Koh Kong prison officials educate inmates about Covid-19 last month. Directorate General of Prisons
Minister of Interior Sar Kheng has established a Reform Commission for Civil Administration and Prison Officials to study policies and analyse the functions and structure of each unit within the General Department of Prisons in preparation for amending the law.
Per Sar Kheng’s announcement of the commission’s establishment on February 7, he will serve as chairman while ministry secretary of state Sak Setha will serve as deputy chairman and Leng Vy as permanent deputy chairman together with 23 other members from relevant units within the ministry.
Sar Kheng stated that the commission will conduct policy research and analysis of the country’s prison system administration and evaluate measures for its reform. It will also be tasked with determining proper procedures for organisational hierarchy, equipping facilities and training human resources.
“The commission is assigned to review existing laws and regulations to amend or prepare new statutes to reform the ministry’s civil administration of the prison system,” he said, adding that it will also be responsible for reviewing documents related to the reforms submitted by prison officials and making recommendations accordingly.
General department of prisons spokesman Nuth Savana said establishment of the commission constituted an administrative reform intended to clarify the ranks and relationships of units within the department.
“It is not viable to have some people with ranks higher than regulations stipulate. In the original law, the general statute of civil servants, there is a list of divisions and to what ranks they are eligible to qualify,” Savana said.
He said some officials had acquired a high rank but remained in positions without much responsibility which made it difficult for them to salute each other, especially during meetings.
Am Sam Ath, deputy director of rights group Licadho, viewed the reform of prison administration as a positive move to improve the efficiency of the system and build public trust.
“Because of the shortcomings in the past, the ministry is making these reforms. It won’t be easy, but if there is a will for this reform, it will be possible,” he said, noting that this will be the first major reform implemented by the ministry.
Sam Ath said there is currently a disproportionately large population of inmates compared with the numbers of prison guards and officials which unfairly burdened those people with work and took more of their time.
Savana welcomed criticisms from civil society organisations and encouraged them to work together with ministry officials to achieve the best possible results from these reforms.
