The Center for Social Development released a statement saying

Cambodia’s National Assembly is failing in its duty as a body of review

and debate. The March 25 statement said that although the government

has made significant steps towards addressing key social issues through

legislation adopted in 2007, the CSD is concerned with the lack of

oversight exercised in Cambodia’s legislature. “The structures,

procedures [and] internal regulations of the National Assembly are

tools to impede and set limits on parliamentarians’ freedom of speaking

rather [than] to facilitate meaningful speech and debate,” the CSD said

in a press release. The center also “expresses concern regarding the

apathy and/or mindlessness of many parliamentarians from the ruling

party who do not seriously, actively debate reforms.” The CSD’s

Parliamentary Watch Report is published annually.

(Sebastian Strangio)