Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Minister to provinces: Keep holding public forums to sort out local issues

Minister to provinces: Keep holding public forums to sort out local issues

Content image - Phnom Penh Post
Interior minister Sar Kheng at the closing ceremony of the Battambang Provincial Administration’s annual review and goal-setting meeting on March 15. MOI

Minister to provinces: Keep holding public forums to sort out local issues

Interior minister Sar Kheng on March 15 encouraged all provinces to keep holding public forums to address locals’ issues and concerns in a timely manner.

The minister made the call at the closing ceremony of the Battambang Provincial Administration’s annual review and goal-setting meeting.

“If possible, public forums at the grassroots level should be held on a regular basis to strengthen our capabilities, and to listen to and address both pressing and less time-sensitive issues promptly,” he said.

“We must not leave a mountain of problems unsolved when there are some that we could tackle. Even so, some things we just can’t resolve immediately, but we’ve heard them and taken them into consideration,” he conceded.

The forums can be conducted at the village- or other sub-national level independently of the scheduling of more major events, Sar Kheng said, highlighting the high availability of officials to do the necessary work.

Am Sam Ath, deputy director for monitoring at rights group LICADHO, welcomed the minister’s suggestion, but only if people from all walks of life and political affiliations are allowed to attend.

Nonetheless, he agreed that the forums could indeed deal with challenges at the grassroots level in a timely manner and be overall beneficial for the local and national economies.

MOST VIEWED

  • Five-year-old Hanuman dances his way into hearts of Cambodia

    A young talent from a new-established settlement has emerged, captivating the online world with his mesmerising performances of the traditional Cambodian monkey dance. Roeun Kakada is a five-year-old prodigy who has taken the social media sphere by storm with his exceptional dance skills and dedication

  • Fresh Covid warnings as Thai hospital fills

    A senior health official reminds the public to remain vigilant, as neighbouring countries experience an increase in Covid-19 cases, with the latest surge appearing to be a result of the Omicron XBB.1.5 sub-variant. Or Vandine, secretary of state and spokeswoman for the Ministry of Health,

  • Honda shutters Siem Reap football club

    Japanese football legend Keisuke Honda, the owner of Siem Reap football club Soltilo Angkor FC, has been forced to shut the club down, after it failed to attract sponsorship for the upcoming season. Honda, the former manager of the Cambodia men's national football team, said

  • Hun Sen warns of regional tensions

    ASIA is becoming a dangerous geopolitical hotspot, with several countries announcing that they intend to send naval vessels towards Southeast Asia and on to the South China Sea, warned Prime Minister Hun Sen. “Heated geopolitical issues can easily escalate, namely to war. I am not

  • PM declares ASEAN Para Games open

    The 12th ASEAN Para Games officially kicked off on the evening of June 3 at Morodok Techo National Stadium in Phnom Penh, with a spectacular opening ceremony featuring fireworks and performances by some of the Kingdom’s most accomplished talents. Tens of thousands of sports fans

  • Waterway job still pending for Kampot tourism port’s opening

    The search is still on for a contractor to expand and deepen the Kampot International Tourism Port’s waterway and deliver additional enhancements allowing safe access for larger vessels, nearly a year after the main construction work on the 4.25ha site was completed on June 30, 2022.