh Crown Academy’s Crown’s Mat Noron (right) is bundled over by two East Timor players during their FAM-Frenz U15 ASEAN Champions Trophy match at Old Stadium on Saturday. The Cambodians lost 3-0 to the tourists with both sides ending the game with 10 players. Nothing separated the teams at half-time after a goalless first session, but the game was turned on its head within seconds of the restart as Crown’s Sraing Titchhy was given his marching orders for a second yellow. East Timor’s Ricardo Mendonca then seized the advantage with a strike moments later. Pelagio da Costa doubled their lead on 55 minutes before the home team were thrown a lifeline as East Timor keeper Nuno Belo was sent off for handling the ball outside the area. However, they failed to capitalise and Mendonca confirmed the rout with his second on 80 minutes as Crown were condemned to their fourth straight defeat.

SRENG MENG SRUN

Anvaya League conjures up contrasting contests

One man has been arrested in northern Brazil after a referee who fatally stabbed an amateur player over his refusal to leave the field was decapitated by a mob, police said on Saturday.

Referee Octavio da Silva, 20, stabbed player Josenir dos Santos, 30, on June 30 after Dos Santos refused to heed his order to leave, police spokesman Kena Souza told Reuters.

A mob then turned on da Silva, killing him before severing his head in the remote town of Pio XII, named after a former pope. A 27-year-old man was arrested on July 2 and police in the regional headquarters of Santa Ines will continue to investigate the incident, Souza said.

Brazil has made significant strides in lowering homicide rates in recent years, as millions were lifted from poverty, but it faces mounting pressures to show it is a safe place for tourists before 12 Brazilian cities host the 2014 soccer World Cup and Rio de Janeiro the Olympic Games in 2016.

In Rio de Janeiro on the day of the brawl, Brazil’s national team handily defeated Spain in the Confederations Cup, considered a test run for next year’s bigger championship. The eightteam tournament was marked by an unexpected wave of demonstrations, some violent, in part to protest the $14 billion being spent on World Cup preparations amid a lack of adequate public services. REUTERS

Hundreds of footballers could be suffering from depression, according to players’ union boss Clarke Carlisle. Professional Footballers’ Association chairman Carlisle, who retired from playing at the end of last season, has spoken of his own problems and revealed he tried to commit suicide when he was starting out in the game. He is convinced the problem is widespread and has produced a television documentary on suicide and depression among footballers, he explained to the Mail on Sunday newspaper. “I will categorically state there are hundreds of players suffering with this,” he said. “The numbers in society are one in four and footballers are members of that society.” AFP

Gascoigne arrested after alleged drunken assault

Former England footballer Paul Gascoigne has been arrested following an alleged drunken assault at a train station, British media reported on Saturday. The 46-year-old, who in March returned to Britain from the United States where he was being treated for alcoholism, was held at a police station in Hertfordshire, north of London, after the incident.

The man was later taken into police custody and bailed to return pending police inquiries, the spokesman said. Britain’s Daily Mirror tabloid said Gascoigne was held overnight in a cell for 12 hours and bailed on Friday following the alleged assault which involved his ex-wife and a security guard at Stevenage train station. REUTERS

Barcelona’s Alcantara likely to join Man United Thiago Alcantara has a “good chance” of signing for Manchester United this week for about £17 million ($25.3 million) on a five-year deal, though whether David Moyes can complete the transfer of the Barcelona midfielder before the club fly out on their three-week pre-season tour on Wednesday is unlikely. THE GUARDIAN

sunday’s results Financial Challenge Cup

at Beeline Arena HwangDBS 3 KPMG 1 Maruhan Japan 8 FTB 0 Wing 2 PWC 2 Ernst & Young 1 Cam Ed 6 HwangDBS 0 Maruhan Japan 7 KPMG 4 FTB 1 Wing 10 Ernst & Young 3 PWC 3 Cam Ed 4