wednesday, march 17, 2021 Intelligent . In-depth . Independent Issue Number 3628 / 4000 RIEL Kingdom joins ASEAN securities plan

May Kunmakara regulates capital markets in the small “In realising the ACMF Vision 2025, eration and coordination,” it said. the rotating chair of ACMF next year. country on the island of Borneo, the action plan sets out three strate- SERC director-general Sou Socheat Ha Jong-weon, vice-chairman of HE newly-renamed Securities ACMF said in a press release. gic objectives, namely – fostering told The Post on March 16 that ACMF Cambodia Securities Exchange (CSX), and Exchange Regulator of “The action plan builds on ACMF growth and recovery with sustaina- provides ample opportunities for the stressed the importance of the action Cambodia (SERC) and its nine Action Plan 2016-2020, and was devel- bility; promoting and sustaining Kingdom’s young securities regulator plan, noting that it outlines the collec- capital-market-regulator oped with feedback from capital market inclusiveness; and strengthening and to learn from its regional counterparts tive goals and key strategic blueprints counterpartsT in ASEAN on March 15 participants and other stakeholders to maintaining orderliness and resilience. and have a chance to share knowl- for ASEAN member countries to devel- signed a new five-year Action Plan 2021- ensure [its inclusivity and relevance], “The five key priorities that support edge and train local specialists. op a sustainable capital market. 2025 for the development of the sector. particularly amid the new normal. the strategic objectives are – driving high- “The forum will serve as an avenue “ACMF is also playing another The plan was signed during the “The action plan will be presented er levels of transparency and disclosure; for us to exchange experiences with important role in integrating the 34th ASEAN Capital Markets Forum to the ASEAN finance ministers at the continuing with regulatory harmonisa- our ASEAN peers, to synthesise ASEAN capital market through vari- (ACMF) hosted via video link by Bru- ASEAN Finance Ministers Meeting to tion; intensifying capacity building; knowledge about capital markets and ous initiatives such as introducing neian central bank Monetary Author- be held at the end of March 2021 for amplifying communication and aware- to develop well-versed officials,” he ity of Brunei Darussalam, which also endorsement. ness building; and strengthening coop- said, adding that SERC will take over Continued – page 6 PM urges against travel to stave off transmissions as Covid cases soar

Mom Kunthear ures, including health and other administrative meas- PRIME Minister Hun Sen ures,” he said. urged the public to refrain Health ministry spokes- from non-essential travel, or woman Or Vandine also said wear a mask at all times oth- cutting off transmission from erwise, to contain the spread one person to another is the of the novel coronavirus biggest priority at this stage. which he said is circulating “How could we stop it? largely undetected. First, stay indoors. Phnom The appeal comes as the Penh residents should not Ministry of Health set a new travel to the provinces and one-day record for Covid-19 those in the provinces should infections with 105 confirmed not travel to the city. When cases on March 16, all of which we travel, we are putting our- were linked to the February 20 selves at high risk of exposure community outbreak. to the virus and the new Cov- The latest cluster included 35 id-19 variant is very active Cambodian, one Malaysian, 50 now,” she said. Chinese, 11 Vietnamese and Serey Veasna, a doctor of the Going to the mattresses eight Thai nationals, bringing Samdech Techo Voluntary A fire destroys a warehouse in westernP hnom Penh’s Por Sen Chey district on Tuesday. There were 937 fires in 2020, killing 24 people and injuring 36 others, according to a report from the Ministry of Interior’s Fire Prevention Department. POLICE sTORY > 3 the country’s third community Youth Doctor Association transmission cases to 915 in (TYDA), said while he was less than one month. worried about the current out- To avoid transmission, Hun break, helping others includ- Sen said everyone must strictly ing Covid-19 patients was an Chinese jab a requisite for China visa follow the “three preventions obligation he had to fulfil. and three don’ts” guideline. He also advised residents CHINA is poised to ease border a China-made jab. approve any foreign-made jabs. antine of up to three weeks. He commended volunteer to remain vigilant and stay restrictions to allow some for- The Chinese embassy in the China has also shipped its China’s vaccines have been medical staff who sacrificed indoors to prevent the virus eigners – including from the US, US said in a statement dated vaccines overseas as it works rolled out in several countries their physical and mental from spreading. India and Pakistan – back in, pro- March 15 that it would begin to blunt foreign criticism of around the world, including wellbeing in the Kingdom’s “We are here to help our peo- vided they have taken a Chinese- to process “visa applicants the initial spread of the virus Cambodia, Turkey and Indo- ongoing battle against Covid- ple, so our people should stay made Covid-19 vaccine. inoculated with Chinese Cov- from its shores. nesia. 19. He said their contribu- home to help make the situa- The country has been closed to id-19 vaccines”. The embassy statement said The Philippines received tions were of great help in tion return to normal,” he said. most foreigners since last March This would apply from this this applied to those who had 600,000 vaccine doses from saving lives. On March 16, the ministry to stem the spread of coronavi- week to those visiting the Chi- either had two doses of the vac- China two weeks ago, kick- During a press conference reported the recovery of 88 rus which it has largely brought nese mainland for work resump- cine or a single-dose at least 14 starting its inoculation drive. on March 15, health minister Covid-19 patients whose cas- under control at home, stranding tion, business travel, or for days before applying for the visa. But they are not readily avail- Mam Bunheng also called for es were linked to the February many foreigners with jobs and “humanitarian needs”, such as Chinese embassies in other able everywhere, including in public participation in the 20 community outbreak. family inside China overseas. reuniting with family members. countries including India, India or Sri Lanka. fight against Covid-19. The latest infections bring But Chinese embassies in Beijing is driving forward its Pakistan, the Philippines, Italy Still, Chinese companies are “To achieve success in the Kingdom’s Covid-19 several countries have issued inoculation plan for its vast and Sri Lanka have published still set to export nearly 400 stopping the spread of the tally to 1,430, with 609 notices saying the country will domestic population with four similar statements. million doses of home-grown virus, all citizens need to receiving ongoing treatment open visa applications to domestically produced vaccines Those arriving in China will vaccines overseas, state media strictly implement all meas- and one death. select people who have taken approved so far. But it has yet to still have to face a gruelling quar- has reported. AFP

Ministry Calls for demand from china guardians to help kids stretches prices of with online studies cambodian rubber nATIONAL – page 3 business – page 6 2 THE PHNOM PENH POST march 17, 2021 www.phnompenhpost.com National Ex-Senator S Korea halves workers in first half from Sam Long Kimmarita ruary 13 this year, foreign migrant workers who have Rainsy party ESPITE the Covid- registered with Thailand’s 19 pandemic, the labour ministry numbered South Korean gov- 654,864, of whom 203,679 gets pardon ernment will ful- are Cambodian. Of the 203, filD 50 per cent of its quota of 679 Cambodian workers, Niem Chheng Cambodian applicants for 180,476 have worked un- jobs in the country in the first der employers while 23,203 ACTING head of state Say half of the year, officials said. others worked without ones Chhum has pardoned Thak In a Facebook post on and have had their visas re- Lany, a former Senator from March 15, Minister of Labour newed to work and reside the former Sam Rainsy Par- and Vocational Training Ith there legally. ty, following a request from Sam Heng said South Korea’s Loeng Sophon, a Thailand- Prime Minister Hun Sen. Ministry of Employment and based project officer for Cen- The pardon comes four Labour would accept applica- tral, urged the Cambodian years after Lany fled Cambo- tions from 22,697 Cambodian government to negotiate on dia to avoid serving her sen- migrant workers under its working conditions with the tence for criminal conviction. Employment Permit System Thai side so that Cambodian “Thak Lany, who was con- (EPS) for this year. migrant workers there can victed and sentenced to 18 “The total number of mi- receive good working condi- months imprisonment and grant workers in 2021 permit- tions similar to those in South ordered to pay a fine of eight ted to apply is 22,697. Of this, Korea. million riel [$2,000] after the 16,261 are for the industrial He added that Cambodian Supreme Court upheld her sector; 5,778 in the agricul- migrant workers in some guilty verdict on February 26, ture and livestock sector; and countries are facing unem- 2018, is hereby pardoned,” Say 658 in the construction sec- ployment and their visas had Chhum said in a royal decree. tor,” the post said. expired. They have no ability Lany was convicted by Sam Heng hoped to receive to renew their visas because the Phnom Penh Municipal Labour minister Ith Sam Heng and South Korean ambassador to Cambodia Oh Nak-young. Labour Ministry additional quota after the of the high price. Court in November 2016 for Covid-19 situation subsides. workers to South Korea was a tion has problems. There in South Korea, because they “In mid-2020, migrant defamation and incitement In February, Cambodia and good process that would pro- seems to be accommodation have reportedly spent much workers’ visas expired, and to cause social chaos. South Korea signed a memo- vide opportunities for most shortages and we are seeing in the process. visa renewals were compli- The case stemmed from her randum of understanding on Cambodians compared to [reported] deaths. Labour ministry spokesman cated and costly. For exam- comments made in a public sending migrant workers to sending them to other coun- “So, the system needs to be Heng Sour told The Post on ple, in Thailand it costs from forum in Ratanakkiri prov- the country under the sixth tries. Despite the good process, improved. Their safety must March 16 that apart from re- less than 14,000 to 15,000 ince’s Lumphat district, where EPS. For more than 10 years, The Hoya expected the two be protected in the workplace ceiving the quota from South baht ($455 to $487). she accused Prime Minister nearly 70,000 migrant work- governments to pay more at- and accommodation,” he Korea, Cambodia had also “Some workers have also Hun Sen of orchestrating the ers have been sent to South tention to worker conditions. said. requested the Thai side to lost their income, so they murder of political analyst Korea under the EPS scheme. “The system of protecting Besides, The Hoya urged the facilitate prices and services had no money to renew Kem Ley who was shot dead Dy The Hoya, project officer migrant workers’ rights and government to examine how for migrant workers working their visa and decided to on July 10, 2016. for labour rights organisation working conditions as wells migrant workers were spend- there as services were costly. return to Cambodia,” he The Appeal Court and Su- Central, said sending migrant as wages and accommoda- ing money until they get jobs From January 15 to Feb- said. preme Court upheld the sen- tence in 2017 and 2018, re- spectively. Lany could not be reached for comment on March 16. Former opposition law Police: More inspections, fewer accidents maker Ou Chanrath said Lany is currently living in self-exile Lay Samean technical specifications and correct and provide guidance on prevention to take care as the road is quiet. So, we in Sweden. A few months ago, loading or transporting requirements of Covid-19. We have temperature stop them and check for alcohol and Lany said she wanted to return THE Ministry of Interior’s National Po- to ensure safety as stated in the law. measuring devices at all checkpoints drugs. Sometimes we put a checkpoint to Cambodia after being away lice chief has again issued a directive “The positive experience in each ad- in the province and also implement at the end of the road,” he said. from her family for too long. to sub-level police officials across the ministrative area of the capital in 2020 the government’s guidance of three At the same time, Kandal Provin- “A few months ago, I heard country to further tighten inspection was achieved by clearly defining the preventions and three don’ts,” he said. cial Police Commissioner, Chhoeun that she would request a royal of driver’s licenses and vehicle certifi- location, targets, reasons, accident Narin also pointed out that the Socheat, briefly stated that the working pardon in order to return cates to reduce the number of deaths time and acting on people violating number of traffic accidents in the group is ready to follow the spirit of the home because she is old now and injuries caused by road accidents. the law,” the directive said. province lately has decreased com- letter of the National Police to reduce and has been living in anoth- Pursuant to the directive on enhanc- According to a report by the Nation- pared to previous years. the number of traffic accidents. er country, far away from her ing the enforcement of the Road Traffic al Police, for the first quarter of 2001, “The number of traffic accidents According to the National Police family members who are all Law 2021, signed by Neth Savoeun, Na- there were 808 traffic accidents lead- has been reduced, and deaths due to chief, specialised departments and in Cambodia. tional Police Chief on March 15, police ing to more than 400 deaths, but the traffic accidents caused by disobeying municipal and provincial police chiefs “I think there’s nothing must increase enforcement of the law. number of fatalities and injuries was the law, mostly from speeding, and must implement the measures based wrong with her return and “Prevention of road accidents is still a less than the previous quarter. mostly due to themselves,” he said. on the good experience achieved in that she should be granted a long-term challenge. However, they pose Preah Sihanouk provincial police He added that even though we have 2020. Police chief should clearly de- royal pardon,” Chanrath said. a daily risk to people’s lives and proper- chief Chuon Narin told The Post on taken measures to prevent Covid-19, fine the goals, objectives, causes and He said Lany recently took ty,” Savoeun said in his introduction. March 16 that authorities still con- officials are still on standby to moni- time of accidents or violations of the to Facebook asking those from According to the directive, police tinued to strongly enforce the law. tor for overloaded trucks and drivers law to strengthen law enforcement. the former opposition party to across the country need to further But we have added the measure of in- violating the law. The directive added that police must refrain from insulting her as enforce the law concerning vehicle structing passengers to wear masks to “We provide regular inspections, continue to monitor and restrict of- she had contributed a lot to de- transport workers, passenger cars, and prevent the spread of Covid-19. most importantly, National Road 4, the fenses by motorcycles and tricycles. Also mocracy in Cambodia. Chan- trucks to ensure that all drivers have a “We still strictly enforce the law to department of traffic police are on pa- take strict action against those who flee rath said he was not aware valid driver’s license, the vehicle has this day. But we are also telling drivers trol because we have to cover long dis- from road traffic accidents by continu- whether Lany would seek to proper documentation, has the correct to wear a mask, use cleaning alcohol, tances. Sometimes drivers often forget ing to investigate and arrest violators. re-enter politics again. Three P’Sihanouk land grabbers nabbed Nov Sivutha Sothearith said he had al- cious activities and secretly tion had accused people of en- ready sent a case file to the watched the area until they croaching on state land even ENVIRONMENT officials are provincial court prosecutor. were able to catch them. though they had been living in preparing to send three sus- “Their health seems fine Park rangers also seized two the area for many years. pects to the Preah Sihanouk but we will not send them to bulldozers and two chainsaws. In a press release on March Provincial Court after arresting court until we get their Covid- Provincial court deputy 13, the environment depart- them on March 13 in connec- 19 test results. This proce- prosecutor Lim Bunheng ment said that recently op- tion with encroachment on dure was coordinated with confirmed that the trio had portunists invaded the Acacia state forest land in the multi- the prosecutor,” he said. not been sent to court. forest in the Kbal Chhay area use areas of Prek Teuk Sap Kbal According to Sothearith, the Cheap Sotheary, provincial while security forces and park Chhay in Prey Nop district. three suspects confessed that coordinator for rights group rangers were busy working to Provincial Department of they had cleared forest in the Adhoc, said she had not yet stop the spread of Covid-19. Environment director Sam- protected area of Prek Teuk Sap received detailed information Many hectares of Acacia trees uth Sothearith told The Post Kbal Chhay in the early morning about this case. and natural forests, it said, have the trio were being detained for three to five days already. But she noted that in the been cleared by opportunists who Three suspects arrested for clearing state forest land at Kbal Chhay pro- at police station awaiting Before the arrest, he said past, environmental officials often work at night in Stung Hav tected area in Preah Sihanouk province on March 13. environment ministry Covid-19 testing results. forest rangers saw suspi- and the Forestry Administra- district’s Otres commune. THE PHNOM PENH POST march 17, 2021 www.phnompenhpost.com 3 National Call for parents to help with online study

Voun Dara

HE Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport has renewed its call to parents and guard- ians to help their children withT online learning in all forms dur- ing the Covid-19 pandemic. As of March 15, six educational institutions in the capital and five provinces have temporarily sus- pended in person classes and con- tinued their lessons online. Ministry spokesman Ros Soveacha told The Post on March 16 that in the 2020-2021 academic years students would have to learn through short courses – classroom learning and distance learning, self-study, assign- ment and summarised lessons. “The Ministry of Education would like to thank and call on parents to continue to help their children with online learning,” he said. Soveacha said that parents should spend time reading with their children and having their children read to them. They should choose books to read which their children will enjoy – whether in a physical or digital format – in addi- tion to their school books. He added that as of March 15, edu- cational institutions under the min- istry had temporarily suspended in person classes and continued to Students study online at their home in Phnom Penh’s Chroy Changvar district on Monday. HONG MENEA learn online. The institutions under suspension were located in Phnom in classrooms while carrying out the en the money the school would be Pech Bolen, president of the Fed- we try to help them by teaching [them Penh, Kandal, Prey Veng, Koh Kong, health measures consistently. saving in lower electricity bills and eration of Education Services in with a live instructor],” he said. Preah Sihanoukville and Stung Hav In a notice on the temporary sus- other costs, he questioned why the Cambodia, said on March 16 that He added that the private schools district of Preah Sihanouk province. pension of state and private schools school’s fees remained the same. the experience of learning and of the Federation of Education Ser- Another eight educational institu- in the capital and five provinces, “As for the quality of education, teaching online for over a year now vices in Cambodia had actually tions in Samrong district and nine Minister of Education, Youth and some teachers now just show pre- following the Covid-19 outbreak, helped their students by lowering educational institutions in Bati Sport Hang Chuon Naron said that recorded videos of themselves. So private schools who prepared on- school fees by 20 to 30 per cent. But district in Takeo province had also all of the schools had to continue to they can keep reusing the same vid- line learning for students were not some parents and guardians had yet been suspended. offer courses online. eos for many different classes. a problem. to come to pay their fees even then. Soveacha stated that schools in One University student in Phnom “I asked why they don’t broadcast “But small children at the pre-school “New courses at our private schools some provinces had not been linked Penh named Siv Narith said that he their lessons live and they answered and primary levels still have certain will start in April and May and we to the February 20 event and they are understood why the schools had to that they are too busy and have no problems because they aren’t able to will continue to offer fees reduced still successfully teaching students shut-down due to Covid-19, but giv- time,” he said. study by themselves effectively. So, by 20 to 30 per cent,” he said. TYDA declares support campaign bogus Warehouse blaze Lay Samean THE board of Samdech Techo destroys building Voluntary Youth Doctor As- sociation (TYDA) has rejected a $1 per person campaign to support the activities of full of mattresses medical staff who are actively Niem Chheng Vantha said he could not es- working to treat and prevent timate how much the damage the spread of Covid-19. A FIRE destroyed a mattress costs would be because the The rejection came after warehouse and the 500 mattress- warehouse manager had not a leaflet stating “$1 per- per es it held in Kakab II commune reported that information. son campaign is to express of Phnom Penh’s Por Sen Chey He said that the warehouse our gratitude to the Cambo- district on March 16, though no was packed with mattresses dian hero doctors who have one was injured in the blaze. made in a nearby factory, but worked day and night for Neth Vantha, director of the fire did not spread that far Cambodia and have been the National Police’s Depart- because it was put out quickly. very active in fighting and ment of Fire Prevention, Ex- “The mattresses are pro- treating to stop the spread of tinguishing and Rescue, said duced in the factory nearby. Covid-19 in Cambodia” was on March 16 that a mattress But the production site was not posted online. warehouse in Kakab II com- affected because water trucks Deputy chairman of the mune managed by Sok Saran arrived on time and tried to board of TYDA Pich Chan- was completely destroyed on put it out together. If they were mony, posted on her official March 16 by a fire caused by late, it could have been a big Facebook page that the leaflet an electrical fault. risk for the houses nearby,” was considered fake news. He said that the mattress said Kakab II commune police “TYDA does not have this $1 storage area was 750 square chief Chreng Thy. per person campaign,” she said. meters and made of galva- Por Sen Chey deputy dis-

Huy Yaleng, producer and Members of Samdech Techo Voluntary Youth Doctor Association (TYDA) while on duty in Phnom Penh.TYDA nised iron and it contained trict governor Pang Lida, also owner of kakthachey film about 500 mattresses that present at the scene, said as productions and also produc- to support TYDA’s activities for Cambodia and were very ficial Facebook were many were all completely torched. far as he was aware the ware- tion manager of one hour for without asking permission active in fighting, treating posts with messages thank- Thankfully, however, the fire house held no material other the society program, who ini- from the board in advance.” and preventing the spread of ing generous people who had did not spread to the neigh- than mattresses. tiated the campaign, issued The letter continued that Covid-19 in Cambodia. donated money and goods bour’s houses nearby and no “The fire burned the ware- a letter of apology to TYDA’s the purpose of this campaign Therefore, I would like to directly to the team. one was killed or injured in house which then collapsed. board, dated March 15. was to express gratitude to all ask the leaders, TYDA’s board, In 2020, TYDA sent 422 volun- the incident. When we sprayed water, The letter said “I apolo- doctors. I have seen the dedi- joint development associa- teer doctors to join the govern- He said the firefighting the fire went out and [the gise to leader of the TYDA’s cation of the board of direc- tion for peace to forgive me ment in preventing Covid-19. operation lasted only one burned mattress remnants] board that I used the logo on tors and members, medical with the greatest favour. TYDA was established on hour. Firefighters used 28 fire disintegrated to resin and the poster of $1 campaign teams and volunteers under The Post could not contact December 27, 2012 under the trucks and the equivalent of got pushed to one side. So it poster to show gratitude for the leadership of TYDA. They Huy Yaleng for further comment. initiative of Hun Manet and 126 cubic metres of water to looks like there isn’t much left the Cambodian hero doctors have worked day and night Separately, on TYDA’s of- his wife, Pich Chanmony. extinguish the fire. in there,” he said. 4 THE PHNOM PENH POST march 17, 2021 www.phnompenhpost.com National Indigenous villagers put under court supervision

Long Kimmarita 7ha of state land and mountains have been encroached upon and occupied THE Mondulkiri Provincial Court has by a group of individuals claiming to charged three members of an indig- have legal rights to the land. But in re- enous community in Laoka village of ality, indigenous people have depend- Sen Monorom town’s Sokdum com- ed on the land for many years. mune with aggravated intentional “What we protect every day is not damage and violence against a real just to protect our own property, but estate agent and ordered them to ap- protecting state land, especially in pear at the court once a month. this area. My people in the village have The decision came after the court been relying on this land for a long summoned Phlek Phirum, 40, Phlek time. Instead, the court accuses us. Navy, 37, and Khveng Tum, 47, to tes- The court should take action against tify on March 9 in connection with those corrupt individuals,” she said. the incident that happened in Octo- Meas Pros, head of administration ber last year. at the court, said placing the ac- During court proceedings on cused under court supervision was An aerial view of a beach in Kep town. The province’s coastline has a total length of nearly 27km. Post Staff March 10, more than 20 villagers at the judge’s discretion. gathered in front of the court, ex- “That the decision is biased and pressing concern that authorities abusing the people is their accusa- would detain their representatives. tion,” he said. Kep to develop coastline The court’s ruling signed by In- Kreung Tola, an adviser to indige- vestigating Judge Pok Sin Vanda nous communities in Mondulkiri, said Nov Sivutha Construction Chea Sophara, who is The province’s coastline has a total on March 10 said the investigation while he acknowledged that disman- also president of the National Com- length of nearly 27km. would continue and prevent the tling fences was illegal, the authorities HE Kep Provincial Admin- mittee for Coastal Management and Ho Vandy, an adviser to Cambo- accused from escaping or engaging should have educated people first. He istration is pushing for- Development, for approval. dia Tourism Association, said Kep in any other activities that could af- said they only acted to protect com- ward the preparation of Piseth confirmed that although and neighbouring Kampot province fect the investigation. Therefore, the munity land on which they depend. plans and maps to expand Cambodia is facing the Covid-19 continue to develop beaches under court would place the accused on “The land was originally a cattle theT province’s public recreation crisis, it would not interfere with the the mandate of each provincial gov- bail under court supervision. ranch for the people in Laoka vil- areas – from only 300m currently preparation for the development of ernor according to the actual situa- “The accused must not leave their lage. But we do not know who sold to 3km along the province’s nearly the province’s coastal areas. tion of growth in tourism. homes without permission. They must the land. Importantly, the judiciary 27km coastline – in Thmey village “Once prepared and approved, the According to Vandy, Kep is currently respond to any summons by those ap- should change the way it works, and of Kep town’s Prey Thom commune provincial administration will dis- a major coastal tourist destination af- pointed by the judge and must appear not just to protect the rich and pow- to cater for tourists. play the plans and maps to the pub- ter Sihanoukville. Amid the Covid-19 at court once a month. The court or erful. I want to ask the court to re- Provincial governor Som Piseth lic. People will know where develop- crisis, he said planning and develop- the judge may decide to detain the ac- consider this case,” he said. told The Post on March 15 that until ment is happening, what companies ment of coastal areas is seen as essen- cused temporarily,” it said. The Post was unable to contact the now, the preparation was about 70 have been contracted, and how the tial to save the national economy. Phlek Phirum, one of the accused, plaintiffs as the court’s ruling and ar- to 80 per cent complete and would work will develop tourism,” he said. “Kep is the second-largest [coastal told The Post that the court’s decision rest warrant did not identify them. be finished by the Khmer New Year According to Piseth, currently tourist attraction]. Tourists choose Kep was “extremely unfair”. In October But according to the people’s repre- in April. The plans would then only 300m of Kep’s coastline is de- after Sihanoukville and many other is- 2020, she and more than 70 other resi- sentatives, the occupants of the more be submitted to Minister of Land veloped, which does not meet grow- lands, so planning for coastal develop- dents went to protect the fence sur- than 7ha of land who have sued them Management, Urban Planning and ing demand from tourists each year. ment is indispensable,” he said. rounding community land. More than are Pet Sophanna and Pet Somana. THE PHNOM PENH POST march 17, 2021 www.phnompenhpost.com 5 National Creal youth group puts Sea fillers warned of legal actions Nov Sivutha Stung Hav district administra- project on tion stated that the sea is cat- HE Koh Kong and egorised as state property any Covid hold Preah Sihanouk pro- encroachment or construc- vincial authorities tion was prohibited. The area Mom Kunthear are working to iden- was designated for public use. tifyT people who have filled in The notice said that per- THE February 20 community the sustainable Use Area in mission to fill in the sea must outbreak of Covid-19 has forced Koh Kong ’s Mondul Seima follow the land use plan of the environmental youth group district and an area of sea in the Ministry of Land Manage- Creal Cambodia to stop public Preah Sihanouk’s Stung Hav ment, Urban Planning and activities to collect rubbish in district. Construction which had de- Phnom Penh and the provinces Koh Kong deputy provincial tailed instructions for imple- of Kampot, Kep, Siem Reap and governor Sok Sothy told The mentation and regulations in Battambang. Post on March 16 that he had force to ensure the safety of The group’s Keep the Environ- ordered the Mondul Seima the public and environment. ment Clean project, would district administration and Soeng Sen Karuna, the senior instead continue through social relevant specialists to search investigator for local rights media. for people who filled in the group Adhoc said that these On the first Sunday of each banks of a channel on state areas belonged to the state, month beginning in February, land in the sustainable Use so they couldn’t be granted the group implemented the Area in Tuol Kokir Kraom vil- to any private companies for project in Phnom Penh and the lage in the district’s Tuol Koki investment. Until public state four provinces with the partici- commune and make a report private property is transferred, In Preah Sihanouk province on Monday. Preah Sihanouk Administration pation of hundreds of young before making a formal deci- the property couldn’t be sold people. But the current Covid-19 sion. He added that after having Stung Hav district governor tration is currently removing or leased to a company or oth- outbreak has intensified this He explained that in the received a report, the provin- Chhay Sokunda said that on the soil from the area. er concessions. month. past, a request was made for cial administration would hold March 15, he led a joint task He added that the soil used He further said that if people Hour Chhai Ngorn, Creal land then it was allocated. a meeting to know where the force to halt activities to fill in equalled 40m in length. Hun- illegally occupied and used Cambodia founder and head But the request depended on perpetrators came from and an area of sea with soil in Vil- dreds dump trucks had been land in coastal and protected of the project, told The Post on procedures to see which land what the penalties would be. lage IV, Otres commune with- used and hundreds of dollars areas, they are law-breakers. March 15 that through this was to be retained and which But they would be penalised for out a permit. But no one had were spent, and until now no So, it is easy for the authori- project young people could was allocated to residents. But filling in the channel banks. come forward to take respon- one has come forward to take ties to take action. get together to pick up rubbish some people had used soil to Sothy continued that at this sibility. The area of water was responsibility. He added that if local au- and convey the message to illegally fill in the banks. stage, he had ordered a halt to secretly filled in at night. “Currently, the district admin- thorities don’t act and the case other people at the same time. “Now, specialists are study- activities so that the district He further said that the per- istration is searching for people goes to the national level, they But now with enforced meas- ing a map to determine how and commune authorities petrators had taken the op- to bring them in for question- could be penalised, especially ures to prevent infections, many metres of soil were could search for the names of portunity to secretly fill in the ing. But if they still don’t come if they have been found to be young people cannot gather as used to fill in the banks and perpetrators. The provincial area as the Ministry of Pub- forward, the administration involved with criminals. a group, he said. how many metres of man- administration would know lic Works and Transport had will make an additional re- “So, local authorities should “The online programme that grove forest were encroached how much land had been temporarily closed a road for port to the provincial admin- take measures to prevent peo- we have implemented is in the on. After that, we will make filled and implement legal construction. It connected istration to file a complaint in ple encroaching on beaches context of Covid-19. Environ- a report or establish a clear procedures. Stung Hav town to National court,” Sokunda continued. and protected areas,” he con- mental volunteer youths must procedure,” he said. Preah Sihanouk province’s Road 4. The district adminis- In a notice on March 15, the tinued. participate in various social media campaigns, playing fun and challenging activities … there will also be educational videos such as cleaning up the Firm told to stop activities environment at any location in the community,” he explained. Chhai Ngorn added that amid Kampot land dispute although it is not possible to carry out direct activities, the Khouth Sophak Chakrya group could build a spirit of love for the environment as a THE Kampot Provincial Administration has resource that unites people to issued a letter instructing the So Nguon Group solve social problems and still to suspend its clearing activities on disputed continue to implement project land in Dom Phdao village of Chhouk district’s activities as planned. Trapaing Phlaing commune. “We will still continue to The dispute over the lands is between the encourage young people to company and former soldiers at the Coastal keep thinking about the envi- Island Defense Command. ronment, and we also plan to Provincial governor Cheav Tay said that a work as before at the begin- representative of the Coastal Island Defense ning of next month, but we will Command had sought an intervention from see what there is to change,” him on March 15 to stop the company from he said. bulldozing the land and demarcating a bound- The online project has been ary before a peaceful solution is reached. created to remind people about According to the representative, on March 14 environmental issues, proper two pieces of heavy machinery and some 100 garbage disposal and environ- staffers from the company excavated the land mental awareness, and to reach to build a boundary on 238 ha of it in the village a wider audience. where the former soldiers claim ownership. Ministry of Environment “To prevent the dispute from escalating and spokesman Neth Pheaktra said negatively affecting either side, I decided to the ministry has agreed with issue a letter urgently informing Oknha So the group not to act directly Nguon to temporarily halt his activities on the due to the government and the land in order to wait for an acceptable solution Ministry of Health’s request from provincial authorities,” Tay said. Some of the land involved in a dispute between So not to hold large-scale gather- Soth Saroeun, Deputy Commander of the Nguon company and residents in Kampot province’s Chhouk district on Sunday. Supplied ings. The ministry has sug- Coastal Island Defense Command, said the gested online campaign company’s action ran contrary to the decision bulldoze the disputed area, rather it had exca- instead, he said. reached at a March 4 meeting of the provincial vated some land to demarcate the borders that “We keep the message sim- joint committee that suggested a halt to any the joint committee had established for the ple: clean the environment, land clearing on 238 ha of land after they found company through the posting of border poles. manage waste properly and that some locations overlapped. “In general, our company follows the meeting prevent Covid-19 transmis- “The actions of the company that cleared the results from the authorities and the committee. sion in our community,” he disputed land had affected the rights of the And now we have agreed to suspend our activities said. soldiers who integrated into the area,” Saroeun at the request of the provincial authority,” he said. Pheaktra believes that these said, adding that each soldier’s family was Nguon called on the relevant authorities to messages will reach all peo- granted five ha of land from the government. expedite a solution as soon as possible so that ple who would work together, “To serve the interests of the soldiers, we ask the company could complete its development especially young people, to that the company stop its actions right away plan on schedule. properly classify and sort gar- and wait for a peaceful deal from the provincial According to Nguon, the company has plans bage according to the type of authorities first,” he said. to grow yellow bananas on some 200 ha of the waste and also maintain So Nguon, director of So Nguon Group, denied land and between 600 and 800 workers will be environmental hygiene. the allegation, saying that the company did not employed there for 2021. 6 THE PHNOM PENH POST march 17, 2021 www.phnompenhpost.com Business

USD / KHR USD / CAD USD / CNY USD / JPY USD / MYR USD / SGD USD / THB AUD / USD EUR / USD GBP / USD 4,068 1.2486 6.5007 109.22 4.1140 1.3465 30.77 0.7722 1.1929 1.3826

Trading Information on Cambodia Securities Exchange Date: March 16, 2021 Auction Trading Method (ATM) No Stock Closing Price Opening Price High Low 1 ABC 16,700 16,700 16,700 16,600 2 GTI 3,750 3,600 3,750 3,600 3 PAS 13,080 13,260 13,260 13,040 4 PEPC 2,900 2,880 2,900 2,880 5 PPAP 12,600 12,600 12,600 12,400 6 PPSP 1,650 1,640 1,660 1,630 7 PWSA 6,280 6,320 6,320 6,220 China demand stretches rubber prices Challenges Hin Pisei remain for

HE prices of Cambo- dian natural rubber Kingdom’s latex on international markets have risen by moreT than 10 per cent year-on- securities year in the first quarter, driven Continued from page 1 by rising demand from China, according to a senior official ASEAN asset classes, cross- of the Ministry of Agriculture, border trading, an ASEAN Forestry and Fisheries. online trading platform, regu- General Directorate of Rub- latory harmonisation and so ber head Pol Sopha told The on,” he said. Post on March 16 that China’s According to ACMF, the ASEAN “improved economic growth” regulators underscored their had boosted demand for rub- commitment to ensure the ber in the East Asian country. “continued traction” of the This has fuelled shipments forum’s sustainable-finance ini- of Cambodian rubber to the tiatives already rolled out, which Port of Ho Chi Minh City in it listed as “the ASEAN Green Vietnam where the selling Bond Standards, ASEAN Social price of the commodity stands Bond Standards and ASEAN at $1,800, up from about Sustainability Bond Standards”. $1,500 in March last year, he “Since 2017 until the end of said, adding that prices had 2020, a total of $8.35 billion been on an upswing since the bonds labelled under these end of 2020. ASEAN standards have been “The rise in rubber prices issued,” it added. now is due to surging demand But SERC’s Socheat pointed in China, but also in some out that challenges remain if parts of India,” he said, adding the Kingdom wants to develop that chronic labour shortages The Kingdom exported a total of 83,620 tonnes of natural rubber latex in January-February, representing a year-on-year increase of 10.3 per cent its securities market in line from 75,809 tonnes. YOUSOS APDOULRASHIM in regional rubber-growing ar- with regional frameworks. eas have also played a part in Men Sopheak, director of propel prices higher. Sailun Group Co Ltd is consid- Investment in tyre factories “We are facing a handful of the accelerated prices and ex- rubber grower-cum-exporter The current booming Cam- ering setting up a passenger- will virtually eliminate the ex- challenges – for instance, the ports of Cambodian rubber. Sopheak Nika Investment bodian rubber prices could car tyre factory in the QiLu port dependence of the King- issuance of cross-border “If prices remain this buoy- Agro-Industrial Plants Co Ltd, see a slight reduction in the (Cambodia) Special Economic dom’s rubber sector, beefing securities, which we cannot ant, rubber plantations in said Cambodian rubber now next two-to-three months as Zone in Svay Rieng province. up the cultivation capacity do given that our main focus Cambodia could increase sells for more than $1,700 per harvest seasons pick up in At the same time, the Coun- and market environment, he is on the local market. even further,” Sopha said. tonne at the Vietnamese bor- each country, he cautioned, cil for the Development of said. “And of course, we hope “Then there’s the issue of As of the end of last month, der, whereas it netted about admitting that his company Cambodia (CDC) last month that these investment projects green bonds. While we cur- rubber plantations in Cambo- $1,400 around the same time has yet to export the com- approved Cart Tire Co Ltd’s will use plenty of local raw rently issue bonds, we don’t dia covered a total of 404,118ha, last year. modity this year. $15 million tyre factory in materials.” give out any with the green according to the ministry. Of “The price of rubber has And a handful of businesses QiLu Bavet Special Economic The Kingdom exported a to- label, but it is in our plans. And this, 292,497ha (72.38 per cent) risen due to strong demand in have signalled their eagerness Zone in Svay Rieng’s Bavet tal of 83,620 tonnes of natural although we have yet to imple- are tapped for latex, while China, though other markets to capitalise on the lucrative town. rubber latex in January-Feb- ment a number of action 111,621ha (27.62 per cent) are do not seem to be showing any and as-yet untapped Cambo- The ministry’s Sopha said ruary, representing a year-on- plans, we will do so in the “under maintenance”, or in positive signs,” he said, add- dian rubber industry. that this is precisely what year increase of 10.3 per cent upcoming years,” he said with their immature phase yet to ing that the high percentage The Post reported last week Cambodia has wanted for a from 75,809 tonnes, the min- a sense of optimism. deliver a first harvest. of untapped area also helped that Chinese-based company long time. istry reported. At present, there are 13 list- ed companies on the bourse – seven stock-listed and six corporate bond-listed. Since CSX’s inception in 2012, the companies have raised a Feb 20 event further weighs on transport, logistics combined $253 million as of September 30. Thou Vireak services, transport and export-import. ping costs, a shortage of containers $250-280 to ship a 40-foot container Last year, two companies He said freight and logistics had and headaches in the ship-chartering from Phnom Penh to the Kingdom’s listed stocks and three listed THE February 20 community transmis- shown signs of a recovery between end- process,” Chanthy said. flagship deep-sea Sihanoukville Auton- bonds. The five firms raised a sion has compounded the woes of the 2020 and the beginning of this year, but Khut Saroeun, founder and CEO of omous Port. “I still hope the situation combined $92 million in Janu- transport and logistics sectors still reel- plummeted after February 20. SHA Transport Express Co Ltd, painted will improve soon,” he said. ary-September, the latest fig- ing from the Covid-19 health crisis. “We see that [the sectors] have been a bleak image of lorries parked at vari- In a filing to the Cambodia Securities ures published by CSX show. Industry insiders estimate that trans- in decline up till now on steadily weak- ous ports across the Kingdom with Exchange (CSX), the state-owned oper- The stock index increased port volumes are down about 20 per ening demand, driving down transport “nothing to transport” since the Febru- ator of the port (PAS) reported $2.718 more than 57 per cent in 2019 cent compared to levels logged prior volumes in turn. ary 20 outbreak. million in net revenue in the fourth compared to the previous to February 20. “We are very concerned that if this “We will hold an online meeting with quarter of last year, a strong 15.6 per year, only to dip 14.93 per cent Sin Chanthy, president of the 100- situation continues until the middle of representatives from the logistics sec- cent rise from $2.349 million logged in in 2020. member-strong Cambodia Logistics this year or beyond, it’ll leave a longer- tor to study the impact and submit a the same period in 2019. Association (CLA), told The Post that the lasting mark on companies’ revenues. request to the government to help,” However, the deep-sea port operator www.phnompenhpost.com latest outbreak’s toll has been felt across “This adds yet another financial bur- Saroeun said. posted a 7.59 per cent year-on-year dip check the post website all fields – goods delivery procedure den on top of persistently-high ship- According to Chanthy, it now costs in sales revenue. for breaking news THE PHNOM PENH POST march 17, 2021 www.phnompenhpost.com 7 Business VW vows to dominate e-car market by 2025 GERMAN auto giant Volkswa- the sale of these vehicles to con- gen (VW) on March 16 said it tribute to “financing the transi- is aiming to dominate the elec- tion” to greener options. tric car market by 2025 as it In 2035, “the majority of cars accelerates the pace to catch will have an electric engine and up with US pioneer Tesla. more than 40 per cent will be VW sold 422,000 electrified moving autonomously”, he said. vehicles in 2020. Of those, VW on March 15 said it would 230,000 were fully electric cars set up six battery factories and – or three times more than in significantly expand charging 2019 – and the remainder pet- points in Europe, laying down the rol-electric hybrids. infrastructure as it plans to launch It is now expecting to sell a mil- 27 electric models by 2022. lion electrified vehicles this year, Tesla has upped the pressure the group said in a statement. on major German carmakers “In 2025 at the latest, the such as VW in recent years with group wants to be the world its plans to open a manufacturing leader in the electric mobility plant outside Berlin next July. market,” it added. VW’s electric push was also The car giant which owns 12 accelerated by the “dieselgate” brands from Audi to Porsche to scandal, which rocked Ger- Seat will be investing €46 billion many’s car industry and cost Prime Minister Hun Sen (left) waves besides his Thai counterpart Prayut Chan-o-cha as they ride a train during a ceremony to reconnect the railway ($55 billion) in its electric switch the company dearly in both line between Cambodia and Thailand on April 22, 2019. AFP over the next five years. cash and reputational harm. One in 10 cars sold last year in Legal cases grind on over VW’s Europe were electric ones after admission in 2015 that it illegally VW put its key model ID.3 on the fitted 11 million diesel vehicles Cambodia-Thai rail traffic dips market. That is five-fold jump worldwide with software to make from 1.9 per cent in 2019. them appear less polluting. Thou Vireak conferences to move things a 30-year concession agree- has helped crank up trade fig- VW expects electric cars to The group’s market leader along, a general consensus has ment to Toll (Cambodia) Co ures, even if just a little bit. make up 60 per cent of its car spot was snatched by Toyota HE continued spread yet to be reached on a timeline Ltd – a joint-venture between Thailand is Cambodia’s sev- sales in Europe by 2030. One in 2020 as sales slumped amid of Covid-19 has dis- for the resumption of trade or Australian-owned Toll Hold- enth-largest importer of Cam- in two vehicles sold by the the pandemic. rupted rail traffic be- other, more specific technical ing Ltd and Cambodia’s local bodian goods after the US, Ja- group globally would also be Publishing preliminary data on tween Cambodia and terms, Sorya admitted. conglomerate Royal Group of pan, Germany, China, the UK electric by then. its 2020 earnings last month, it Thailand,T a link that was inaugu- He added that Thailand Companies Ltd – to manage and Canada, accounting for four Nevertheless, it did not said net profit for the year plunged rated just under two years ago. recently gifted 140km of rail the operations of the King- per cent of Cambodia’s exports. announce a date to end produc- 37 per cent to €8.8 billion. Ministry of Public Works and a locomotive to Cambo- dom’s railway system. Trade between Cambodia tion of its more affordable com- The company expects a “sig- and Transport undersecretary dia as a gesture that might In 2014, however, Toll Hold- and Thailand reached $7.236 bustion engine cars, as chief nificant rise” in revenues how- of state Vasim Sorya said the help improve goods exchange ing transferred its 55 per cent billion last year, tumbling executive Herbert Diess expects ever in 2021. AFP government is working with its along the northern Phnom stake in Toll Cambodia to Roy- 23.17 per cent from 2019, pri- Thai counterpart to drive trac- Penh-Poipet route. al Group, which then changed marily due to the economic tion in rail traffic between the The route ends at the Poipet the subsidiary’s name to Royal disruption of the Covid-19 two countries, but the global station near the international Railway Cambodia. pandemic, according to the health crisis has slammed the border with Aranyaprathet The government has spent Thai Ministry of Commerce. breaks on progress. town in Thailand’s Sa Kaeo some $226.6 million to re- Statistics show that Cam- “We have not had any cross- province. store the country’s southern bodia exported $1.148 billion border traffic as of late be- On April 22, 2019, the Cam- and western railways to im- in merchandise to Thailand cause of the [rising number bodian and Thai prime minis- prove transportation. in 2020, down 49.49 per cent of] Covid-19 cases, making it ters presided over the inaugu- About $85 million of these year-on-year, and imported temporarily impossible for us ration of the railway link that funds came from the national $6.089 billion, down 14.80 per to transport” goods between connected the two countries budget while the remaining cent from 2019. the two countries, he said. after a 45-year hiatus. $141.6 million came from the The bulk of Cambodia’s He noted that a team from This came after the Cambo- Asian Development Bank and exports to Thailand are gem- Dongguan in South China’s Guangdong province is a busy port on the the ministry is ploughing dian government restored the other development partners. stones, jewellery, agricultural Pearl River. SUPPLIED/CHINA DAILY away to speed up talks with 386km Phnom Penh-Poipet Connecting Phnom Penh to products and aluminium. Its the Thai side. route. Poipet in Banteay Meanchey imports mainly comprise of While the team has con- On June 12, 2009, the Cam- province and on to the Thai fuel, motorcycles, cars, gem- Guangdong sees strong ducted a series of online video bodian government granted border, the northern railway stones and jewellery. import-export growth GUANGDONG province, China’s Guangdong’s trade with leader in foreign trade, had Hong Kong and Taiwan Sinopec finds gas, oil flows in Xinjiang strong import and export growth increased by 44.9 per cent and in the first two months of this 32.6 per cent, in the period. CHINA Petrochemical Corp, or dependence on gas imports.” year thanks to measures intro- Guangdong’s foreign trade vol- Sinopec Group, has discovered China’s dependence on gas and duced to prevent and control the ume from the processing industry abundant flows of natural gas crude oil imports has been grow- spread of Covid-19, which increased year-on-year by 46.1 and crude oil at an exploration ing in recent years, with the coun- allowed production to resume. per cent to hit 628.16 billion yuan well in northwestern China’s try covering 46 per cent of its gas The province recorded foreign in past two months, accounting Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous requirements via imports and trade volume of more than 1.18 for 53 per cent of the province’s Region, the company said on that for oil reaching 73 per cent. trillion yuan ($181.54 billion) in total, the statement said. March 15. The Shunbei oil and gas field the first two months, up year- Meanwhile Guangdong’s pri- With a reservoir of an average had broken the record for the on-year by 40.5 per cent, Guang- vately run companies reached depth of more than 7,300m, the deepest onshore directional dong Customs said in a written a total of import and export Shunbei-42X well, which is also well-drilling in Asia, reaching statement on March 15. volume of 679.29 billion yuan, considered to be the deepest a depth of 8,874.4m. The province’s exports grew 57.4 per cent of the province’s onshore oil and gas field in Asia, Researchers at the Shunbei even faster at 53.4 per cent to total foreign trade volume, up has made a substantial natural oil and gas field have also been hit 753.34 billion yuan, while 2.1 percentage points in the gas and crude discovery, yield- developing and using ultra- its imports 22.4 per cent year- first two months. ing daily flows of 822,000 cubic deep well-drilling technolo- on-year to 431.03 billion yuan, Foreign trade volume for pri- metres of natural gas and three gies since 2002, according to in January and February. vate companies grew by 46.1 million metric tonnes of crude, Xinhua News Agency. Guangdong’s foreign trade per cent year-on-year since said the company. A Sinopec employee collects an oil sample at the Shunbei oil and gas field China Petrochemical Corp with the US and EU saw year- the beginning of this year. in northwestern China’s Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region. XINHUA The discovery represents (Sinopec) Northwest Oilfield on-year growth of 75.9 per cent Foreign trade volume from progress for the state-owned adequate gas and oil supplies Li believes natural gas will be Co, a subsidy, has discovered and 45 per cent, respectively, in foreign-funded companies oil giant as it taps geologically for the country’s energy-con- a growth pillar for China’s accumulated proven oil reserves the two months, greatly con- grew 35.8 per cent in the first more challenging oil and gas suming eastern regions. national oil companies as they of up to 1.5 billion tonnes and tributing to Guangdong’s strong two months to reach 440.24 bil- deposits to meet the increas- BloombergNEF analyst Li endeavour to go green. natural gas of 74 billion cubic foreign trade rebound from the lion yuan, accounting for 37.2 ing gas demand in the country. Ziyue said: “Sinopec’s major “Tarim Basin is one of the key metres. Accumulated oil and pandemic, the statement said. per cent of the province’s total, It also further proves the bright discovery will underpin the basins for oil and gas explora- gas equivalent production has ASEAN, Hong Kong, the US while state-owned enterprises exploration and exploitation company’s vision to increase tion in the 14th Five-Year Plan exceeded 140 million tonnes. and EU, as well as the island of logged foreign trade volume of prospects of the gas and oil- oil and gas production, which period [2021-2025], and natural Northwest Oilfield produced Taiwan became the top five 61.76 billion yuan in January field, said the company. is in line with the central gov- gas will play an increasingly 6.7 million tonnes of crude trading partners of Guangdong, and February, up 25.1 per cent Analysts said the Shunbei oil ernment’s efforts to further important role in the decar- and 1.91 billion cubic metres which annually represents more year-on-year, which was 5.2 per and gas field, Sinopec’s new ensure gas supply security in bonisation process while easing of natural gas last year. CHINA than 22 per cent of China’s total cent of the province’s total. CHINA frontier for reserves, will ensure the next five years.” the country’s ever increasing DAILY/ASIA NEWS NETWORK foreign trade volume. DAILY/ASIA NEWS NETWORK 8 THE PHNOM PENH POST march 17, 2021 www.phnompenhpost.com Business Digital transition expected to keep Vietnamese M&A market humming T the start of the year a gies and extending global reach. report in the Korea Times National Economics University newspaper said Vingroup chairman Tran Tho Dat said the is likely to acquire LG’s digital economy was important to smartphoneA manufacturing plants the economy’s productivity and ef- in Vietnam, China and Brazil. ficiency in the coming years and a Vingroup, one of Vietnam’s big- motivation for rapid improvement gest conglomerates, was seeking to in labour productivity. expand into the high-tech sector It is necessary to encourage digi- through the acquisition of the state- tisation in every sector like manu- of-the-art facilities, improve its facturing, information and commu- Smartphones are produced at a Vingroup factory in Vietnam’s Haiphong city. QUAN DOI NHAN DAN ONLINE global smartphone competitiveness nications technology (ICT), science and use the Brazilian and Chinese and technology, finance, banking, in e-commerce, online travel, online this, including the fact that incomes 90 per cent of the market. The six, Thaco, plants to enter regional markets. insurance, and real estate, he said. media, and ride hailing, according to is expected to rise by eight-to-10 per Hyundai, Toyota, Mitsubishi, Ford, and But it later reported that the talks Hoang Viet Anh, deputy director- a report by Google and Temasek. cent annually for the next 10 years. Honda, have a production capacity of were off after Vingroup reportedly general of FPT in charge of digital More than 3,000 enterprises have In a report before the Tet (Lunar 30,000-40,000 units a year each. asked for too low a price. transformation, said digitisation sought the government’s support for New Year) holiday, SSI Securities Four of them have announced in- Nevertheless, it indicated it could would continue to be an important digital transformation since Decem- Corp said car demand would con- vestments in major car plants in the be a busy year for mergers and ac- trend even after the Covid-19 pan- ber alone, showing that Vietnamese tinue to rise since taxes and fees have last two years. quisitions (M&A) in Vietnam, espe- demic ends. businesses are keen on catching up been lowered in many segments. Experts also warn of likely risks cially in technology. “During the toughest and most with global trends. In the first half of last year, after the auto sector faces. The pressure to fast-track digital challenging times, technology is the Deputy Minister of Planning and the pandemic began, auto sales fell The first related to the environment. transformation has persuaded many key to opening up opportunities for Investment Tran Duy Dong said by 31 per cent year-on-year. With its goal of reducing pollution, Vietnamese companies like Vingroup growth, optimising operations, im- digital transformation is of vital im- The government acted quickly and the government has taken a number to opt for acquisition of foreign com- proving customer experience, and portance to businesses globally, in- cut registration fees for locally made of measures to restrict the use of per- panies instead of building technolo- creating new business models.” cluding in Vietnam. cars by 50 per cent. sonal vehicles in large cities. gies from the ground up. In the current changed circum- The Covid-19 pandemic has forced Car production has grown rapidly, Next is policy or regulatory risk to In June, Prime Minister Nguyen stances, digital transformation enterprises around the world to as- sparking fierce competition both the investment environment caused Xuan Phuc approved the national would have a bigger effect, enabling sign top priority to this to survive. among local assemblers and with by unexpected changes to govern- digital transformation programme enterprises to play a critical role in To achieve this, M&A are consid- imports, helping bring down prices. ment regulations and policies. for up to 2025. shaping new realities, he said. ered the quickest route since they With many more assembly and The legal framework for the auto- Deputy Minister of Information and Vietnam’s information-technology would enable enterprises to over- parts manufacturing plants set to mobile industry has been changed Communications Nguyen Huy Dung, (IT) industry has seen significant come their technological disadvan- open in the country in 2022 and constantly in line with revised laws speaking at a conference in Decem- growth in recent years, and helped en- tages like the shortage of infrastruc- 2023, the auto market is expected and regulations especially to favour ber, called on enterprises to speed up hance the country’s competitiveness. ture and human resources. to become even more competitive, domestic players though they some- digital transformation, saying it was Ministry of Information and Com- Analysts said low interest rates, in- and carmakers would have to come times contradict provisions of free essential for business growth. munications statistics show that the creasing demand for development of up with more promotions to retain trade agreements Vietnam has signed. He urged every organisation to industry’s revenue in 2019 were an creative business activities using tech- market share in the face of a likely Due to this, some automakers outline strategic plans to implement estimated $100 billion, equivalent to nology and digital techniques and digi- onslaught from newcomers. have been cautious about invest- and speed up digital transforma- a third of the country’s gross domes- tal technology buyers with deep pockets Another important reason is that ment in the country. tion, saying Vietnamese digital tech- tic product (GDP), and employed are expected to spur the M&A market. the Vietnamese market has become Last but not least is the lack of sup- nology companies would be the key around one million people. The Vietnamese auto market is ex- large enough to encourage carmak- porting industries for the auto indus- players in developing digital infra- Vietnam’s digital economy is pro- pected to remain strong despite the ers to shift from importing vehi- try, which means manufacturers have structure, platforms, services, and jected to be worth $43 billion by effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. cles to making them here. to depend on imports for compo- solutions, mastering core technolo- 2025, with the fastest growth coming Analysts listed several reasons for Currently six companies account for nents. VIET NAM NEWS/ASIA NEWS NETWORK Kumho Petrochemical unveils new vision for future growth AFTER posting better-than- tum during the recent decade. porate leadership of his uncle, expected business output last The proportion of high value- who is also chairman of Kum- year despite the Covid-19 pan- added products soared from 20 ho Petrochemical Group, demic, South Korea’s Kumho per cent in 2012 to over 50 per claiming that his uncle should Petrochemical is now bracing cent last year. An example is be stopped from acquiring a for another leap forward, seek- acrylonitrile butadiene latex, or debt-riddled resort company. ing to gain an upper hand in NB latex, a synthetic latex used But the junior Park appar- the post-coronavirus industry, mostly for medical and labora- ently is seen to lose ground as officials said on March 15. tory gloves. major proxy adviser Institu- The company’s core direc- The material saw export vol- tional Shareholder Services tion is to grow beyond the con- ume reach $150 million in (ISS) recently agreed with the ventional petrochemical sec- December, up 34 per cent from appointment of new directors tor, to expand high the previous month and up 150 recommended by the compa- value-added products, and to per cent from a year earlier. ny, or de facto by incumbent diversify the market use of Creating synergy with the Chairman Park. As for the newly growing materials. increased medical demands demands made by Chul-wan, Last year, the company posted was the company’s increased the ISS rejected them all, saying 740 billion won ($651.4 million) manufacturing capacity, offi- they were “too aggressive”. in operating profit, more than cials explained. As foreign investors account double from a year earlier. Kumho Petrochemical for a combined 30 per cent stake It also saw its credit score rise expanded its production in the company, the ISS recom- steady over past years by reduc- capacity by 60,000 tonnes per mendation is expected to yield ing the debt ratio and adjusting year in 2020, bringing the total tangible influence on the share- its financial structure. The to 630,000 tonnes per year. Its holders’ decision at the proxy Kumho Petrochemical expanded its production capacity by 60,000 tonnes per year in 2020, bringing the total to debt-to-equity ratio, which had target for this year is to push the 630,000 tonnes per year. Its target for this year is to push the total to 700,000 by year-end. KUMHO PETROCHEMICAL meeting slated for March 26. peaked in 2009 at 660 per cent, total to 700,000 by year-end. “It is meaningful that ISS dropped to 73 per cent in 2019 Also, the company intro- its until 2025. As for the “base” the petrochemical firm will Kumho Petrochemical’s ambi- agreed 100 per cent with the and has remained under 100 duced a two-way product clas- businesses – new growing sec- also seek for merger and acqui- tious business readjustments company’s suggestion,” said per cent since. The credit rating sification system and applied tors such as synthetic resins – sition opportunities in the glo- come in the wake of a manage- an official of the company. also jumped from BBB- to A0 differentiated strategies. the key target will be to diver- bal market, especially in sec- ment dispute between CEO “We shall work further so during the same period and For its “core” businesses – sify the use of materials in tors that may create synergy Park Chan-koo and senior vice- that other local and global continued to go up a notch representative bestselling order to meet the fast-chang- with its up-and-coming carbon president Park Chul-wan. proxy advisers may recognise every year afterwards. items including NB latex – the ing market demands. nanotube, eco-friendly insula- The senior vice-president the rationality and sincerity of The business portfolio diver- company will focus on max- Besides such a two-track tor and engineering plastic had held a press conference our corporate road map.” THE sification also picked up momen- imising market share and prof- business strategy approach, businesses, officials added. last week to challenge the cor- KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK THE PHNOM PENH POST march 17, 2021 www.phnompenhpost.com 9 World Sputnik V jab US lambasts Syria election at UN on deals struck in crucial EU 10th anniversary of war’s beginning states: Russia he US ambassador to the UN urged the international com- The developers of Russia’s munity not to “be fooled” by Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine Syria’s forthcoming presiden- on March 15 said they had tialT election during a Security Council reached production agree- meeting on March 15 on the 10th anni- ments in key European coun- versary of the start of the conflict. tries as the EU’s medical agen- “These elections will neither be free cy deliberates official approval nor fair. They will not legitimise the for the jab. Assad regime,” said Linda Thomas- The head of Russia’s Direct Greenfield, referring to president Investment Fund (RDIF) Kirill Bashar al-Assad. Dmitriev said in a statement The diplomat told council members that his organisation had the elections set for this summer “do secured agreements with com- not meet the criteria laid out in Resolu- panies from Italy, Spain, France tion 2254 – including that they be and Germany. supervised by the UN or conducted Dmitriev said the deals would pursuant to a new constitution”. allow for the supply of Sputnik Thomas-Greenfield said the US, to the European market “once which has the rotating presidency of the approval is granted by the the council, had decided to hold the European Medicines Agency monthly meeting on Syria on March 15 [EMA]”. because it coincided with the anniver- If approved Sputnik would sary of the beginning of the conflict in become the first non-Western 2011. coronavirus jab to be certified The milestone prompted a statement for use across the 27-nation from the US and its major European bloc. allies vowing solidarity with the Syrian A spokesman for the Italian- people following years of “abuses, mass Russian Chamber of Com- atrocities and grave violations of inter- merce last week said pharma- national law”, as well as widespread ceutical company Adienne corruption and economic mismanage- would produce Sputnik at fac- ment. tories in northern Italy starting The statement said: “We, the foreign Protesters wave flags of the Syrian opposition during a demonstration in Syria’s rebel-held city of Idlib on Monday, marking 10 years in July. since the nationwide anti-government protests that sparked the country’s devastating civil war. AFP ministers of France, Germany, Italy, the In France, however, the econ- United Kingdom and the United States, in Russian, calling for all foreign fight- sentative in Syria, Philip Spoerri, told of entry points for aid into the country. omy ministry on March 15 said will not abandon the Syrian people. ers to leave. reporters there was “political deadlock” The only crossing point still in force it was unaware of any deal “Our nations commit to reinvigorat- and a “deep economic crisis” in the – at the Turkish border – is authorised between RDIF and French ing the pursuit of a peaceful solution ‘Syrians are really desperate’ country. by the Security Council to run until July firms. which protects the rights and future France, which ran Syria from 1920 to “Syrians are really desperate,” he but Russia, Syria’s main ally, has hinted The Spanish health ministry prosperity of all Syrians . . . We cannot 1946, stopped short of the US position said, adding that children in refugee that it will oppose its renewal. said it did not have any infor- allow this tragedy to last another dec- of rejecting the election, calling instead camps without school “have no The UN’s Syria envoy, Geir Pedersen, mation regarding the formali- ade.” for the vote to be credible. future”. pleaded for the creation of a “new sation of any contract in the Thomas-Greenfield’s Russian coun- Deputy French ambassador Nathalie US ambassador Thomas-Greenfield international format” to relaunch a country. terpart Vassily Nebenzia said the March Broadhurst said there would be “no called on Assad’s regime to release political solution to the conflict. Germany’s health ministry 2011 unrest had been stirred up “by settlement to the conflict” without “those who are arbitrarily detained – Referring to “key international play- said last month that German outside forces”, a common refrain used “free and transparent elections under especially women, children and the ers”, he said the format should include pharmaceutical company IDT by Moscow. United Nations supervision”. elderly”. the US, Russia, Iran, Turkey, the EU and Biologika was in talks with Rus- “Their aim was to overthrow the She added that Syria’s diaspora must Russia’s Nebenzia agreed that Syrians Arab countries, many of which are con- sia over production of Sputnik. legitimate Syrian authorities and refor- also be allowed to vote. need “collective international aid”. Last sidering letting Syria back into the Arab But an IDT Biologika spokes- mat the country in their hands,” he said The International Red Cross’s repre- year, Moscow forced reduced the number League. AFP man said that if there was an agreement already signed with a German company, it was someone else, as the two sides do not have a firm deal yet and are “still at the talks stage”. N Korean leader’s sister warns US on military drills The EMA launched a rolling review of Sputnik V earlier this North Korean leader Kim officials began a visit to key overseas trip, aimed at rallying Trump’s unorthodox The talks process was bro- month, but several EU coun- Jong-un’s influential sister allies Tokyo and Seoul. military alliances to cement a approach to foreign policy saw kered by South Korea’s Presi- tries have already begun dis- warned the US against actions Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin united front against the nucle- him trade insults and threats dent Moon Jae-in but relations tributing it. that could make it “lose sleep”, and US Secretary of State ar-armed North Korea. of war with Kim Jong-un before between Seoul and Pyongyang Hungary approved Sputnik V state media reported on March Antony Blinken arrived in The statement by Kim Yo-jong, an extraordinary diplomatic have been in deep freeze since in February and began using it 16, as top Biden administration Japan on March 15 on their first a key adviser to her brother, was bromance that saw a series of Kim and Trump’s summit in as part of its vaccine rollout, Pyongyang’s first explicit refer- headline-grabbing meetings. Hanoi collapsed in February while the Czech Republic and ence to the new president in But ultimately no progress 2019. Slovakia have also ordered Washington, more than four was made towards Washing- Kim Yo-jong is a trusted doses and say they will not wait months after Joe Biden was ton’s declared aim of denu- adviser to her brother and was for EMA approval. elected to replace Donald Trump clearising North Korea, which a key voice when inter-Korean According to the vaccine’s – although it still did not men- is under multiple internation- tensions mounted last year, developers, Sputnik V has been tion the Democrat by name. al sanctions for its banned culminating in the North blow- registered in more than 50 The US and South Korea weapons programmes. ing up a liaison office on its side countries. began joint military exercises of the border. Russia registered Sputnik V last week and Pyongyang’s offi- ‘March of war’ Shin Beom-chul, a research- last August ahead of large-scale cial Rodong Sinmun newspa- North Korea has isolated er at the Korea Research Insti- clinical trials, sparking concern per carried a statement from itself further, imposing a strict tute for National Strategy, among some experts at home her offering “a word of advice border closure to protect itself pointed out that her announce- and abroad over the fast-track to the new administration of against the coronavirus pan- ments have previously repre- process. the United States that is strug- demic. sented incremental steps by Leading medical journal The gling to spread the smell of Shortly before Biden’s Janu- Pyongyang. Lancet last month published gunpowder on our land”. ary inauguration, leader Kim He said: “North Korea has results showing the jab to be safe “If you wish to sleep well for decried the US as his country’s judged that the US will not offer and over 90 per cent effective. the next four years, it would be “foremost principal enemy” enough concessions and so has The RDIF on March 15 said North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un (left) signs the guest book next to his sister Kim Yo-jong during the Inter-Korean summit at the Peace better not to create work from and Pyongyang unveiled a new released this statement ahead 3.5 million people in Russia House building on South Korea’s side of the truce village of Panmunjom. the start that will make you submarine-launched ballistic of Blinken and Austin’s visit to have received both doses of STR/POOL/AFP lose sleep,” she said. missile at a military parade. Seoul.” AFP Sputnik V. AFP 10 THE PHNOM PENH POST march 17, 2021 www.phnompenhpost.com ASEAN Global alarm grows as more protesters killed in Myanmar military crackdown

he international commu- spokesman Stephane Dujarric said nity pleaded for restraint on March 15. on March 15 after at least UN envoy for Myanmar Christine 11 more anti-coup protest- Schraner Burgener also condemned ersT were killed in Myanmar, as dem- March 14’s bloodshed, while the onstrators returned to the streets to country’s former colonial ruler Brit- demand restored democracy despite ain said it was “appalled” by the use an increasingly bloody crackdown by of force “against innocent people”. the military junta. The UN, US, China and Britain all ‘Nasty’ condemned the violence, which the Myanmar has been in uproar since UN said has claimed the lives of at the putsch, with daily protests de- least 138 “peaceful protesters” – in- manding a restoration of democracy cluding women and children – since despite the junta’s increasingly force- the generals ousted civilian leader ful attempts to quell dissent. Aung San Suu Kyi on February 1. The bulk of the deaths on March So far Myanmar’s generals have 14 came from a clash in a garment- shown no signs of heeding calls for producing district in the capital Yan- restraint. gon where multiple Chinese-owned The deadliest day yet came on factories were razed. Many protest- March 14, when more than three ers believe Beijing is supportive of dozen demonstrators were killed as the coup. security forces cracked down on pro- Six Yangon townships were under democracy rallies. martial law by morning – anyone But the killings did not stop dem- arrested there faces trial by military onstrators, who came out again on tribunal rather than civilian courts, March 15 only to once again face with sentences ranging from three what witnesses said was lethal force years’ hard labour to execution. by the junta. Those clashes drew a sharp rebuke Those killed on March 15 were shot from Beijing, which on March 15 dead in several locations in the coun- urged Myanmar to “resolutely avoid try’s central regions. a recurrence of such incidents”. “Two men were killed because of Chinese foreign ministry spokes- gunshots and six others were injured,” Family members of a protester killed during a crackdown by security forces on demonstrations against the military coup escort man Zhao Lijian described the vio- a witness in Magway region’s Aunglan their body outside a morgue as mourners hold up the three finger salute at Thingangyun Hospital in Yangon on Monday.STR/AFP lence as “nasty”. town said, adding that one of the dead China “is very concerned about the was shot in the chest. ma with bullets,” US Department of “The United States continues to terres also called for the internation- impact on the safety of Chinese in- “He was right beside me. Another State spokeswoman Jalina Porter told call on all countries to take concrete al community “including regional stitutions and personnel”, he told re- one got shot in his head.” reporters on March 15, using another actions to oppose the coup, and es- actors, to come together in solidar- porters in Beijing, adding the Myan- “The junta has responded to call for name for Myanmar and labelling the calating violence,” she added. ity with the people of Myanmar and mar security forces had reinforced the restoration of democracy in Bur- March 14 attacks “another new low”. UN secretary-general Antonio Gu- their democratic aspirations”, his the area around the factories. AFP

Vietnam Mekong district produces top-notch sweet potatoes for export

Dong Thap province’s Chau Thanh district has province’s Department of Agriculture and Rural expanded the cultivation of high-quality sweet Development. potatoes for export and will develop processed Farmers in Chau Thanh plant various sweet sweet-potato products that meet the standards potato varieties, with Japanese purple-flesh of Vietnam’s ‘one commune – one product’ sweet potato variety accounting for more than (OCOP) programme. 98 per cent of the district’s total area. The Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta district, which The district has established two cooperatives, is the province’s largest sweet potato producer, two cooperative groups and two farmer club- has developed cultivation models under good houses for growing and trading sweet potatoes. agricultural practice (GAP) standards. Participating farmers exchange information In June, the district’s Agriculture Service Cen- about production and markets. They are also tre launched a model to reduce production provided advanced farming techniques that costs for 42 farmers in Tan Phu commune. The help increase quality and yield. farmers, who grew a total of 50ha of sweet These groups have helped their members potato, were instructed in proper techniques secure outlets through contracts. that help to reduce the use of input materials Sweet potatoes in the district are mostly sold and increase yield and quality. fresh and exported to Cambodia and China. Out of 4,991 people tested, 224 were found positive for Covid-19, 3,086 were negative and 1,681 results are Phan Thanh Phuong, one of the farmers in Tan The district plans to manufacture high-qual- pending. THE NATION Phu’s Tan Thuan hamlet, said the production cost ity sweet potato products that will be identified of seeds, fertiliser and labour was about 22 million as OCOP products. dong ($950) per hectare a crop, down 10-20 per Huynh Thanh Hiep, director of Nam Huy Bangkok finds 224 infections cent compared to traditional farming methods. Dong Thap Co Ltd in the district’s Hoa Tan com- He was provided part of the production cost mune, said his company and others are buying to buy high quality seeds and organic fertiliser, sweet potatoes in the district to manufacture linked to latest Covid outbreak and prepare soil for sweet potato cultivation. dried sweet-potato products. He was also instructed in VietGAP techniques. His company and others are producing high- Another 224 cases of Covid-19 related to the been urged to get a free test until March 26 from Phan Phi Hoang, a farmer in the same hamlet, quality sweet potato products to meet standards Covid-19 outbreak in Bang Khae district have the mobile testing units stationed at the public said in the last sweet potato crop, the centre in the OCOP programme. Besides dried sweet- been found, the Bangkok Metropolitan Admin- park near The Mall Bang Khae, Bangkok governor provided financial support to reduce produc- potato products, sweet potatoes are also used istration (BMA) reported on March 15 following Aswin Kwanmuang said on March 15. tion costs. to produce cakes, jam and other products. proactive testing from March 11-14. The units can test a 1,000 people per day. “After participating in the model, I know how Previously, the district’s sweet potatoes were Out of 4,991 people tested, 224 were found A Bang Khae public health officer said: “The to use organic fertiliser and apply biosafety,” planted to sell fresh to consumers. positive for Covid-19, 3,086 were negative and registration for testing started at 7:30am. Don’t he said. Sweet potato is one of five key products in the 1,681 results are pending. forget to bring you ID card and mobile phone The centre’s training courses on advanced district’s agriculture restructuring plan. Last week, the BMA found 96 positive cases to scan a QR Code for the symptom monitoring techniques have helped farmers change out- Vo Dinh Trong, head of the district Bureau of among 2,335 people tested at Bang Kae’s Wonder application that you should use for 14 days after dated habits and switch to VietGAP farming Agriculture and Rural Development, said the Market from March 7-13, prompting it to launch testing. If you are found to be infected, officials techniques. district would develop value chains for sweet active testing of people living near six markets will send an alert to your phone within one-to- Trained farmers apply biosafety when choos- potato cultivation. in Bang Khae district – Sirisetthanont Market, two days and will later send instructions on get- ing quality seeds, preparing land for cultiva- The district would also tighten the manage- Bang Khae Shopping Centre Market, Kitti Mar- ting treatment.” tion, and preventing and controlling pests. ment of producing and trading sweet potato ket, Phasom Market, Bang Khae New Market, The BMA was also to clean up and disinfect Chau Thanh has more than 3,400ha of sweet seed and build a collective brand name for the and Wonder Market. the six markets on March 16 from 9am. The mar- potato, accounting for 98 per cent of the prov- district’s sweet potatoes, he said. VIET NAM NEWS/ Local residents and anyone who had visited the kets will remain closed until March 18. THE NATION ince’s total sweet potato area, according to the ASIA NEWS NETWORK markets between February 20 and March 13 have (THAILAND)/ASIA NEWS NETWORK THE PHNOM PENH POST march 17, 2021 www.phnompenhpost.com 11 Opinion

Focus on women business owners www.phnompenhpost.com

EDITORIAL PERSONNEL Publisher & Chief Executive Offi cer Ly Tayseng in Indonesia to unlock growth Managing Editor Post Khmer Sam Rith Opinion Deputy Chief of Staff Phak Seangly Curtis S Chin and Stacie Nevadomski Berdan Business Editor May Kunmakara S INDONESIA continues to Deputy Business Editor confront the economic and Sangeetha Amarthalingam health consequences of the Deputy Head of Lifestyle Desk ongoing Covid-19 pandem- Pan Simala ic,A the nation can do more to leverage Senior Reporters a critical untapped resource – the Meas Sokchea, Niem Chheng power of women business owners. Reporters While gender-disaggregated data Khouth Sophak Chakrya, Kim Sarom, for small businesses is still to be fully collected, the World Bank has esti- Long Kimmarita, Hin Pisei, Mom Kunthear, Hong Raksmey, Pann Rethea, Voun Dara, mated that some 43 per cent of entre- Roth Sochieata, Orm Bunthoeurn, preneurs in Indonesia are women. And according to a 2016 joint report Lay Samean, Thou Vireak, Nov Sivutha of the International Finance Corpo- Photographers ration and USAID, women own Heng Chivoan, Hong Menea, Hean Rangsey almost half of the nation’s small and Web Editor medium enterprises. Leang Phannara When it comes to gender parity, Digital Team however, Indonesia ranks well Sous Chanthy, Pang Vichea, Suy Sovandy behind several of its Southeast Asian SIEM REAP BUREAU neighbors. Of 153 assessed econo- Offi ce Manager mies, Indonesia ranked just 85th, fall- Sophearith Blondeel ing behind the Philippines (16th), PRODUCTION & PRINTING Laos (43rd), Singapore (54th) and Head of Desktop Publishing Thailand (75th) in the World Eco- Nhim Sokphyrak nomic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Desktop Publishing Index 2020 rankings. Vietnam (87th), Suon Savatdy, Chum Sokunthy, Danh Borath Cambodia (89th), Brunei (95th), Tep Thoeun Thyda, Tim Borith, Than Veasna Malaysia (104th) and Myanmar

(114th) fared even worse in the World Storial.co founder and chief marketing officer Aulia Halimatussadiah (far right) and Tinkerlust co-founder and chief operating officer Economic Forum rankings. Aliya Tjakraamidjaja (second right) pose with Metro TV news anchor Iqbal Himawan and Annisa Kurnia from Social Media Week 2019 in Central Jakarta on November 12, 2019. THE JAKARTA POST A closer look at the rankings also HEAD OFFICE reveals that Indonesia fares particu- ued growth in e-commerce and the Green, Master Label and Pyramide make its commitment public by Post Media Co., Ltd. larly poorly when compared to its rise of billion dollar tech startups Progress, strengthen their capacity to announcing its new goal of spending The Elements Condominium Level 7, Southeast Asian neighbors on the Bukalapak, Go-Jek, Tokopedia and pitch and sell to large corporations. $500 million annually with women- Hun Sen Boulevard, Phum Prek Talong, WEF “economic participation and Traveloka offer up both opportunities They also gain the opportunity to con- owned businesses by the end of 2025. Sangkat Chak Angre Krom,12353, Phnom opportunity” for women subindex. and challenges as the Indonesia busi- nect with domestic and international By increasing their spend, large, Penh, Cambodia Here, Indonesia does better than only ness environment continues to businesses seeking women suppliers global corporations, as well as mul- Tel: 023 888 161, 023 888 162 Malaysia and Myanmar in ASEAN evolve for women-owned micro, to diversify their value chains and tilateral institutions and govern- Cellcard: 078 555 166, 078 555 133 according to the WEF assessment. small and medium enterprises. maximise their sourcing options. ments, could collectively have a Smart: 086 822 999, 086 277 999 Indonesia has much to gain by Indonesia also can benefit from les- In honour of International Women’s multi-billion dollar impact on wom- SIEM REAP closing the nation’s gender gap in sons learned at home and abroad, as Day this month, WEConnect Interna- en-owned enterprises worldwide, No 629, Street 6, Dangkum Commune work and in society. Three ways to well as from initiatives of global tional issued a one-year “Rise to the including in Indonesia. Tel: 063 966 290, Fax: 063 966 590 ensure women-owned businesses are organisations investing in women- Challenge” to its more than 110 glo- Just four years ago, professional COMMERCIAL DEPARTMENT a critical component of Indonesia’s owned businesses. One such effort is bal members to increase their sourc- services firms PricewaterhouseCoop- Chief Operating Offi cer post-pandemic growth story and to that of WEConnect International, a ing from and spending on women- ers Global projected Indonesia would James Ong Soon Teck “building back better” are greater global network that connects wom- owned business suppliers. have the world’s fourth most power- Advertising Department financial inclusion, increased digital en-owned businesses to qualified According to WEConnect Interna- ful economy by 2050 – only behind Chap Narith, 017 996 241 access and an expansion of sourcing buyers around the world. tional CEO Elizabeth Vazquez, rough- that of China, India and the US. With Hun Channet, 017 578 768 from women-owned suppliers. The Washington DC-based global ly 30 per cent of all privately owned economic growth and size, however, Prach Monnyreak, 015 239 293 The government’s National Wom- non-profit organisation’s mission is businesses worldwide are owned by also comes rising expectations of a Keo Puthy, 012 966 605 en’s Financial Inclusion Strategy to help drive money into the hands of women. Yet, women-owned busi- nation’s drive toward gender parity. Phon Sok Chea, 012 717 404 remains an important step forward, women business owners by enabling nesses on average receive less than 1 If Indonesia invests in, empowers Jessa Piastro, 092 445 983 but implementation remains key. The them to better compete in the global per cent of the supply chain spend and yields the untapped benefits of all CIRCULATION & DISTRIBUTION strategy announced in June 2020 marketplace. A supporting consorti- from large multinational corpora- its women-owned businesses, it will Acting Distribution Manager aims to close gaps that have ham- um of international businesses, tions and governments. The be to the benefit of all the nation and Thenh Rithy, 087 888 854 pered the growth of women-owned including Citibank, Dow and IBM, #Rise2TheChallenge goal is to a further example of how a more con- Circulation Supervisor businesses, and in turn help them has in turn partnered with WECon- increase that to at least two per cent. fident Indonesia can lead the way for- Nou Chanthy, 096 999 2828 access markets, participate in value nect International on supplier diver- As with other environment, social ward. THE JAKARTA POST/ASIA NEWS NETWORK Yim Veasna, 015 814 499 chains and become suppliers for gov- sity and inclusion efforts to buy and governance commitments, such ADMINISTRATION ernment orders. directly from Indonesian women- public pledges to support women- Curtis S Chin, a former US ambassador to the Admin & HR Manager The strengths of digital Indonesia owned businesses. owned businesses must also be Asian Development Bank, is managing director Pich Socheat also can be leveraged to support the of advisory firm RiverPeak Group LLC Stacie By registering their businesses with quantified to ensure the reality of Nevadomski Berdan, an award-winning author Assistants Admin & HR Manager untapped resource of the nation’s the organisation, Indonesian women- action follows the “ESG rhetoric.” and advocate for women and international careers, Nhel Soaphea women-owned businesses. Contin- owned businesses, such as Aliet Intel is the first global business to is an adviser to WEConnect International. Financial Director Heang Tangmeng Chief Accountant Sren Vicheka Treasurers Sok Sophorn, Yon Sovannara, Cheam Sopheak, Huy Hamsovannary IT Manager Seng Nak, Vong Oun

TO CONTACT US [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] www.phnompenhpost.com © Post Media Co., Ltd The Phnom Penh Post is wholly owned and printed by Post Media Co., Ltd. The title The Phnom Penh Post in either English or Khmer languages, its associ- ated logos or devices and the contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the written consent of Post Media Co., Ltd. www.phnompenhpost.com 12 THE PHNOM PENH POST march 17, 2021 www.phnompenhpost.com Lifestyle Forest farms a sustainable econo-enviro dual solution Roth Sochieata industrial chain for the long term, not just a single rota- F the term “clonal mass tion,” Lu says. propagation of tree ex- Lu took some time to ex- plants through in vitro plain to The Post the basics of culture” sounds pretty how modern tree plantations Icomplicated, that’s because work: it is – and it’s also one of the “First we have the glass newest technologies for grow- culture stage where we trans- ing trees that may be the key form tree explants into tiny to replenishing some of Cam- shoots in the lab. This stage Think Biotech’s Lu Chu Chang (left) and the environment ministry’s Neth Pheaktra (right) lead a tour of the tree plantation. YOUSOS APDULRASHIM bodia’s lost forest land. takes a little while, three to six This method for growing months depending on spe- trees skips Mother Nature’s cies and genotypes. preferred first step – planting “Then we culture the tiny seeds – and begins instead shoots in vitro for around 14 with trees being grown into to 25 days each, to induce root shoots en masse in a labora- growing and to produce in- tory and nursery and then be- tact tiny seedlings in around ing plunked down into the dirt 25 days within glass bottles. after gaining a big boost from “After that we transplant the their head start in the con- well developed tiny seedlings trolled conditions early on. into a nursery with more con- Trees grown this way on tree ventional facilities. plantations are large enough “Normally, it takes three to to be harvested in just five eight months here for those years time. tiny seedlings to become suit- Kratie province has a tree able for planting, which means plantation already making use they need to be 30-50cm tall of this cutting-edge technol- before we move them again. A visitor holds an in vitro plant at the lab-nursery of the Think Biotech 3000ha of eucalyptus trees have now been grown in Kratie province company in Kratie province. SOUS CHANTHY with another 30,000-120,000ha planned. YOUSOS APDOULRASHIM ogy over a large land area that “Finally, we plant those is growing trees in a sequence grown-up seedlings in the promising logistics potential est plantations, and they are questration of global warming At the beginning, Lu says of stages there right next to the actual field after the land has with the Mekong River flow- not just a private business – gases, the trees keep the land the company had trouble Mekong River, which provides gotten enough rain water, ing past,” he says. there are many other stake- green and a habitat for some finding enough qualified em- water for their irrigation. normally after mid-May in The government is fully on- holders involved. local wildlife and the planta- ployees with the skills for the Black plastic coverings Cambodia,” he says. board with the tree plantation “Meetings like this one could tions can provide anywhere work that they needed done, shield the tiny shoots across Lu says that prior to choos- concept and business plans greatly help more people to from hundreds to thousands of but fortunately they were one section of the plantation ing a location for the planta- and Neth Pheaktra, environ- understand what we are do- jobs depending on their sizes. buoyed by substantial early while small trees with little tion they investigated several ment ministry spokesman, ing and what we have actually But that’s not all – the fact capital investments. green leaves cover another regions of Cambodia and did says he hopes this will be able achieved. At the same time it that the plantations have a Lu says the businesses’ on- stretch next to them. test plantings in all of them. to replace some of the forest gives us a chance to learn high-yield harvest on a short going challenges include pos- A little further away from “We chose Kratie because that has been chopped down. about what the community rotation that only produces sible natural disasters such the nursery area, tall eucalyp- it has continuous and large- Recently, Pheaktra led jour- expects and find out about any desirable woods should re- as extreme climate, a long tus trees stand in long straight scale land available for our nalists on a tour of the planta- concerns they have regarding duce logging pressures on drought season, forest fires, rows where they grow until fi- central planting base and be- tion site where they listened the plantation.” natural forests once the plan- winds or storms and diseases nally harvested. cause Kratie’s natural climate to experts talk about the According to Lu and Pheak- tation supply can meet the and pests. The plantation is the prop- is also suitable for planting technical advantages of forest tra, the benefits to Cambodia market demand. Asked what might be one erty of the Think Biotech fast-growing trees – including plantations. from having these tree planta- The plantations themselves thing that could greatly im- (Cambodia) Co Ltd, which teak, acacia and eucalyptus. Lu says: “I found the meet- tions are manifold. produce a raw material that prove the overall project, Lu has grown around 3,000ha of “There was a land conces- ing with Pheaktra to be very They say the rapid growth will need to be processed says his company has every- eucalyptus trees in Kratie to sion immediately available useful. Forests in Cambodia of more trees has an immedi- before it’s used for anything, thing in place to succeed and date. for us to use here and it has will increasingly include for- ate benefit through mass se- which creates more business all they need to do now is put Over the next few years opportunities and potential in a lot of hard work. Think Biotech has plans to jobs across a variety of differ- “I guess I just need to lead plant more than 30,000 more ent industries. the company as best I can hectares of trees – and then With a significant economic with my expertise and knowl- 120,000ha over the next five return of investment, Lu ex- edge in forestry development to 10 years – according to the pects that the company will and management, education, company. become a long-term sustain- technology and business. “We decided to start our able Cambodian enterprise Let’s hope that formula works plantation programme five with the potential to impact for us, more or less,” he says years ago. But the planting and influence other markets with a chuckle. has speeded up in the last in Asia or even globally. Lu says the thing Cambodi- year, and an even more rapid “Our goal is not only to ans should understand about expansion has been planned meet the domestic [lumber] forest plantations are their for the coming years,” Think demand, but also the demand win-win nature for both the Biotech’s chairman Lu Chu of all other major foreign economy and the environ- Chang tells The Post. markets in Asia. Therefore, ment, providing ample ben- “Three to four years more of we hope that our plantation efits in both areas with practi- this fast development and we programme will greatly bene- cally no real downside. will begin harvesting our first fit national economic growth “Plantation forests will be plantings and also begin to and boost product exports as fundamental for protecting regenerate the plantation for well,” Lu says. Cambodia’s natural forests and the next cycle of growth. The However, Lu says the com- environment as long as they goal is to build a sustainably pany has faced a lot of chal- are well developed and man- managed plantation forest lenges in the time it has been aged in a scientific and profes- and develop its downstream A drone view of the tree plantation along the Mekong River. YOUSOS APDOULRASHIM around. sional way,” Lu says. THE PHNOM PENH POST march 17, 2021 www.phnompenhpost.com 13 Lifestyle From Beijing to Badlands: how indie director Zhao won over Hollywood

orn in Beijing but long deo – Brady Jandreau, who stars as fascinated by the US West, “Brady Blackburn”. Nomadland director Chloe For the first time in Nomadland Zhao has Hollywood in the Zhao worked with a bona fide acting palmB of her hand with a string of superstar in Frances McDormand, prestigious award nominations but still encouraged the double-Os- and a Marvel superhero film on the car winner and producer to draw on way. her own life to play “Fern”. The 38-year-old indie filmmaker “If this means that more people . . . earned four Oscar nods on March see someone who is not living in a 15, including best director and best traditional home – who is living an picture, for her intimate road movie alternative lifestyle – and maybe about semi-retired people living off wave and say hi, it will make their the grid in dilapidated vans. day,” Zhao told AFP after her Globes She is the first woman ever to land win. four Oscar picks in a year, and the “The recognition that we’re get- first woman of colour nominated ting – the awareness that is going to for the Academy’s best director stat- bring to the nomadic community – I uette – barely two weeks after she think is a great thing.” earned a historic Golden Globe for the film. ‘Strong contender’ “Thank you so much to my Acad- Born Zhao Ting to a wealthy Chi- emy peers for recognising this film nese steel company executive, the that is very close to my heart,” Zhao director left China as a teen to at- said in a statement to US media on tend a British boarding school be- March 15. fore finishing her education in Los Set on the spectacular open road Angeles and New York. of unfamiliar and sparsely popu- While Zhao’s success was initially lated states like South Dakota and celebrated in her birth country, with Nebraska, Nomadland is just Zhao’s state media calling her “the pride of latest love letter to her adopted US China,” nationalists have pounced homeland’s wide and wild spaces. on old media interviews in which Zhao’s first film Songs My Brothers she appeared to criticise the nation. Taught Me, about a teen dreaming of In particular, a 2013 interview in a life beyond the Pine Ridge Indian which she reportedly called China Chloe Zhao (on screen) accepting the Best Director - Motion Picture award for Nomadland via video from Bryce Dallas Howard Reservation, saw her spend months “a place where there are lies ev- onstage at the 78th Annual Golden Globe Awards on February 28. AFP immersed in the remote indigenous erywhere” appears to have placed South Dakota region. the release of Nomadland there in closely associated with Hollywood’s She stumbled upon images of the doubt, with some online users call- biggest studio. Lakota Indian homeland by chance ing her a “traitor.” She directs Eternals, a gigantic en- while at film school inN ew York, and If the film itself sounds any politi- semble superhero film which is part hoped she could “tell a story to make cal tone, it is directed at the cruel- of the record-grossing Marvel series, things better”, according to a recent ties of unfettered capitalism that starring the likes of Angelina Jolie New York Magazine interview. has failed to provide any safety net and Salma Hayek. The film earned festival prizes but for the elderly in the US. In February, it was also announced Zhao’s breakthrough came two years Zhao told New York Magazine that that Zhao will be directing a futuris- later with The Rider, another quasi- one speech delivered by a real-life tic sci-fi Western version of Dracula Western filmed in Pine Ridge and nomad during the film is “the most for rival powerhouse studio Univer- the nearby Badlands National Park, socialist speech I’ve ever heard – sal. which she would again return to in and I’m from China”. How Zhao handles the crossover Nomadland. She now lives in rural California’s from indie darling to Tinseltown su- Another common theme of Zhao’s hippie-inflected Ojai with her Brit- perstar remains to be seen, but for movies is casting non-actors to play ish cinematographer husband and now the focus is on Nomadland and semi-fictionalised versions of them- two dogs. its bid for Oscars glory. selves. While Nomadland is distributed “I think it’s fair to say she has just The Rider was conceived after a by Disney-owned arthouse label had an incredible year,” one Acad- cowboy Zhao met badly injured Searchlight, Zhao’s next film is of emy voter said. “She’s definitely a US-Chinese director Chloe Zhao poses during a photocall. The 38-year-old indie filmmaker himself but refused to quit the ro- the mega-blockbuster variety more strong contender.” AFP earned four Oscar nods on Monday. AFP Malaysian houseplant craze fuelled by Covid pandemic

Learning to tell your ele- and alocasias, whose varieties phant ears from your flamingo include the silver dragon. flowers has become the latest Once relatively cheap, prices virus lockdown escape in surged last year when lock- Malaysia, where houseplants downs confined Malaysians to are very much in season. their homes, and many collec- Collectors are searching out tors started posting images of specimens with intricate pat- their favourite plants on social terns in a dazzling array of reds, media. yellows and greens, and sharing While some still cost as little their best on social media. as 20 ringgit ($4.80), the rarest “It’s like looking at a painting,” can now fetch up to 6,000 ring- collector Leiister Soon told AFP, git each. admiring the broad-leaf cala- Soon says he spent more than dium – elephant ear plants – at 20,000 ringgit on plants in the his Kuala Lumpur home. past year alone. “Taking care of plants meant “During the lockdown, people that I can divert my attention were at home thinking about – [it is] better than watching how to beautify their homes,” the number of Covid cases nursery owner Daud Kasim said Learning to tell your elephant ears from your flamingo flowers has This picture taken on March 7 shows Leiister Soon posing while holding become the latest virus lockdown escape in Malaysia. AFP an alocasia silver dragon plant at home in Kuala Lumpur. AFP going up.” in Sungai Besar, 100km north- The plants are known as “kel- west of Kuala Lumpur. keladi plants in late 2018 but ties from countries such as as authorities gradually begin ary when a new wave hit, but the adi” in the local Malay lan- “They could look at these demand exploded during the Thailand, China, the US and lifting restrictions. outbreak is slowing. guage, but the trend has grown plants – and their stress would pandemic. the Netherlands. Malaysia first imposed curbs Health authorities have to encompass other species, go away.” Nearly half of his nursery’s Standing among thousands of last year shortly after the start of reported more than 300,000 such as anthuriums – known as An avid collector himself, inventory is now made up of potted specimens, Daud said the pandemic and had to imple- infections and over 1,000 deaths. flamingo flower, or laceleaf – Daud said he started selling such plants, with foreign varie- the trend was here to stay, even ment restrictions again in Janu- AFP 14 THE PHNOM PENH POST march 17, 2021 www.phnompenhpost.com Lifestyle Thinking caps

Young Egyptian dancer Luca Abdel-Nour poses at Switzerland’s Tanz Akademie Zurich on March 3, 2021. AFP Egyptian dancer Billy Elliot breaks down walls, builds bridges in ballet urrounded by little ally he joined a class in Egypt. names in the business. girls and mocked at He soon realised this was his “Dancers who are now di- school when he first passion, even if he was the rectors who I have watched tried ballet, it took se- only boy in the group. since I was a child were tex- riousS determination for Luca “I didn’t really care if there ting me saying ‘You did a “WATER WAYS” Abdel-Nour to become the were no boys,” he said. “Peo- good job, we’re interested first Egyptian prizewinner at ple at school knew because in you’. I was starstruck and ACROSS 45 Got back, as hair 22 Continuing story line the prestigious Prix de Lau- I was open about it. I would honoured,” he said. 1 Dried-up riverbeds 47 Computer accessory 23 Buzzi and Ginsburg sanne. be called names but I didn’t 24 Lend ___ (pay attention) ‘Worth it in the end’ 6 Apparently amazed 48 Smoldering ash The international competi- care. I used to tell them: ‘You 11 “Cool” amount 49 Town noted for its shroud 25 Common sight in Alaskan waters tion in Switzerland has been do your thing, I want to do my His success has generated 14 Public square, in ancient Greece 51 Shout of disapproval 26 Typically messy eaters 27 Competes one of the leading showcases thing’.” plenty of reaction back home in 15 Mouselike rodents 52 What a destroyer might target 29 Douses for young ballet talent since it Egypt, with social media full of 16 Certain tax shelter 58 Airport info, informally Starstruck 30 Do, for one began in 1973. praise as well as the inevitable 17 Shake things up 59 Cleans up text 32 Heater component Abdel-Nour, 17, took three Hard work helped him over- sarcastic and even hostile com- 19 Made use of a divan 60 String quartet instrument 34 Bing, bang or boom prizes, including second over- come his late start and by 14 mentary. 20 Kind of silence 61 Pig tail? 35 Exodus commemoration all and the audience award, at he had won a year’s scholar- “There are of course lots of 21 Rushers make it 62 Audition tapes 37 Exploded, as a tire the latest instalment in Feb- ship to a dance school in Bu- negative comments and stuff, 23 High beams 63 City near Salt Lake DOWN 38 Hansel and Gretel’s weapon ruary, and hopes his success dapest. but there are a lot of people 27 Triangle corner 40 Sidestepped 1 Dove’s aversion can inspire more boys from The following year, he won that have been really sup- 28 “Local” groups 41 Venezuelan river 2 Reminiscer’s word the Middle East to overcome a full-time place at the elite portive of me doing it, saying 29 Turn informer 43 “What ___ the odds?” 3 Disney dwarf their prejudices about dance. Zurich Dance Academy. This I’ve inspired them to do ballet 31 Proctor’s handouts 44 Crossword framework 4 Aggravate Born to a French mother was where things became in a society where ballet is not 32 An Aussie call 45 Confederate soldier 5 Cotton fabrics but growing up in Cairo, he serious: he had to relearn really encouraged,” he said. 33 Cincinnati threesome 46 Go overboard on stage 6 Asserts performed in dance and the- everything from scratch, and “You got the positive, you got 36 They’re just for laughs 47 Newspapers, collectively 7 Expanding desert 37 There are five in this puzzle 49 Barbershop touch-up atre shows with his school as overcome two leg injuries in the negative, and you have to 8 Hand lotion ingredient 38 Orchestra tuner 50 “What’ve you been ___?” a young boy. his first year. choose what you want to listen 9 Ammo in a harmless shooter 39 “Lanka” preceder 53 Lyric work But he didn’t try ballet un- But the work paid off at to.” 10 Connoisseur of beauty 40 Quite similar 54 Dog command til he took part in a summer Lausanne last month. Abdel-Nour has accepted a 11 Be too late 41 Elliptic 55 Antiquated dance school in France aged “When they announced the place in a company, but is not 12 More than ticked 56 Pale pub potable 42 Seedless oranges 13 Surgical glove material 12, and an instructor told him finalists, I couldn’t believe it, yet allowed to reveal which one. 57 Unit of weight to give it a try. I was on my way home from “Every step of the way was 44 “Summer Nights” musical 18 Towel monogram “I was like ummm ‘I don’t school on the train and I hard,” he said. “It’s hard to want to do ballet, it’s for girls’,” cried,” he said. leave your family and not see Tuesday’s solution he said. Suddenly his phone was them for long periods of time But his mother kept en- lighting up with messages but it was all worth it at the couraging him and eventu- from some of the biggest end.” AFP

Tuesday’s solution

At just 17-years-old Luca is still high on a cloud after training for the past three years at the Zurich Dance Academy – the prestigious annual ballet competition for young dancers held in February. AFP THE PHNOM PENH POST march 17, 2021 www.phnompenhpost.com 15 Sport Japan’s Honda admits ‘mistakes and failures’ Globe-trotting Japan way into the squad for this star Keisuke Honda admitted summer’s coronavirus-delayed to “mistakes and failures” as he Tokyo Olympics. pitched up in Azerbaijan’s “Nothing is impossible, but league, but refused to give it’s not an easy situation for up on playing at the Tokyo me,” said the attacking mid- Olympics. fielder, who hopes to be chosen The 34-year-old midfielder, as one of three overage players who spent three and a half in Japan’s under-24 squad. years at Italian giants AC “I haven’t been selected so far Milan, signed for Azerbaijani so I have to show the head outfit Neftci until the end of coach of the national team I the season on Monday, hav- play good here. I have ambition ing been without a club since to show I play good again here. leaving Brazil’s Botafogo in I think it’s possible.” December. And Honda also shrugged off It is quite a change in for- suggestions that his role as tunes for Honda, formerly a general manager of Cambo- mainstay of the national team dia’s national team, which he and the first Japanese player to took up in 2018, will interfere score at three World Cups. with his playing career. Honda, who has already “I manage my time with the Wolves forward Fabio Silva (left) and Liverpool defender Nat Phillips vie for the ball in their match at Molineux on Monday. AFP played for clubs in seven dif- great people who work on the ferent countries including Cambodian national team Mexico, Australia and Russia, project,” he said. said he “didn’t have any “First, I can just spend a lot options” after a February move of time as a player, and second Klopp happy to win ‘dirty’ as to Portugal fell through because I spend time on the Cambo- of transfer regulations. dian project with great people “I made a lot of mistakes and . . . It’s not difficult to manage failures – that’s why I’m here,” the time.” Honda, his trademark bleach- Honda said playing for Neft- Jota returns to haunt Wolves blond crop grown out into an ci is his “priority for now”, but unkempt mane, said at an refused to speculate on his urgen Klopp said he had no tell me he’s OK,” said Nuno. “He’s going to Alisson Becker somehow escaped without online press conference from plans beyond the Azerbaijan problem with winning “three dirty recover, so it’s OK.” conceding a penalty when he crashed into Baku. Premier League season, which points” as Diogo Jota returned to Wolves have already been badly affected Nelson Semedo after just two minutes. “Everyone said to me: ‘Why ends in late May. Jhaunt Wolves with the only goal in a by a serious head injury this season. Their Sadio Mane missed two big chances at don’t you go back to Japan to “I never felt that I would 1-0 win at Molineux on Monday. top scorer for the past two seasons, Raul the other end to open the scoring for the play?’ [But] it’s not interesting come to Azerbaijan when I A wretched run of six successive home Jimenez, has been out since fracturing his visitors. for me any more. I’m maybe a started playing soccer. league defeats has left Liverpool with an skull against Arsenal in November. But the Senegalese did have a part to weird person, but that’s me,” he “I didn’t expect when I start- uphill task to qualify for the Champions The absence of Jimenez means Nuno’s play in the only goal of the game in first- said, adding that he likes to ed playing football that I would League next season. men have missed Jota even more since he half stoppage time as he exchanged pass- “challenge new things”. play in eight countries. But But Klopp’s men have now won six joined the English champions for an initial es with Mohamed Salah before teeing up But Honda, who retired from now, to be honest, I really want of their last seven games away from £41 million ($57 million) in September. Jota for a low shot that should have been Japan’s senior team in 2018, to play in more countries,” he Anfield. Jota has also been missed by Liverpool kept out by Patricio low to his right. believes he can still force his said. AFP Victory moved the English champions for much of the past three months due to Liverpool’s lack of fluency compared to back up to sixth and within five points of a knee injury that halted his flying start the side that romped to the title last sea- fourth-placed Chelsea. to life at Anfield. son was even more clear after the break “It’s all about the result,” said Klopp. “It But the winger is hopeful his return can as they were happy to sit on their lead was a big fight. We won three dirty points, inspire a strong end to the season to se- and would have been punished by a more I am completely fine with that. We need cure Champions League football either clinical opponent. that to get back on track.” via the Premier League or winning Liver- Coady headed wide a great chance A disappointing night for Wolves end- pool’s seventh European Cup. to score against his former club, while ed with a bigger concern than just the re- “Hopefully this can be a great start of a Adama Traore stung the palms of Alisson sult as goalkeeper Rui Patricio had to be run towards the end of the season,” said and Fabio Silva’s weak header floated into stretchered off after 15 minutes of treat- Jota. the grateful Liverpool ‘keeper’s arms. ment for a head injury following a colli- But with Jimenez watching on from the sion with his own player Connor Coady Alisson escapes stands, even Liverpool’s makeshift central in the closing stages. Klopp named the same side that defensive pairing of Nat Phillips and Ozan However, Wolves boss Nuno Espirito bounced back to form with a 2-0 win Kabak were not asked serious questions. Santo allayed fears over the Portuguese over RB Leipzig last midweek to reach the Despite a nervy finale, Liverpool held international’s health. quarter-finals of the Champions League. out to take advantage of a weekend in “He’s OK. He’s conscious, he remem- However, the visitors should have been which a host of the other contenders for Japanese superstar Keisuke Honda has been the general manager of bers what happens, he’s aware, so they punished for a slow start as goalkeeper the top four all faltered. AFP Cambodia’s national team since 2018. AFP Atletico look to Suarez in Chelsea rescue mission Atletico Madrid’s hopes of where he became one of the month and handed Chelsea a time, even if those two goals tried to sign the 34-year-old switch to Atletico from Bar- coming back against Chelsea best in the world. crucial advantage heading have come in the last three, for Paris Saint-Germain when celona last summer has in the Champions League on Atletico trail 1-0 after Olivier into this week’s second leg. against Real Madrid and Ath- it became clear he was on his already been a triumph, but Wednesday may depend on Giroud’s bicycle kick lit up an And if they are to reach the letic Bilbao. way out of Barcelona last there will be disappointment Luis Suarez returning to form uneventful first game at the quarter-finals with another summer. now if he does not end the on his return to the country Wanda Metropolitano last upset like the one that knocked ‘Natural-born striker’ “There was a possibility,” season with a trophy. out Liverpool last year, Atletico Certainly, there can be no Tuchel said. “We heard the Despite their dip, Atletico are likely to need Suarez back room for complacency for rumours he was about to leave remain four points ahead of to his best at Stamford Chelsea, who know only too Barcelona, and who cannot be Barca in La Liga, and it might Bridge. well the damage Suarez can interested to sign one of the be that a defeat to Chelsea The Uruguayan’s form has do after his hugely successful best strikers in world football, could help their La Liga ambi- matched his team’s, with a four seasons for Liverpool, in history and the present? tions, with the Catalans being slight downturn in recent when he scored 82 goals in “We tried our luck. We did knocked out of the Champions weeks perhaps inevitable after 133 appearances. not make it – he chose to stay League last week by Paris such an impressive first half of “He is a natural-born strik- in Spain with Atletico, and Saint-Germain. the season. er,” said Chelsea coach Tho- again he proves his quality.” Suarez will not relent. “My Suarez scored 16 goals in his mas Tuchel before the first leg. Suarez has history with Chel- way has always been to be first 21 games while Atletico “He has that certain mentality sea too, after one of his three competitive, always wanting lost only one of their first 20 in that only strikers have. This biting incidents happened to prove myself,” he said ear- the league, when a first La Liga mentality to show his will, while playing against them for lier this month. title since 2014 seemed firmly intensity and anger to score Liverpool in 2013, with Bran- “To come to a team like within their grasp. and score and score and is islav Ivanovic that time the Atletico that hasn’t won titles Yet they have won only three never satisfied. What a mental- victim. for a long time, to be able to win Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel has described Luis Suarez (right) as ‘one of their last eight and Suarez ity, what a player.” Suarez’s 18 goals in 29 something is definitely one of of the best strikers in world football, in history and the present’. AFP has scored only twice in that Tuchel is such a fan he even games this season means his the wishes I have.” AFP 16 THE PHNOM PENH POST march 17, 2021 www.phnompenhpost.com Sport Messi marks Barca milestone in style ionel Messi scored a spec- tacular double the same night that he equalled Xavi Hernandez’s appearance re- cordL for Barcelona, the Argentinian inspiring his team to a 4-1 win over Huesca on Monday. Messi tied Xavi’s 767 games in all competitions for Barca and marked yet another milestone with a bril- liant brace, a curling effort in the first half flying in off the crossbar at Camp Nou before a late shot nestled in the corner. “He’s the most important man in the history of Barca,” said coach Ronald Koeman. “Even better that he’s still with us.” Antoine Griezmann had earlier followed suit with another impres- sive shot into the top corner before Huesca pulled one back, Rafa Mir converting a doubtful penalty on the stroke of half-time. But Messi helped Barca pull away, sending in a cross for Oscar Min- gueza to head in and then scoring his second as the Catalans moved to within four points of league leaders Atletico Madrid. Messi’s performance had all the key elements of the 33-year-old’s genius. In a game that celebrated his lon- gevity, he showed his class with per- haps his best goal of the season, his creativity with an assist and his con- sistency by making it 13 consecutive campaigns that he has reached 20 La Liga goals. “He’s so decisive,” said Huesca’s Mir. “They play with one man extra.” Barcelona forward Lionel Messi scores his team’s fourth goal against Huesca during their La Liga match at the Camp Nou on Monday. AFP Huesca stay bottom, four points adrift of safety, while Barcelona con- former teammates including Gerard again in the centre of a back three, ward and whipped a shot that flew terattack was rewarded with a mys- tinue their own excellent form. Pique, Sergio Busquets, Luis Suarez, but he was replaced in the second off the crossbar and in. terious penalty, Mir failing to con- They have now managed 11 wins Neymar, Andres Iniesta, Carlos Puy- half by Ronald Araujo, whose re- Barcelona were dominant and Jor- nect with Ferreiro’s cross but given and a draw from their last 12 matches, ol and Xavi himself. turn from injury should also be a di Alba thrashed a shot against the a spot-kick anyway, seemingly for a putting them within sight of Atletico, “You’re still breaking records,” said major boost to Barca during the crossbar before Griezmann made late challenge from Marc-Andre ter who they still have to play at home Suarez. “I think this one says a lot run-in. it two, played into space by Pedri Stegen. Mir made no mistake. in May. about you as a player and what you Messi rose to the occasion in the and driving another thundering ef- Yet Barca gave themselves breath- Messi should break Xavi’s record represent for Barcelona.” 13th minute. He darted back to re- fort into the same corner Messi had ing space when Mingueza headed in on Sunday against Real Sociedad, “We think you’re extraordinary, ceive a pass from Busquets and picked out. his first Barcelona goal from a cross and the club toasted his achieve- something from another planet,” flicked his first touch around the De Jong poked a cross onto bar and by Messi, who had the last word, cut- ment with a video that included said Neymar. sliding Jorge Pulido. The ball was Huesca were given hope at the end ting in from the right and firing into tributes from numerous current and Koeman played Frenkie de Jong still spinning when he tapped it for- of the half when a scintillating coun- the bottom corner for his 661st. AFP Joshua and Fury sign two-fight deal to unify titles Anthony Joshua and Tyson Hearn said: “The hard part is WBC belt will be on the line, is Middle East, Asia, eastern “I’m ready. I’m really looking weight champ was Britain’s Len- Fury will clash for the title of always getting everybody to set to be confirmed “within the Europe and America. forward to competition – all I nox Lewis, from 1999 to 2000. A undisputed world heavyweight put pen to paper. next month”. “We’d like to get a site deal want to do is fight, fight, boxer is now required to hold champion after signing a two- “But this was a major effort According to reports, Saudi confirmed in the next month,” fight.” the WBO belt to be recognised fight deal, Joshua’s promoter from all parties to get this over Arabia, where Joshua won he said. Fury has consistently made as undisputed champion. Eddie Hearn said on Monday. the line. You had rival promot- a rematch against Andy Ruiz Both Joshua, 31, and Fury, 32, jibes at Joshua’s expense, Joshua has 24 wins and one The locations and dates for ers, rival networks and rival Jr in December 2019, is the are expected to earn £100 mil- claiming in January that he defeat from 25 professional the much-anticipated all-Brit- fighters.” frontrunner. lion ($139 million) each, with would knock out his fellow Brit bouts. He lost his three world ish showdowns are yet to be Hearn said a venue for the But Hearn told ESPN he the purse split 50-50 for the first within two rounds. titles in a stunning defeat to announced. fights, in which Joshua’s WBA, “already had approaches from fight and 60-40 for the rematch Ruiz Jr in June 2019. Confirming the agreement, IBF and WBO titles and Fury’s eight or nine sites” across the in favour of the defending Four belts at stake Fury is unbeaten in his 31 champion. However, last week the self- professional fights. He was Since avenging a shock defeat styled “Gypsy King” said he controversially denied victory to Ruiz, Joshua has defended had stopped training after in a draw with Wilder in 2018 his titles against Kubrat Pulev becoming tired of waiting for before winning their rematch in London in December. the fight to be agreed. in February 2020. Fury has not fought for more “I’m not training anymore,” He beat Wladimir Klitschko than a year since defeating Fury told ESPN. “I’m taking in 2015 to win the WBA, IBF and Deontay Wilder in February some time away from the game WBO belts before nearly three 2020 to claim the WBC title. at the moment because, like I years out of the sport, during Joshua previously stated he said, I’ve been ready to fight which he battled depression, hoped the fight could take since I beat Deontay Wilder drink and drug problems. place as early as June. last year. I’ve had no success in Fury was cleared to fight “[The Covid-19 pandemic] is getting another fight.” again in December 2017 by UK getting close to things being All four belts will be con- Anti-Doping after accepting a normal. We’re working on a date tested in a heavyweight bout backdated two-year ban for British heavyweight boxers Tyson Fury (left) and Anthony Joshua. Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn has said a for around June,” the former for the first time. testing positive for the steroid venue for the fights is set to be confirmed ‘within the next month’.AFP Olympic champion said. The last undisputed heavy- nandrolone. AFP