Prime Minister Hun Manet gestures during a ceremony to declare Kampong Speu province mine-free on October 30. STPM
Prime Minister Hun Manet has laid out several recommendations for the recruitment of officials at the capital and provincial levels, as well as for public service provision, with the goal of ensuring effective, transparent processes.
While addressing an October 30 function to declare Kampong Speu province mine-free and inaugurate a new provincial administrative building, he instructed that the civil service recruitment process must adhere to meritocracy, transparency, inclusiveness and effectiveness. Any officials who are appointed should demonstrate their conscience, qualifications and professionalism, he said.
He recommended that the capital and provinces make sure citizens are aware of the complaint mechanisms in place, in order to make it easy for people to file their grievance and receive effective responses from the authorities.
“I have instructed provincial authorities to follow up and resolve complaints as quickly as possible. They should not wait until the complainants reach me at my house in Takhmao – I would tell them to return to the province for solutions,” he said.
“Officials should not claim that they have not received complaints, or acknowledge them but say no action has been taken yet. You need to assign officials to work with the public and resolve their issues. Don’t waste their time by making them come to me, because I will send the case right back to you,” he warned.
Manet also discussed the new out-of-court dispute resolution mechanism that will be launched soon. He called on the authorities to utilise the new body to resolve issues within the community, without resorting to the court system.
He went on to explain that the capital and provincial administrations must provide the “best possible” public services. They should avoid complicated procedures, as this only serves to frustrate the public.
He reminded all authorities to make sure they keep themselves abreast of any current or new government policies, so that they are always prepared to carry out their duties.
His final recommendation was that each administration improve their transparency and avoid abuse of power, as it affects the interests of the people. He warned that the government will take the “strictest” action in any case where a position of authority is abused.
Manet added that the government is working to improve working conditions within the capital and all provincial administrations, and has included a scheduled pay rise in the 2024 budget.
Yang Peou, secretary-general of the Royal Academy of Cambodia, supported Manet’s recommendations. However, he noted that in certain real world situations, whether they are applied remains to be seen. He believes this commitment will be a test for the new government, which is full of leaders from the younger generations.
He added that Manet’s recommendations will serve as a driver for whether the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) will earn the popular vote in the next election. People will be relieved if Manet’s government can fulfil all of his criteria.
Peou explained that traffic law enforcement is one example on how public services are provided. He questioned whether people who commit minor infringements would be educated, or merely fined. He also raised questions on the quality of service at the commune level, such as at some health centres.
Chey Tech, an independent social and economic analyst and researcher, believes that to improve public services, it is crucial to examine officials’ qualifications, and compare them to their delegated tasks.
