Civil servants living in Phnom Penh will have wages paid into Canadia Bank accounts starting this week, Moth Kiev, secretary of the Ministry of Social Affairs, said on Friday.

“It is a way to create a public policy of good governance to get the proper paid salary [for civil servants] via the banking system,” he said.

The children of retired and disabled civil servants who have died will receive payments directly from the National Social Security Fund of Cambodia, added Kiev.

Those eligible for the scheme will be able to collect their money from any Canadia Bank branch providing they bring identification and a bank book.

San Chey, of NGO ANSA-EAP, which campaigns for government accountability, welcomed the policy because it could help alleviate corruption, but cautioned that civil servants were still not being paid enough.