An undisclosed amount of money from the national budget will be used to purchase uniforms and insignias for 49 members of the Supreme Council for Consultation, the government said on Monday.
The officials will don the uniforms during major local and international events.
In November last year, the Supreme Council secretariat filed a request asking for uniforms and insignias for 64 of its members, who represent 16 different political parties.
A letter signed on Monday by Council of Ministers secretary of state Hing Thoraksy said the government has partially agreed to the request and will be handing uniforms and insignias to 49 of the members.
“Among the members [that will receive the uniforms], 15 have a rank equivalent to senior minister, 17 to minister and 16 to secretary of state,” the letter said.
“Ek Sam Ol, government adviser with a rank equivalent to deputy prime minister, will be given the uniform and insignia of deputy prime minister.”
Supreme Council secretariat head Chhim Phal Virun told The Post on Thursday that the uniforms will be donned at major local and international events.
“Supreme Council members are political figures so they need these uniforms when they attend ceremonies here and abroad. For example, they will wear the uniform during ceremonies to mark Independence Day on November 9,” he said.
He did not have exact numbers regarding the cost of the uniforms but estimated each will be around $200.
Affiliated Network for Social Accountability executive director San Chey said the public should not dwell on matters like the provision of uniforms to public officials. What matters is that these officials do the job they were appointed to do efficiently.
“What I am interested in is how they carry out the duties assigned to them by the government. I am interested in how they are helping improve the lives of citizens, not in the uniforms that they are going to wear,” he said.
He said the use of any public funds should be considered carefully, and the service provider should be chosen through open bidding.
