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Thursday, april 9, 2020 Intelligent . In-depth . Independent www.phnompenhpost.com 4000 RIEL Border opening on table

Long Kimmarita provincial governor Um Re- He said products are allowed Dei, Malai and O’Snguot. transported through the atrey and Border Affairs Of- to be transported by heavy ve- He said Cambodian traders Phnom Dei and Malai check- AMBODIA and Thai- fice deputy director Pich hicles, while transportation by mostly export cassava. points, among others. Banks asked land are in talks to Vanna. The Thai side was led carts has been banned. “A few weeks ago, senior “Currently, the Doung and open more border by Sa Kaeo provincial gover- Border checkpoints that [Thai] officials announced Lem checkpoints are also to defer loans gates to import and nor Woraphan Suwannus. remain open for transaction the closure of all the bor- opened but it is still too far, exportC agricultural products Vanna, who also heads the include O’Smach, Poipet and der gates except the Poipet so our people also suggested for workers after the two countries largely Cambodia-Thailand border Doung, which he said are too checkpoint, where transac- Thailand open other gate- closed their borders amid the liaison bureau, told The Post far from where Cambodian tions continue as usual. ways such as Sampov Loun amid pandemic Covid-19 pandemic. on Wednesday that despite traders reside. To ease their “Before, there was no cas- in Battambang province. national – page 4 Held on Tuesday on the the border closure, transport difficulties, he said Cambodia sava transportation through “Following the border clo- Thai side of the border, the of products between the two has requested the Thai side Poipet as it is too far from sure, cassava transportation Cambodian delegation was countries has continued, al- to reopen more international where Cambodian traders led by Banteay Meanchey beit at a smaller scale. checkpoints such as Phnom live. Cassava is normally Continued – page 2 Trade likely to plunge Cambodia Airways vows to up to a third expand business against all odds worldwide business – page 6 GLOBAL trade growth is expected to plummet by up to a third in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) said on Wednesday, warning that the numbers would be “ugly”. “World trade is expected to fall by between 13 per cent and 32 per cent in 2020 as the Covid-19 pandemic disrupts normal economic activity and life around the world,” the WTO said in a statement. There were a wide range of possibili- ties for how trade would be hit by the Wuhan exodus “unprecedented” health crisis, it said. However, WTO chief Roberto after lockdown Azevedo warned the downturn “may well be the deepest economic reces- sparks hopes sion or downturn of our lifetimes”. In its main annual forecast, the 164- despite deaths Holy cow member WTO pointed out that trade WORLD – Page 9 A worker wearing a protective suit sprays disinfectant on a bench in front of a closed restaurant as a preventive measure against the had already been slowing in 2019, spread of the coronavirus in Kandal province on Sunday. AFP before the emergence of the novel coronavirus. But the virus has now infected some 1.4 million people since late last year, killing more than 80,000 and forcing governments across the world to take radical measures. Man ‘attempts’ to kill dad More than half of humanity has been asked to stay at home and eco- Kim Sarom his father Broem Maly, 61, “The suspect did not slit the him what he needed it for. nomic activity has ground to a vir- with a cleaver after he refused victim’s throat because his As he attempted to attack tual standstill in many places. KRATIE provincial police to give him 100,000 riel ($25). older sister stopped him in Maly out of rage, his sister Global trade, already hit by trade ten- are building a legal case Ratana said the son is a drug time. He was furious after his rushed to grab the cleaver sions and uncertainties around Brexit, Clubbing with against a 23-year-old man addict. father refused to give him the from him before reporting is expected to register “double-digit for attempting to slit his “He will be sent to court on money he asked for,” he said. to police. declines in trade volumes” in nearly all DJs from the father’s throat in Snuol Thursday. The prosecutor Citing their relatives, Roth The son rejected the alle- regions this year, the WTO said. district’s Pi Thnou com- will decide whether to charge Neary said the son always gation, saying he only held “The unavoidable declines in trade safety of home mune on Tuesday. him or not,” she said. stole and sold valuables the cleaver “for fun”. and output will have painful conse- Deputy provincial police District crime bureau from the house for money And though he denied quences for households and busi- in phnom penh chief Nov Ratana told The chief Nun Roth Neary said to buy drugs. Before the using drugs, a urine test nesses, on top of the human suffering Post on Wednesday that the Maly and his son are Cam- incident, he asked Maly for proved otherwise, the dis- caused by the disease itself,” Azevedo lifestyle – page 12 unidentified suspect attacked bodian Muslims. 100,000 riel but did not tell trict police chief said. said in a statement. AFP

THE PHNOM PENH POST Schools face bankruptcy National News amid Covid-19 shutdown Inside page 5 2 THE PHNOM PENH POST april 9, 2020 www.phnompenhpost.com National School’s out for the year but Boundary markers create concerns for studying and exams to go on indigenous people

Ry Sochan Khorn Savi sanctuary and that the mark- ers belong to the villagers, not HE Ministry of Edu- THE Bunong indigenous peo- any tycoon as claimed. cation, Youth and ple in Mondulkiri province have On Friday, a Facebook post by Sport has postponed expressed concerns about Bunong’s Voice said the commu- secondary and high deforestation in the Phnom nity was highly suspicious of a schoolT examinations this year Nam Lyr Wildlife Sanctuary after set of red-painted wooden mark- to contain Covid-19 infec- a forest community spotted ers they found in the sanctuary. tions. machinery in an off-limits area The community believed In a letter on Wednesday and noticed markers planted in the markers belonged to a the ministry said: “In the the surrounding land. powerful tycoon with the 2019-2020 academic year, But an environment official honorific oknha. the Ministry of Education claimed the machinery was Regardless of who owns the will continue implementing being used to repair a road in markers, Sarom said wildlife new reforms to all kinds of the area. sanctuary rangers patrolled the examinations in line with the Yun Lorong, the secretary of area and removed them daily. principles of law, justice and the provincial Bunong Indig- “The members are the ones transparency and obtained enous People Alliance, told to plant the markers and rang- results.” The Post on Wednesday that ers from my side have removed The secondary school ex- the machinery was found in them already. [We] remove 30 amination was scheduled Dakdam commune’s Pou Les to 40 markers a day. We iden- to be held from August 3-10, village and that portions of the tify some. No one comes here while the high school exami- forest were secretly cleared. but them,” he said. nation was to be held from Although students will not be in classrooms, they will be studying online. Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport “Besides the excavator, the O’Raing district governor August 17 to September 9. community observed markers Siek Mony said the provincial The ministry will inform stu- able on smartphones across and broadcasting e-learning parents and guardians of stu- being planted throughout a and district administrations dents of new dates for the ex- iOS and Android platforms programmes electronically. dents to prepare their chil- vast section of land spanning had hired the excavator to aminations at a later time. and will be broadcast on Ap- The Ministry of Education dren to study properly using hundreds of hectares. The widen a 40km-long road in the The further said the date of sara Television (TV11), OneTV, reiterated on its Facebook basic study books conducive markers are about 1km from location, and about 200 fami- receiving secondary exami- Channel 6, SKY ONETV Chan- post on Wednesday that the to online learning. the environmental protection lies in the commune had reg- nation application forms and nel 35, Wiki School TV. production and dissemi- In the future, the ministry will headquarters,” he said. istered their thumbprints providing secondary examina- Ministry spokesman Ros nation of the programmes prepare further question and Lorong sent pictures of the requesting the repair. tion registration letters as hard Soveacha could not be would ensure that education answer systems to make it easy machinery to Ministry of Envi- Besides being used to clear copy and soft copy for candi- reached for further comment services had balance, espe- for student learning online. ronment spokesman Neth the road for repairs, residents dates are to be sent to the De- on Wednesday. cially for rural students who A press release issued by Pheaktra, who then forwarded had also used the excavator partment of Affairs at the Min- The Ministry of Education can obtain the same quality the ministry on Wednesday them to an environment offi- to dig out soil from their istry of Education at a set time. has allowed the closure of pri- of education as city dwellers. noted that the Ministry of In- cial in the province. ponds to increase their water It said all students had to vate and state pre-schools to Quoting Chuon Naron, the formation requested a Cable Sanctuary director Vuth storage while they encoun- self-study at home by using higher education since March ministry wrote in a Facebook TV channel per province to Sarom explained that the exca- tered droughts, he said. basic books and e-learning 16 until further notice amid post that both ministries had broadcast e-learning of “Te- vator was being used in the “Those complaining are not materials contained in the the Covid-19 pandemic. collaborated to organise TV choTV” and “TVK2”. area because the provincial residents in Dak Dam com- formal website of the Ministry On Wednesday, Minister channels to broadcast online The press release also an- and district administrations mune, but in other districts, of Education, YouTube, ?Face- of Education Hang Chuon teaching on TV and students nounced that the DTV Net- had requested road repairs to namely Pech Chreada district. book, the Electronic Learning Naron and Minister of In- can learn it across the country. work Limited handed over make it easier for residents to “Once before, I caught the Centre, E-School Cambodia formation Khieu Kanharith The Ministry of Educa- 10 sets of DVT skills develop- travel and transport goods. residents digging soil in the and Wiki School. co-signed a memorandum tion further said that Chuon ment training videos to the Sarom said the excavator wildlife sanctuary. It is the The programmes are avail- of understanding to produce Naron had also instructed Ministry of Information. was not used to clear forest as same group. They have claimed by the community. always caused problems. He maintained that the pro- They reported that I have vincial and district adminis- hundreds of hectares of land. trations were authorised to But they are the ones to take NGO wants timber road shutdown repair the road leading to the the land, no one else.”

Soth Koemsoeun NATURAL Resource and Wild- Thailand, Cambodia life Preservation Organisation director Chea Hean has requested that the Hong Leng trade talks to continue Huor (HLH) company close a road because offenders were Continued from page 1 Banteay Meanchey province’s using it to transport timber on O’Chrov district as the ideal trucks and tractors. is stuck in a jam. We want the Thai gateways, Thailand has agreed The request was made via a side to facilitate the transporta- in principle to open O’Bei Cho- letter dated Tuesday. It said tion of our agricultural products an, which shares its border in the on March 26, it received a such as cassava, but they haven’t area of Kouk Thchoung village. complaint from people that decided yet,” he said. Vanna said around 60,000 timber transporters were Vanna said Cambodia is Cambodian migrant workers using the company’s land by also considering Thailand’s have returned from Thailand. paying 50,000 riel each to its request to export its agricul- Rights group Adhoc provin- security guards. tural and husbandry prod- cial coordinator Sum Chankea After getting the complaint, ucts such as pigs. said the ongoing negotiations it investigated and found that “No decision has been would benefit both countries. the timber was taken from made. We need to wait for However, he said Thailand Phnom Kravanh district, Pur- other new negotiations to get stands to gain more from the sat province and crossed the A local NGO has asked HLH company to close a road it says is being used by timber traffickers. courtesy through first,” he said. border reopening. company’s roads to Kampong He said the Thai side will “For us to boost economic Speu province. refer Cambodia’s request to development, business trans- The NGO staffers questioned obtained any response from the road, which is the only way land and the company man- export cassava to its Ministry actions have to continue as the timber transporters and the company, but an official to carry out crimes from Phnom ager did not allow any guards of Commerce. usual. Without such transac- they confessed that they paid from the company threatened Kravanh. The company is not to accept money from those The Tuesday meeting also tions, how can people survive? the company’s security guards to sue him at the provincial engaged in the crime, but it who travel across it. He said he touched on Cambodian mi- “The Thais can freely export so that they allowed them to use court by accusing him of caus- opened the road,” Hean said. did not see any timber trans- grant workers in Thailand. a lot of products to Cambodia the roads, but the company is ing problems. HLH gateway manager Seng ports pass by the company. Reatrey told reporters after while there are restrictions on not involved with the crimes. Hean also said the security Lay said he obtained the letter “We never ask for money the meeting that Thailand the flow of Cambodian prod- Hean confirmed on Wednes- guards stopped him and his from Hean and he thinks the from people who crossed had asked Cambodian au- ucts into that country. day that he sent the letter to car for over one hour from content in the letter is not true company land. I have not seen thorities to facilitate the re- “I call for fair and equal trans- the company, seeking coop- leaving the company when he because it accused the secu- any tractors transporting tim- turn of workers as both coun- actions between both parties. eration with his NGO and rel- and his team were investigat- rity guards of accepting the ber across the company land tries sought to prevent the Thailand imposes restrictions evant authorities to close the ing the issue on Monday. money from illegal timber either. But if it happened, the coronavirus spreading. on Cambodian products but roads so that such crimes “We are sorry about it. And we transporters. company would work with the He said while Cambodia has freely exports their products would not continue. hope that HLH will work with He said the company had a NGO because we want to stop suggested Boeung Trakuon and to the Kingdom. How is that However, he said, he has not us and the authorities to close disciplined workforce across its forest crimes,” he said. O’Bei Choan checkpoints in fair?” he asked. THE PHNOM PENH POST april 9, 2020 www.phnompenhpost.com 3 National Man held in PM Hun Sen, $150,000 cheque US’ Pompeo fraud scam HE Phnom Penh Munici- pal Court on Wednesday discuss virus, Tcharged a man with passing off a fraudulent cheque for $150,000. Phou Norin, 46, was arrested in Phnom Penh on Sunday and relationship taken to the Phnom Penh Mu- nicipal Court on Tuesday. Niem Chheng conversation also touched on An officer from the criminal controversial issues. police department who asked RIME Minister Hun “With the commitment that to remain anonymous said the Sen and US Secretary the US will support efforts for arrest followed the victim’s of State Mike Pompeo the health and safety of Cam- complaint. But he stopped short discussed the Covid- bodians, Pompeo welcomed of providing details. 19P pandemic and other issues the Kingdom’s statement on Municipal court spokesperson US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (left) spoke on the phone with Prime Minister Hun Sen about Covid-19 in a phone conversation on its sovereignty and Cambo- and other issues related to the US-Cambodia relationship. mike pompeo via twitter, hean Rangsey Kuch Kimlong said a prosecutor Wednesday, said the Ministry dia’s support of ASEAN’s se- charged Norin on Wednesday of Foreign Affairs and Interna- curity cooperation. person Koy Kuong said he did Cambodia’s sovereignty, as well The two countries should pro- and sent the case to an investi- tional Cooperation. “He also stressed the impor- not have further comment as as ways to strengthen the coun- mote their understanding of gating judge. It said Hun Sen and Pompeo tance of freedom of expression, to what was discussed in the try’s democratic governance, each other to avoid future mis- Fresh News reported that appreciated each other’s as- although there are different phone conversation. including the importance of understanding,” he said. criminal police officers detained sistance at a time when the views [of what this entails],” US Embassy spokesperson freedom of expression, espe- He said in recent months, the suspect after they received world is facing the onslaught the press release said. Emily Zeeberg said Hun Sen cially during this time when all the relations between the two a complaint from the victim of the Covid-19 pandemic. Hun Sen raised the impor- and Pompeo talked at length voices are needed to fight the nations was positive, includ- related to the $150,000 fraudu- Pompeo thanked Cambodia tant role of the US in the re- on the Covid-19 issue and pandemic,” Zeeberg said. ing the exchange of letters lent cheque. The complaint was for helping a US citizen who gion and its contribution to diplomatic relations between Kin Phea, the director of the between Hun Sen and Trump attached with documentary evi- travelled on the stranded MS reducing the gap between the two countries. Royal Academy of Cambodia’s regarding the US-ASEAN spe- dence of the cheque accompanied Westerdam that was allowed countries in the Lower Me- Pompeo and Hun Sen ac- International Relation Insti- cial summit, the docking of by an account having no balance. to dock in Preah Sihanouk kong region and other ASEAN knowledged the longstanding tute, said no matter what the the MS Westerdam cruise ship The suspect allegedly tricked province in February (with members. He also appreciat- bilateral partnership which is two leaders had discussed, the in Preah Sihanouk province, the victim into accepting the fake more than 600 American citi- ed the contribution of Peace 70 years old this year. In recent phone conversation itself was and even the exchange of let- cheque, which is why the victim zens). Corps Volunteers in Cambo- decades, the US has provided a gesture of good relations. ters between Hun Sen and filed the complaint to the Minis- Hun Sen thanked the US for dia, the press release said. Cambodia with more than $2 He said that as far as he Ted Yoho, a Florida congress- try of Interior’s criminal police to its aid and the cooperation The prime minister invited billion in development aid in knows, Hun Sen and Pompeo man who initiated a bill to proceed with legal action. of the experts from the US Pompeo to visit Cambodia at health, agriculture, educa- had never talked on the sanction Cambodia. National Police spokesman Centres for Disease Control a suitable time and expressed tion, trade, and many other phone before. “I think it is moving forward Chhay Kim Khoeun said: “I and Prevention (CDC), and his support for US President sectors, she said. “This phone conversation is and we have to take this oppor- cannot provide any answers as $2 million in assistance for Donald Trump’s efforts in the “Secretary Pompeo and like stretching their hands to tunity to restore the relation- yet since I have not received the Cambodia to fight Covid-19. fight against Covid-19. Prime Minister Hun Sen also each other and it is a positive ship between the two countries report.” Kim Sarom Besides the coronavirus, the Foreign ministry spokes- discussed the importance of step in Cambodia-US relations. to the next level,” Phea said. Men held Buddhist leaders say no to over forest pagoda events in New Year clearing in Niem Chheng

THE chief monks of two Bud- Mondulkiri dhist orders delivered a mes- sage on Wednesday instruct- Voun Dara ing monk leaders and pagoda chiefs across the country to FOUR men were detained on call off the traditional Khmer Tuesday for clearing land in New Year celebrations. a biodiversity conservation Patriarch Bou Kry, of the corridor of protected natural Thammayut sect, wrote a areas in Koh Nhek district, in letter saying the decision to Mondulkiri province. ban gatherings was made to Mondulkiri provincial De- adhere to Ministry of Health partment of Environment Police arrested six men this week for using tractors to clear protected instructions to prevent and director Keo Sopheak said on land for personal use. ministry of environment stop the spread of Covid-19. Wednesday that an investi- The ministry had earlier de- gating judge at the provincial The men were arrested by a The accused, 25-year-old Ren cided to shut down religious court had ordered four men park ranger while they were Lina, currently lives in Sre Sang- gatherings. Prime Minister to be held in pre-trial deten- operating a bulldozer illegally kum commune, Koh Nhek dis- Hun Sen also addressed the tion for grabbing forest land to plough land in Rovak vil- trict, in Mondulkiri province. issue at a press conference at for personal ownership – an lage, Royor commune, Koh Lina was arrested on Sunday the Peace Place on Tuesday. Traditional Khmer New Year celebration will be banned this year. post staff offence under articles 62 and Nhek district, Mondulkiri in Koh Nhek district, Mon- The letter read: “I decided 56 of the Natural Protected province. Such activity is il- dulkiri province, in the Prech to issue an announcement ony said on Wednesday that “In the past, during Khmer Areas Law. legal in protected areas, bio- Mountain forest sanctuary. He to the chiefs of monks in the the prime minister had de- New Year, when they played “There were three different diversity conservation areas possessed a rifle and a box of capital and provinces call- cided not to allow the people Bohs Ongkunh, tug of war and cases of clearing forest land and protected natural areas. ammunition for hunting. ing off the traditional Khmer to take days off during the other games, the local author- for ownership at protected In the prevention operation The Mondulkiri provincial New Year celebrations which holiday and advised against ities would help to provide natural areas. We detained a and crackdown on natural Department of Environment fall on April 13, at 8:45pm mass gathering at pagodas. security and maintain order. total of six suspects and sent resources, Sopheak said park said park rangers sent two and gatherings in pagodas “Allowing all monks to call But when there are no such them to court. The court de- rangers inspecting the scene more suspects to court in nationwide.” off the New Yew celebrations activities, the authorities are cided to temporarily hold just measured more than 30ha connection with forest land Buddhist Supreme Pa- means that gatherings at pa- involved in protecting safety four people,” he said. and found two tractors, which clearance. The two suspects triarch Non Nget wrote a godas to recite prayers and and security,” he said. Sopheak said three of the were taken to the office. are Kan Somaly, 57, and Nam similar letter saying that all playing games like Bohs Ong- He requested that Bud- accused were Cambodian na- A fourth man, Sopheak Sokha, 38. Both are from pagodas had to avoid mass kunh, throw heart-shaped dhists prepare religious tionals Tith Soboeun, 47, from said, was questioned by the Lumphat district in Ratanak- gatherings. However, he re- pillows, tug of war and skip- services at their respective Tbong Khmum province; Rong judge at the Mondulkiri Pro- kiri province. quested Buddhists to pre- ping are banned,” he said. homes, but with few partici- Sokchea, 22, from Memot dis- vincial Court on Tuesday and The suspects were detained pare sacred offerings such For the call to be effective, pants. They have to maintain trict, Tbong Khmum province; detained in connection with by rangers at Ror Nhor com- as candles, incense, flowers, he said monks, civil servants a safe distance from others as and Yat Chhaya, 19, who is cur- the use of explosives – an of- mune, Koh Nhek district, cakes and fruits to honour and local authorities had to announced by the ministry. rently living in Kok village, Krek fence under articles 61 and 56 while they were driving a their respective ancestors. collaborate to disseminate Even when sprinkling holy commune, Ponhea Krek dis- of the Law on Protected Natu- tractor and illegally plough- Ministry of Religions and information and educate the water, they have to be vigi- trict, Tbong Khmum province. ral Areas. ing the land. Cults spokesman Seng Som- public. lant, he said. 4 THE PHNOM PENH POST april 9, 2020 www.phnompenhpost.com National Fisheries authority Banks called on to defer loans chalks up 599 offences Thou Vireak Khouth Sophak Chakrya ers use their family’s poverty OURTEEN trade as an excuse to continue their unions submitted a THE Fisheries Administration practices,” Sophay said. petition to the Coun- has cracked down on a total of At the same time, he said cil of Ministers and 599 fishing offences in the first the Fisheries Administration theF Prime Minister’s Cabinet three months of the year, in- has urged its offices through- on Wednesday, requesting all cluding 42 sea fishing offences. out the Kingdom to continue banks and microfinance insti- This figure is down by 88 cases to strictly enforce the law and tutions (MFIs) to temporarily from the same period last year, push the fishing community suspend repayments, includ- said its report obtained by The to manage its fishing areas ing interest, for workers suf- Post on Wednesday. to ensure they are “free of of- fering financially during the “Of the offenders, 44 have fences”. Covid-19 pandemic. been arrested and sent to In Siem Reap province, Pras- The petition states: “Due to court for legal action. The oth- at Bakong district governor the spread of Covid-19, labour er 38 offenders were charged Sou Platong told The Post on has been suspended in garment with transitional fines total- Wednesday that on April 4, he factories, hotels, clubs, enter- ling 90,662,000 riel [$22,700],” led a multinational police force tainment services, the trans- it said, to patrol the area at the bor- port industry, construction, In the crackdown, the police der of Prasat Bakong district’s agriculture and other sectors in also dismantled and demol- Kampong Phluk commune Cambodia, causing workers to ished equipment, including and Sotr Nikum district’s Kam- lose their daily income.” 184,550m of nets and fish- pong Khlaing commune. Cambodian Labour Confed- Workers around the country are struggling to pay back loans amidst Covid-19 layoffs. ing boat nets, 88,204 poles or They detained five Vietnam- eration (CLC) president Ath fences; 25,948sqm of wooden ese fishermen in five fishing Thorn told The Post that the not seizing workers’ assets NBC’s directive.” a heavy burden of debt repay- barricades; 556 mouse-tail boats, a 37m-long net, and an unions submitted the letter during the pandemic. He said Acleda Bank has ment to creditors because fish traps and 143 fish elec- electronic shock device. because out-of-work employ- The NBC also instructed provided 295 loans to work- their capital investments are tronic shock devices. After the arrest of the five of- ees are unable to pay their debt banks and MFIs to imple- ers and their families worth financed by loan repayments. At the same time, the fenders and the seizure of evi- during the spread of Covid-19. ment “credit restructuring” more than $1 million, and “Of course, the money we administration released dence, the men were handed “They will face increased measures to ease the burden that families which took agri- lend to the borrower, we bor- 11,087kg of mixed fish types over to commune officials at loan repayments to banks and on borrowers in the face of cultural loans should have no row from others. So far, no seized in the crackdowns into the Fisheries Administration to microfinance institutions from income losses. repayment problems. one has applied for a deferred lakes, the report said. be questioned, Platong said. April onwards, and those work- Besides, the NBC recently “Their business is still op- payment because their busi- Fisheries Administration “They have been officially ing in factories and hotels have issued a prakas on easing the erating as usual because it ness hasn’t been affected yet. deputy director Meng Sophay arrested by the Prasat Bakong complained they cannot afford reserve requirement ratios of hasn’t been affected by the Most of our loans are in the said despite the crackdown, district police force. We educat- to pay the bank,” he said. banks to provide sufficient spread of Covid-19,” he said. agricultural sector,” he said. fines that were levied, and the ed them about using electronic Acleda Bank Plc president resources to support credit Vithey Microfinance Plc In the garment industry, number of people to be sent shock devices and illegal fish- and group managing direc- growth. CEO Bun Mony told The Post temporarily laid-off workers to prison, such offences were ing tools twice previously, but tor In Channy told The Post Channy said: “The above- that MFIs will also be taking suffered another financial hit still common even during they refuse to obey,” he said. on Wednesday that all banks mentioned measures are ad- part in the implementation on Tuesday when Hun Sen prohibition. Siem Reap provincial court in Cambodia are following equate. I don’t think there is of the NBC’s measures to deal said instead of earning 60 per “Fishermen committing of- prosecutor Keut Vannareth the directive of the National a need to send any petition with favourable debt repay- cent of the minimum wage per fences have been arrested by said the suspects had not been Bank of Cambodia (NBC) for to Prime Minister Hun Sen ments during the period. month, they will now receive a officials in each province for sent to court but were issued settling debts, which includes because we are following the However, he said, MFIs have flat amount of $70 monthly. education. Also, some offend- with fines under the law. Fake News: AC repairman nabbed, TVFB shut down Khouth Sophak Chakrya director-general of news sta- tion TVFB in connection with AN AIR conditioner repairman the dissemination of critical in Preah Sihanouk province information. was arrested after he tried and Under the country’s fake failed to get his ex-wife arrest- news purge, incitement has a ed for posting fake news. detrimental impact on security, Instead, it was he who was social order and social security arrested for posting Facebook around government measures messages threatening to kill to prevent Covid-19. the country’s leaders, inciting A Phnom Penh municipal discrimination and insulting police Facebook post said the King. Rithy ‘s arrest was made due to Deputy provincial police chief a confession and clarification Huot Sothy, who is in charge of from a woman named El Srey the security plan of the Siem Neang, 22, an employee of Reap provincial police commis- TVFB News 24h and based on sariat, told The Post on Wednes- evidence of a six-minute and day that the suspect, Arth Eng, An air conditioner repairman in 54-second video posted on the 36, worked as an electrician and Preah Sihanouk province was suspect’s Facebook page. air conditioner repairman. arrested after he tried and failed However, Phnom Penh He lives in Tuol village, Teuk to get his ex-wife arrested for Municipal Court prosecutor and posting fake news. pOLICE La’ak commune, Prey Nop spokesman Kuch Kimlong, said district, Preah Sihanouk on Facebook and TikTok the case was still pending on province. accounts out of spite to mislead Tuesday because the process of “Eng posted messages and the police and have her jailed. inquiry had not finished yet. photos threatening to kill the Sothy said after the ques- Minister of Information Khieu leaders, inciting discrimination tioning was completed on Kanharith also on Tuesday and insulting the King and oth- Wednesday evening, Eng was announced the cancellation of er public and private institutions sent to Siem Reap Provincial all TVFB media licences because in Cambodia via Facebook and Court for legal action. it had spread provocative infor- TikTok by using names and pic- He has been charged on three mation to undermine security, tures of his ex-wife in all social counts – attempted murder, social order and social security. networking accounts,” he said. instigating discrimination and In the statement, Kanharith Sothy said Eng used two insulting the monarchy. How- said: “The Ministry of Informa- Facebook accounts, namely ever, on Wednesday evening, a tion withdraws the licence that Traing Sela Angkor Thom Siem Reap provincial court permits Sovann Sokha to oper- Phum Prasat and the name, judge ordered Eng to be returned ate the website www.tvfb.com. Sela Siem Reap or Sela Prasat. to the Siem Reap police head- kh, www.fbtv.news and TVFB His TikTok’s account name is quarters for further questioning Media Centre because the Sela Siem Reap. on Thursday morning. licence holder has promoted When questioned, Sothy said Separately, Phnom Penh information that is detrimental Eng confessed that he used the municipal police on Tuesday to the security, social order and names and photos of his ex-wife arrested Sovann Rithy, the social security.” THE PHNOM PENH POST april 9, 2020 www.phnompenhpost.com 5 National District head’s son held over ‘Drop petrol price or else’ illegal state land excavation Voun Dara Soth Koemsoeun court for further legal procedures. FFICIALS from the General But I don’t know how [the governor] Department of Consumer A JOINT committee in Preah Vihear will decide,” Sao Kun said. Protection, Competition province confiscated five pieces of On Wednesday, Sophoan told The and Fraud Repression have machinery and 10 soil-carrying lor- Post he arrived at the location in ques- hauledO up seven petrol stations for ries on Friday after it was discovered tion to inspect the machinery with the not reducing petrol prices as mandat- that state land had been excavated provincial joint committees and found ed by the Ministry of Commerce. illegally in Preah Khlaing com- that Sophea had hired the machines to The owners of the seven petrol sta- mune’s Krang Dong village in Tbeng bulldoze the plantation he owned. tions have been fined and told to sign Meanchey district. But workers had bulldozed beyond contracts ensuring that their prices are The lorries and equipment are be- Sophea’s land boundary and into consistent with national mandates. ing held at the provincial military state-owned land without permis- Other petrol stations are facing police headquarters. sion. Police then intervened and shut harsher legal repercussions after Provincial governor Prak Sovann down the operation, Sophoan said. they were found to be selling fake said specialists are questioning the Sophoan continued: “The machin- petrol at fraudulent volume levels. owner of the machinery, a person ery’s owner and the landowner have On Tuesday, the department’s named Chea. nothing to do with me. Some media director-general Phan Oun said af- The owners of the seven petrol stations have been fined and told to sign contracts Sovann said: “I am allowing spe- outlets have broadcast negative infor- ensuring that their prices are consistent with national mandates. FACEBOOK ter the ministry announced the re- cialists to take legal action. I don’t mation about me and attacked me. duction in petrol prices, its officials stations located in faraway provinces. ince selling at different prices than the know what their decision will be “So, I would like to confirm that it launched a campaign to disseminate Standard petrol stations should im- ones outlined by the ministry. since officials from the Depart- has nothing to do with me. On the day the message and monitor prices in mediately change their prices after “Three petrol stations and depots ment of Land Management, Urban of the crackdown, I went to the loca- provinces across the country. receiving the notification,” he said. were selling at high prices, despite the Planning and Construction and the tion because I have nothing to hide. Oun said: “We have fined four Oun said the current reduced price notification given by the ministry. provincial Cadastral Office are still “The police held the drivers, the petrol stations in Kampong Speu of petrol is effective from April 1 to “Each petrol station or depot was questioning the owner. machinery’s owner [Chea], and the province and three in Takeo prov- April 15. The ministry will update fined two million riel ($500) and the “I have yet to receive further infor- landowner [Sophea]. But I don’t ince. We have also shared the an- the prices with announcements three owners were made to sign a mation from our specialists. However, know how many there are. The po- nouncement on our Facebook page, every two weeks, with the next an- contract ordering them to correct we will take legal action for sure.” lice took them for questioning.” in cooperation with the provincial nouncement set for April 16. their prices,” the report said. Provincial military police command- Sophoan said the illegally bulldozed Department of Commerce.” Besides implementing the new pric- On April 2, the department inspect- er Kang Sao Kun said on Wednesday land was indeed state-owned and had He said the mass dissemination of es, petrol station owners must ensure ed eight petrol stations and depots that while Chea was held for question- been set aside by specialists in 2003. the announcement is aimed at benefit- that their petrol is of standard quality along National Road 4 in Kampong ing, the drivers of the confiscated trac- Preah Vihear provincial Depart- ting the people, but some businessmen and sold at the correct volume. Speu province. tors and lorries were released as they ment of Land Management, Urban are still selling petrol at higher prices. Oun said if there is no implemen- The officials analysed the cetane lev- were only hired hands. Planning and Construction head If policy implementations aren’t tation after the announcements, he els of the diesel fuel and inspected the During questioning, Chea told police Sam Saroeun could not be reached carried out promptly, Oun said, it will take legal action under the Law measurement scales at each station. that Say Sophea owned the land which for comment on Wednesday. will be investigated by his officials on Consumers Protection and Pra- They found that four stations had was excavated, and Sophea had hired A Wednesday report on ann.com. and action taken. kas of Inter-ministries No 172 dated sold petrol which didn’t conform to the drivers to complete the work. kh claimed that Sophoan was “un- “We will not allow a delay of more June 22, 2018, on the Determination the standards of quality, quantity, and Sao Kun confirmed Chea’s claim. aware” of his son’s illegal activities. than one to two days after the price of Formula for Adjusting Petrol Re- price set by the ministry. “The landowner’s name is Say Sophea The report further said the offi- announcement has been made by tail Price in Cambodia. Three of the petrol stations were and he is the son of Tbeng Meanchey cials who led the crackdown acted the ministry. A report by his department said there fined two million riel ($500) while the district governor Nut Sophoan. on orders from provincial Deputy “That’s our grace period, as the no- are three petrol stations in Prey Kab- other station was fined one million “The specialists are building a case Governor Ung Vuthy, Sao Kun and tifications may arrive later at petrol bas and Bati districts in Takeo Prov- riel. file to be referred to the provincial Saroeun. Private schools struggling

Khorn Savi

THE Cambodian Higher Edu- cation Association has claimed that 113 private educational establishments are facing bankruptcy because of their inability to pay rent and staff salaries in light of nationwide school closures caused by the Covid-19 outbreak. It said the financial trouble started when the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport shut down education services on March 17. THE Cambodian Higher Education Association has claimed that 113 “During the temporary sus- private educational establishments are facing bankruptcy in light of nationwide school closures. Cambodian Higher Education Association pension, 113 private educa- tional establishments have nearly $2 million on loan inter- establishments in Cambodia. run into financial difficulty. est per year. At a press conference on “They’re not able to continue He said: “I tried negotiating Tuesday, Prime Minister Hun paying staff salaries, building with the building owner, but he Sen requested landlords to rentals, loans and other expen- shouted at me and refused [to sympathise with their tenants ditures,” the association said delay]. Other school owners and lower rental costs because in a statement. have also tried negotiating with a majority of businesspeople It appealed to landlords to help the owners, and they experi- have lost income due to the lower or delay rental payments, enced the same results.” pandemic. and to bank owners to reduce If landlords don’t sympathise Educational establishments and delay interest payments. with their predicament, Quach should act on the announce- Meanwhile, teachers and staff said, most owners of private ment of the prime minister, have had to take pay cuts. educational establishments ministry spokesman Ros Mengly J Quach Education will go bankrupt, since many Soveacha said. They could (MJQE) founder, chairman of them took loans to open negotiate with their landlords and CEO, Dr Mengly J Quach their schools. and hope they sympathise told The Post on Wednesday He said if the Covid-19 situ- during this difficult time. that both his schools – the Aii ation isn’t alleviated later this He said: “Private education- Language Center (Aii) and the month, his schools will have to al establishments could American Intercon School - lay off all staff or temporarily request direct negotiations were losing income fast. suspend their work because he with building owners. Sam- Despite the loss of income, he wouldn’t be able to pay their dech Prime Minister made an said he’s still paying staff their salaries. announcement requesting the normal salaries, which amounts Quach said he requested owners to lower their prices. to nearly $1 million a month for support from the ministry at “But the private education- a staff strength of over 1,400. an association meeting last al establishments need to Besides, he said the school Friday. He said private educa- know how to negotiate with spends about $1.5 million on tional establishments make up the owners and relevant par- annual building rentals and about 50 per cent of all such ties themselves.” 6 THE PHNOM PENH POST april 9, 2020 www.phnompenhpost.com Business

USD / KHR USD / CAD USD / CNY USD / JPY USD / MYR USD / SGD USD / THB AUD / USD EUR / USD GBP / USD 4,060 1.4053 7.0696 108.85 4.3498 1.4287 32.82 0.6136 1.0855 1.2304 Cambodia Airways vows to expand Markets in Asia mostly despite upheaval of global industry tumble as May Kunmakara traders fret AMBODIA Airways Co Ltd has committed to expand- MOST Asian equities retreated on ing it business by connect- Wednesday after a two-day rally as ing the Kingdom to other investors closely track developments partsC of the world once the Covid-19 in the coronavirus crisis, while the oil pandemic comes to an end. market continued to fluctuate ahead Chairman Chen Bo said this on of a crucial producers’ meeting. Tuesday in a meeting with State Sec- While the deadly disease continues retariat of Civil Aviation secretary of to sweep across the planet, signs that state Mao Havannall. the rate of infections is possibly level- Chen said the ongoing health ling out and countries are preparing crisis has dealt a crushing blow to to ease some lockdown restrictions the aviation industry, with many have instilled a semblance of opti- airlines opting to halt operations. mism this week. Cambodia Airways remains the sole However, the scale of the fight was airline transporting cargo. laid bare by official data showing “We do hope that Covid-19 will be France’s economy suffered its worst finished soon. Cambodia Airways contraction during the first three will further expand its businesses months of this year since just after and investments to contribute to World War II. the development of Cambodia,” The French central bank said that in said Chen. the last two weeks of March, as the Havannall said Cambodia-China coronavirus crisis deepened, eco- relations are very good and the lead- nomic activity plunged 32 per cent. ers of the two countries very close. AxiCorp global market strategist China’s leaders continue to bring Stephen Innes said: “Signs that the more investors to Cambodia and number of new daily coronavirus capital to Cambodia Airways. Cambodia Airways Co Ltd has committed to expanding it business by connecting the Kingdom to other parts of the world once the cases is topping out in Western “At a recent meeting between Covid-19 pandemic comes to an end. HENG CHIVOAN Europe . . . is driving expectations that Prime Minister Hun Sen and Chi- social distancing measures will be nese President Xi Jinping and Prime impact contained to a few markets a 4.7 per cent hit to global demand, Ministry of Tourism report. lifted soon. Minister Li Keqiang, the Chinese and a $63 billion revenue loss, or a it said in a press release in February. Cambodia Airways is fully owned However, uncertainty about how leaders said they will continue to broader impact leading to a $113 The forecast “would translate into by Cambodian-Chinese joint ven- long the crisis will last and the damage support Cambodia’s development billion loss of revenue. a $27.8 billion revenue loss in 2020 ture Prince International Airlines Co it will inflict on the global economy and will continue to push for more “Many airlines are cutting capac- for carriers in the Asia-Pacific region Ltd. was keeping traders on edge and hob- Chinese investment in Cambodia,” ity and taking emergency measures – the bulk of which would be borne It was registered in Phnom Penh bling any sustainable rally. he said. to reduce costs. Governments must by carriers registered in China, with with an initial investment of $200 Hong Kong lost more than one per International Air Transport Asso- take note. Airlines are doing their $12.8 billion lost in the China do- million and received initial approval cent, Singapore two per cent, and ciation (IATA), a trade association of best to stay afloat as they perform mestic market alone. to operate in August, 2017. It se- Sydney and Seoul each 0.9 per cent. the world’s airlines, issued a state- the vital task of linking the world’s “Carriers outside Asia-Pacific are cured an air operator’s certificate on Shanghai ended down 0.2 per cent, ment last week noting the “dramatic economies. forecast to bear a revenue loss of July 6, 2018. while Bangkok, Manila and Jakarta turn for the worse” that the global “As governments look to stimulus $1.5 billion, assuming the loss of de- Early in January, Cambodia Air- also saw steep falls. aviation industry’s prospects had measures, the airline industry will mand is limited to markets linked to ways added Chengdu, Sichuan in Meanwhile, the Cambodia Securities taken amid the pandemic. need consideration for relief on tax- China,” said the IATA. western China to its list of destina- Exchange index climbed 2.18 per cent. Director-general and CEO Alex- es, charges and slot allocation,” he In Cambodia, tourist arrivals by tions. Chengdu is the fifth city in Tokyo, however, rose more than two andre de Juniac was quoted as say- was quoted as saying. air plummeted around 36 per cent China that Cambodia Airways con- per cent as Japan’s government ing: “It is unclear how the virus will The IATA estimated a $29.3 billion in the first two months compared nects to, after Macau, Fuzhou, Wen- unveiled details of a 108 trillion yen develop, but whether we see the loss of global revenue, representing to the same time last year, said a zhou and Shenzhen. ($992 billion) stimulus package, and Taipei piled on 1.4 per cent. Welling- ton also rose and Mumbai was flat. Oanda’s Jeffrey Halley offered a warning for traders to beware any false dawn. Casino operator: Enough cash for one year Oil prices rallied, but the commod- ity continues to swing as traders keen- May Kunmakara Aristo International Hotel is located March 31, it had a cash balance of It also aims to amend the June 30, ly await Thursday’s planned meeting in Lao Cai district’s Kim Tan com- $11.6 million. covenants in respect to its term-loan of the world’s top producers, which SYDNEY-BASED casino operator mune in Vietnam’s Lao Cai province The filing quoted chairman Mel facility, it said. will discuss a possible output cut. Donaco International Ltd expects a on the border with China. Ashton as saying: “The situation we “Donaco continues to consider The commodity has been battered monthly “cash burn run rate” of “The temporary action follows the are facing with the Covid-19 pan- liquidity measures and sources of a by the virus as lockdowns around the between $800,000 and $900,000 dur- Cambodian government’s announce- demic is unprecedented and we’ve capital injection to guarantee the world bring the global economy to a ing the temporary closure of two casi- ment mandating the closure of all unfortunately had to take some dras- business remains in a sustainable standstill and drag on demand, while nos in Cambodia and Vietnam, it said casinos from April 1, 2020, alongside tic measures with our staff, including and dynamic position during this a price war between Russia and Saudi in a filing to the Australian Securities the Vietnamese government’s meas- redundancies and pay cuts.” period of global uncertainty. Arabia has compounded the crisis. Exchange on Tuesday. ures to temporarily close all casinos “This is to ultimately ensure the “The duration of the Covid-19 crisis With Riyadh and Moscow taking The expenses will cover costs for a period of 15 days from April 1, business remains afloat and to be in and the period of closure of the casinos part, there are hopes they may draw a incurred “maintaining the casino 2020,” said Donaco International. a healthy financial position once we will obviously affect the requirement line under their dispute. assets” and other “associated corpo- It said it will implement a number eventually rebuild the team and for a capital injection but in any case AxiCorp’s Innes said current figures rate costs”, it said. Both casinos were of measures to cut costs during clo- restart operations. the board is confident of both the abil- being discussed point to an output cut closed as preventative measures sure “to ensure the company’s sus- “We will continue to monitor devel- ity to maintain the business during an of 10 million barrels per day for the amid the Covid-19 emergency. tainability into the future. opments and will provide further extended period of closures and source Opec-led alliance – but cautioned this The government ordered the tem- “As a result, Donaco has had to take updates in due course once measures capital as required to strengthen the may not be enough as the virus saps porary closure of casinos nation- difficult, but unavoidable, measures underway are further progressed,” he balance sheet,” it said. global demand. wide effective April 1, while Vietnam in relation to its staff, including was quoted as saying. Ministry of Economy and Finance Investors were also keeping tabs on issued a similar order effective from reductions in headcount, placing Donaco International said it is in data shows that it granted licences to talks in Europe where leaders are April 1-15. employees on leave, standing down ongoing discussions with principal some 163 casinos by the end of April last struggling to agree a path to support- Star Vegas Resort and Club is locat- casual staff and deferring non-essen- lender Mega International Commer- year. Of these, some 91 are based in ing the region’s economy, with the ed in Poipet town’s Poipet commune tial expenditure,” it said. cial Bank Co Ltd regarding the settle- Preah Sihanouk province and the EU’s 27 members unable to agree to a in Banteay Meanchey province on It said it will work to reduce operat- ment of litigation with the Thai ven- remaining are mainly located along the solidarity fund using “coronabonds”. the border with Thailand while the ing and capital expenditure. As of dors of the Star Vegas business. borders with Vietnam and Thailand. AFP THE PHNOM PENH POST april 9, 2020 www.phnompenhpost.com 7 Business

Phnom Penh’s condo market stays on track in health crisis

Hin Pisei passes Chamkarmon, Boeung Keng Kang, Daun Penh and ESPITE the na- Prampi Makara districts. tional and global The average price of condo- economic down- minium units remained mostly turn fuelled by the unchanged quarter-on-quar- ongoingD health emergency, ter, with high-end units priced Phnom Penh’s condominium around $3,167 per square me- projects remain on track to tre, down 0.53 per cent. finish on schedule, according Mid-range units are around to real estate agency CBRE $2,559, down 1.39 per cent Cambodia. and affordable units $1,549, The capital’s property sec- up 0.32 per cent. tor added five condominium Meanwhile, the average projects comprising 2,843 monthly rent per square units to the market during metre for high-end units is the first quarter of this year, $14.21, down 0.4 per cent said a CBRE Cambodia re- quarter-on-quarter and The capital’s property sector added five condominium projects comprising 2,843 units to the market during the first quarter of this year. hEAN RANGSEY port obtained by The Post on $11.79 for mid-range units, Wednesday. down 0.6 per cent. Pearl, Urban Village II-Tower “Our research shows that in ever, “changes can happen area of 18.54 million square This brings the total number During the quarter, 4,521 G, Grand Central and The the first quarter, construction depending on the spread of metres, it said in a report. of such units in Phnom Penh to new condominium units were Golden World International. activity and the condomini- Covid-19”. In 2018, there were 2,867 20,851, up 36.6 per cent from launched for sale at eight CBRE Cambodia senior ana- um market were moving for- The Ministry of Land Man- construction projects on 11.42 15,264 at the end of March last projects, the report said. lyst Kinkesa Kim told The Post ward as usual,” said Kinkesa. agement, Urban Planning million square metres, worth year, said the report. The projects are The Garden on Wednesday that the effects She said around 10,000 and Construction last year around $5.228 billion, it said. It said 45.6 per cent of the Residency 2, Phnom Penh of the pandemic were not no- more condominium units granted permission for 4,446 Construction investment new units are outside of the Galaxy Garden, Parc 21 Resi- ticeable in the real estate mar- are expected to be added to construction projects, worth capital last year increased by city centre, which encom- dence, The Hexa, AKJ Bright ket in this year’s first quarter. the market this year. How- some $9.353 billion, on a total 78.88 per cent over 2018. VN real estate sales at four-year low VIETNAM’S real estate market in the first quarter. in the first quarter had the low- VARS reported that in this est transaction volume in the quarter, there was a virtual past four years due to the land fever in Hanoi’s Thach impact of the Covid-19 pan- That district and in Ba Ria- demic, said Vietnam Associa- Vung Tau province. tion of Real Estate Brokers In the second quarter of this (VARS). year, Dinh said, the domestic VARS vice-president Nguy- property market would re- en Van Dinh told Vietnam- main stagnant like in the first Plus that the reasons for that quarter, especially the resort situation included a strong segment. reduction in new supply last The Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh year, a long Tet (Lunar New City markets are expected to Year) holiday and the novel have traded apartments in coronavirus pandemic. the second quarter but the “The number of transac- volume would be low and tions only accounted for The Hanoi Department of Construction said about 8,900 apartments mainly in the affordable and about 10 per cent of total of- were offered in the Hanoi market in the first quarter, including 1,167 mid-grade segments due to fered property products in newly-launched products. The market had only 1,300 successful high demand, he said. apartment transactions. AFP the first quarter, too low com- Those two large markets are pared to the same period of the new supply reached more apartment transactions. predicted to have not many last year,” Dinh said. than 2,750 housing units. VARS reported that trans- newly-launched apartments However, the price of apart- Meanwhile, the inventory actions were mainly landed so property products that are ments and low-rise houses in was more than 34,550 prod- property in other localities’ traded on the markets would the quarter did not decrease ucts, including 4,872 prod- property markets. Before the mainly be inventory goods. against the fourth quarter of ucts traded successfully. Lunar New Year festival, these VARS also forecasts that the last year. Now, there are no busi- The luxury apartment seg- products still attracted many land and landed property will nesses announcing discounts ment had the largest inven- customers and small investors remain the dominant product for those products, he said. tory, said VARS. but now, due to the pandem- in many provinces and cities, In the first quarter, prop- The Hanoi Department ic, the transactions of those excluding Hanoi and Ho Chi erty enterprises nationwide of Construction said about products was very quiet. Minh City. However, trans- offered a total of 53,200 units 8,900 apartments were of- Besides that, the pandemic actions are likely to decline in housing projects, while the fered in the Hanoi market in made large investors and sharply over the same period successful housing transac- the first quarter, including trading floors suspend trad- of last year. tions reached more than 7,600 1,167 newly-launched prod- ing activities of their prod- Prices of affordable and units, VARS said in a quarterly ucts. The market had only ucts because customers do mid-end apartments in urban real estate market report last 1,300 successful apartment not want to come to crowded areas are expected to not in- week. The absorption rate transactions. places. About 50 per cent of crease because of low demand of this housing segment was The Ho Chi Minh City De- total real estate trading floors during the pandemic and high 14.3 per cent. partment of Construction must close and many proper- inventory, said VARS. Of this, the total new sup- said more than 8,400 apart- ty brokers are unemployed. Meanwhile, price of high- ply was nearly 18,700 housing ments were offered on the For the resort segment, end apartments may fall be- units, including more than city market in the first quar- the market had few newly- cause capital pressure would 8,350 apartments and more ter, including 4,664 newly- launched products while force investors to reduce the than 10,300 low-rise houses. launched products. The some products of the inven- price. VIET NAM NEWS/ASIA NEWS The successful transactions for market had 1,400 successful tory were traded successfully NETWORK thursday, april 9, 2020 www.phnompenhpost.com THE PHNOM PENH POST april 9, 2020 www.phnompenhpost.com 9 World Wuhan exodus after lockdown sparks Uruguay: Flight okay virus hopes despite rising death toll to take ship HOUSANDS of relieved citi- zens streamed out of China’s passengers Wuhan city on Wednesday af- ter authorities lifted months of URUGUAY said on Tuesday it lockdownT at the coronavirus epicentre, has authorised a humanitarian offering some hope to the world despite flight to evacuate Australian record deaths in Europe and the US. and New Zealand passengers China has come under fire for its stranded on a coronavirus handling of the coronavirus crisis infected cruise ship. that originated there late last year and About 128 of the 217 people President Donald Trump threatened on board the Australian-owned to cut US funding to the World Health Greg Mortimer – including pas- Organisation over perceived bias to- sengers and crew – have tested wards Beijing. positive for the deadly virus. From Wuhan, the coronavirus spread Six of those, three Australians, rapidly to infect nearly every coun- two Filipinos and a Briton, have try on Earth, killing more than 80,000 been taken off for treatment in people, battering the global economy the capital Montevideo. and forcing around half of humanity Uruguay’s Minister of Public into some form of lockdown. Health Daniel Salinas said on Its march across the planet has af- Tuesday that the six being treat- fected every level of society from ed in private clinics in Montevi- workers to royals, with British Prime deo were in a stable condition. Minister Boris Johnson fighting the Two were in intensive care. illness in intensive care. The plight of the Greg Mor- But the joy of people finally free to timer is the latest affecting the leave Wuhan – many of them queuing global cruise industry, which up to depart in hazmat suits – provided has seen vessels refused entry some cheer to a gloomy world, offering to ports and others locked proof the virus would not last forever. The joy of people finally free to leave Wuhan – many of them queuing up to depart in hazmat suits – provided some cheer to a gloomy down after new-coronavirus world, offering proof the virus would not last forever. AFP “You have no idea! I was already up cases were confirmed onboard around 4am. I felt so good. My kids day, the relentless disease chalked up the virus, lashed out at the WHO and While Japan agreed on a stimulus during the pandemic. are so excited. Mum is finally coming fresh milestones in hard-hit areas of said there would be a “hold on money” package worth 108 trillion yen ($992 The cruise ship’s owner home,” said Hao Mei, a 39-year-old Europe and the US. provided to the UN body, which he ac- billion), a divided eurozone failed to Aurora Expeditions Pty Ltd has single mother rushing to nearby En- A total of 1,939 people died in the cused of being “very China-centric”. agree on a bailout plan for hard-hit “contracted a medical plane . . . shi to see her young children for the US over the past 24 hours, a tally by Exhausted medical staff around the members after 16 hours of talks. to repatriate the Australian first time in two months. Johns Hopkins University shows, as world are battling with a stream of The Thai Cabinet on Tuesday ap- and New Zealander passen- “I’ve been stuck for 77 days! I’ve the country approaches tolls in worst- patients as makeshift hospitals spring proved a third economic relief pack- gers”, said Uruguay’s Ministry been stuck for 77 days!” shouted one hit Italy and Spain. up on ships, at hotels and even in a age with a budget of around 1.9 tril- of Foreign Affairs, adding that man, who arrived at the railway sta- Virus deaths hit a new daily high New York cathedral. lion baht ($57.9 billion). the plane had been permitted tion for a train back to his home prov- in Britain, where 55-year-old leader In Barcelona, Antonio Alvarez, a 33- France’s economy shrank around six to arrive on Thursday. ince of Hunan. Johnson was said to be “stable” and in year-old nurse working in intensive per cent in the first quarter of this year, About 100 Australians are A robot whizzed through crowds of “good spirits” despite receiving oxy- care, said his experience of the pan- official data showed on Wednesday – aboard, and negotiations were passengers at the station, spraying gen treatment in intensive care. demic was akin to bereavement. its worst performance since 1945. underway to allow the New their feet with disinfectant and play- And Paris toughened its lockdown “I’ve had my phases of anger, of de- Individuals have also stepped in, Zealanders to fly with them, ing a recorded message reminding measures, banning daytime jogging nial, you go through all of them. with Twitter Inc co-founder and CEO Aurora Expeditions said. Of them to wear face masks. to keep people from bending the rules “Now we are still a little over- Jack Dorsey committing $1 billion of those still on the ship, no-one “Wuhan deserves to be called the as France breached 10,000 deaths. whelmed but it is better. Fewer pa- his fortune to the coronavirus fight. was suffering from a fever. city of heroes,” blared the PA system In New York, Governor Andrew Cuo- tients are dying,” he told AFP. And the stock market continued The Airbus A340 plane con- at the train station as an estimated mo said the state appeared to be near- The global economy is also on life sup- its rollercoaster ride, with the Dow tracted to fly the Aussies and 55,000 people departed the city. ing the peak of its outbreak but urged port as governments pour in unprec- Jones index soaring around 1,000 Kiwis home “is configured While China celebrated its first day citizens to continue staying indoors. edented sums to stem the worst crisis points on Tuesday before ending with medical facilities aboard without coronavirus deaths on Tues- Trump, under fire for his response to many countries have seen in a century. slightly lower. AFP . . . to look after the health and security of everyone”, said Aurora Expeditions. The plane will carry passen- gers whether they test positive or negative for the virus. ILO: Crisis to wipe out 195M jobs’ equivalent It is due to arrive from Por- tugal and then fly on to Mel- THE coronavirus pandemic is In its latest assessment of the developing countries where workers. In Asia and the Pacific, Policy action has been slow bourne, after which all passen- expected to wipe out labour coronavirus pandemic and the fiscal space for economic 37.9 per cent of employment is in some countries, ILO noted, gers will be required to spend equivalent to that performed fast-spreading lockdowns, the stimulation is restricted.” in these sectors. observing that some rescue two weeks in quarantine. by 195 million full-time work- UN agency estimated that A lot will depend on how Meanwhile, women make up packages “seem too small to As for the European and US ers around the world from this working hours in Asia and the quickly the economy will about 70 per cent of the labour serve all needs”. passengers on the Greg Mor- month to June, the Interna- Pacific would decline by 7.2 recover in the second half of force involved in human health “As the crisis spreads to low- timer, they must “wait until they tional Labour Organisation per cent from April to June – the year, and how effective and social work who face serious and middle-income countries, test negative” before organising (ILO) said on Tuesday, calling the equivalent of 125 million policy measures boost labour risk of contracting the virus at similar [or even greater] their repatriation via Sao Paulo, for swift policy action and open workers, assuming a 48-hour demand, it said. their workplace. These include responses will be necessary. Brazil, said Aurora Expeditions. trade regimes to support jobs. work week. Across Southeast Asia, enter- nurses, doctors, workers in resi- “Immediate relief measures Although the ship has been Meanwhile, those who con- In mid-March, the ILO had tainment spots and many dential care facilities and laun- will be needed for enterprises anchored in Rio de la Plata tinue to work in public spaces projected that the pandemic retail shops deemed non-es- dry and cleaning staff. and workers operating in the about 24km off the port for the face significant health and eco- could cost the world some 25 sential by governments have The ILO called for immediate informal economy.” last week, health authorities nomic risks. Far more women million jobs this year, out of a been shuttered to get people support for the most affected “Open trade regimes, stable from Montevideo have been than men are exposed to such total of 3.3 billion. to stay home and limit the groups, as well as targeted international capital markets aboard to help passengers. risks in the health sector. “There is a high risk that the spread of Covid-19. measures like cash transfers in and international liquidity Sebastian Yancev, a doctor “Workers and businesses are increase in the global number of The ILO estimates that 81 per countries with huge numbers would help shore up those who boarded the ship, said the facing catastrophe, in both unemployed at the end of 2020 cent of the global workforce live of informal workers. efforts,” it said. high infection rate was due to developed and developing econ- will be significantly higher than in countries with compulsory Production can be redirected The poorest countries with mistakes made in isolation omies,” said ILO director-gener- the initial projection,” it said on or recommended closures. Sec- to alternative employment, little fiscal means will need measures, including leaving al Guy Ryder in a press state- Tuesday, calling this the worst tors hardest hit include accom- like the making of personal access to concessional financ- people who had tested negative ment. “We have to move fast, global crisis since World War II. modation and food services, protective equipment, it said. ing, grants and debt relief, with those who were positive. decisively, and together. The “The production losses for manufacturing, wholesale and Formal workers should be alongside immediate access to Yancev said Ushuaia, where right, urgent, measures, could many enterprises are also retail trade – labour-intensive supported against sliding into health supplies and expertise, the ship was docked from make the difference between likely to be devastating and trades that employ millions of the informal sector, where it said. THE STRAITS TIMES (SINGAPORE)/ March 14-15, was the likely survival and collapse.” long-lasting, especially in often low-paid, low-skilled there are fewer protections. ASIA NEWS NETWORK source of the contagion. AFP 10 THE PHNOM PENH POST april 9, 2020 www.phnompenhpost.com ASEAN VN to donate 550,000 masks Police in Lao capital strive to crack down to EU nations in Covid-19 war on counterfeit masks ietnam plans to the best of luck to Vietnamese POLICE in Vientiane, Laos last at high prices. It is also acting on donate 550,000 Viet- healthcare workers. week confiscated 50 cartons information from the public. namese-made anti- On Saturday, 88,000 masks with 2,500 boxes of fake masks Recently, the Ministry of bacterial face masks and medical supplies donated and detained two Vietnamese Industry and Commerce gave toV the UK, France, Germany, by institutions, associations and men who were transporting the go-ahead to Viengthong Italy and Spain – the five Euro- businesses and citizens from the goods in a pickup truck. Pharma and CBF Pharma com- pean countries hit hardest by Vietnam were shipped from The Vientiane Public Secu- panies to distribute affordable the Covid-19 pandemic which Hanoi to Italy, one of the coun- rity Office reported that police face masks in Vientiane and are suffering from a critical tries with the highest number found the fake masks when several provinces as the demand shortage of medical supplies. of cases and death reported they stopped and searched a for them has increased amid Speaking at the symbolic during the pandemic, said the Hyundai pickup truck. the Coronavirus outbreak. handover ceremony in Hanoi Italian embassy in Vietnam. Police detained the two Viet- A total of 5,000 boxes are on Tuesday, Vietnamese Dep- Vietnam has recorded 251 namese men, who were living in being distributed by Vieng- uty Minister of Foreign Affairs Covid-19 cases, mostly im- Vientiane, for questioning and thong Pharma and CBF Phar- To Anh Dung said Vietnam ported ones, with zero deaths launched an investigation to ma, and authorities have set a understood the toll the coro- so far. France, Germany, Italy, identify other people involved in price ceiling of 50,000 kip per navirus pandemic was taking Spain and the UK in the mean- the ring dealing in fake masks. box or 1,500 kip per face mask, all over the world, including time have reported more than Masks are part of the essen- the ministry said in a March 31 the European nations. Vietnamese deputy foreign minister To Anh Dung (right) presents 540,000 cases in total while tial equipment for helping announcement. Given the two sides’ tradi- 100,000 face masks as a donation from Vietnam to the UK Ambassador the number of casualties have prevent the spread of Covid- Customers will be limited to tional ties and strategic part- to Vietnam Gareth Ward. VIETNAM NEWS AGENCY/VIET NAM NEWS surpassed 49,000. 19. The government is striving one box per person, and they nership, and the spirit of mutu- navirus,” Dung said. They have also expressed On Tuesday, the High Com- to crack down on illegal and will have to show their ID card al support during challenging Vietnam was always “com- thanks for Vietnam in its care mand of Military Region 7 of the fake masks and other equip- or family record book at the times, the Vietnamese govern- mitted” and stood ready to co- and treatment of European Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) ment as part of efforts to pre- time of purchase. ment has decided to do its part ordinate, share experience and citizens found to be infected handed over medical supplies vent the virus. Under the arrangements, to help EU countries’ in their collaborate with all countries by SARS-CoV-2. and equipment to some units The public has complained Viengthong Pharma is respon- anti-pandemic efforts, and as- and the international com- They considered the medi- of the Cambodian Royal Army about masks being sold at sible for supplies in the capital sist Europeans in protecting munity in deploying necessary cal supplies a great testament to fight the pandemic. unreasonably high prices, rang- and Vientiane, Luang Prabang, their health and pull through measures to fight the pandemic, to solidarity between the two The supplies include 50,000 ing from 160,000 kip to 200,000 Oudomxay, Luang Namtha, this tough time, Dung said. within bilateral and multilateral sides and pledged to closely face masks, 1,000 litres of kip ($17.90 to $22.40) for a box Bokeo and Phongsaly prov- The Vietnamese diplo- frameworks such as ASEAN- coordinate and further boost hand sanitiser, 1,000 items of of 50 masks. Most of the masks inces, while CBF Pharma is mat stressed that during this EU, the G20, and the UN. cooperation with Vietnam in protective gear, and 200kg of are being sold online. handling supplies for Vien- global pandemic, no coun- The EU ambassadors highly healthcare as well as main- Cloramin B. The National Taskforce Com- tiane (1,300 boxes) and Savan- try alone could deal with the appreciated the valuable gifts tain trade, commerce and in- Previously, Vietnam had mittee for Covid-19 Prevention nakhet (300 boxes) and Cham- spread of the virus. and extended their profound formation exchanges to sup- sent medical supplies as gifts and Control, in cooperation pasak provinces (900 boxes). “Strengthening international gratitude to the government port each other. to China during the peak of with the ministries of Industry The announcement also cooperation and unity is an im- and people of Vietnam for British Ambassador to Viet- Covid-19 outbreak in Wuhan, and Commerce; Health; and urged people to call the hot- portant factor in the protection their help during this difficult nam Gareth Ward tweeted and to Cambodia and Laos Public Security, is now conduct- line number 1510 if anyone is of people’s health and well-be- time, especially when Viet- that the move represented last week to support their ing inspections at the shops and found selling masks for more ing and in efforts to minimise nam itself was also grappling “a real sign of friendship”, combat against the virus monitoring social media to than 50,000 kip per box. VIEN- the impacts of the novel coro- with the outbreak. thanking Dung and wishing spread. VIET NAM NEWS/ANN identify people who sell masks TIANE TIMES/ASIA NEWS NETWORK Indonesia suspends plan to discuss mining law revision INDONESIA’S House of Rep- both politicians and govern- (WPR) to 100ha, erasing mini- resentatives narrowly escaped ment officials to go about im- mal concession sizes for mining public scrutiny last week after portant decision-making pro- firms and revoking a 40-year it shelved a plan to deliber- cesses without supervision. mining limit for mining com- ate a contentious mining law Siti Rakhma Mary Herwati, panies that build smelters. revision amid physical dis- head of the information man- There is also a revision that tancing measures to curb the agement division at the Indo- would allow mining activity spread of Covid-19, but activ- nesian Legal Aid Foundation, in rivers and the sea, which ists remain unconvinced that said that the process of delib- Jatam has criticised as being lawmakers won’t revive the erating the proposed revisions an oversight in policymaking. plan again in the future. had so far not been transparent, Mining zones rarely take The Office of the House whether at the commission lev- into account the ecological Secretary-General on Friday el or the working committee. carrying capacity of the local issued a letter announcing “All this time, the delibera- environment, Merah said, cit- that a virtual work meeting tion of the mining law revision ing a case of flooding earlier between House Commission has been closed to the public this year in Samarinda, East VII overseeing energy and – we civil society groups were Kalimantan, allegedly caused Cabinet ministers in charge of not involved in discussions, by mining activities at the the energy, home affairs, law, let alone the people most af- mouth of the Karang Mumus industry and finance portfo- fected,” Rahma said. river, which flows into the city. lios, originally scheduled for Mining Advocacy Network Meanwhile, Auriga Nusan- Wednesday, would be “post- (Jatam) activist Merah Jahan- tara activist Iqbal Damanik poned until further notice”. syah urged both the govern- said that any deliberation Since coming back on ment and the House to focus of the proposed revision March 30 from an extend- on controlling the pandemic this year would coincide too ed recess period due to the instead of passing bills that the much with the expiry of sev- Covid-19 outbreak, lawmak- public still deems controversial. eral contracts of work and ers have resumed their duties The plan to revise the min- coal contracts of work held by in the same way that most ing law makes clear that the major mining companies. Indonesians have done over government will prioritise eco- These include PT Adaro Indo- the past few weeks – through nomic growth at the probable nesia in 2022, PT Arutmin Indo- daily teleconferences in place expense of its environmental nesia this year, PT Berau Coal of the usual physical meet- commitments, with activists in 2025, PT Kideco Jaya Agung ings at the Senayan legislative raising questions on the plan’s in 2023, PT Kaltim Prima Coal complex in Jakarta. impact on natural disaster mit- next year, PT Multi Harapan Activists have previously igation and coal consumption. Utama in 2022 and PT Kendilo slammed House lawmakers The Energy and Mineral Coal Indonesia next year. for attempting to resume talks Resources Ministry plans to Article 169 of the mining law on several controversial bills, loosen several restrictions to revision draft says contracts of including proposed changes to boost downstream mining in- work that have yet to be extend- the 2009 Mining Law, under the dustry growth. ed can be subject to an exten- protective cover of government- Notable relaxations include sion as a special mining permit mandated physical distancing quadrupling the maximum for up to 20 years over two measures, which has allowed size of traditional mining zones periods. THE JAKARTA POST/ANN THE PHNOM PENH POST april 9, 2020 www.phnompenhpost.com 11 Opinion Global leadership the only way to www.phnompenhpost.com www.phnompenhpost.com

EDITORIAL PERSONNEL EDITORIAL PERSONNEL Publisher & Chief Executive Offi cer Publisher & Chief Executive Offi cer Ly Tayseng leave no one behindLy Tayseng Executive Editor-in-Chief Executive Editor-in-Chief Joshua Purushotman ters of the virus even as it Opinion Joshua Purushotman Managing Editor Post Khmer begins to recede among oth- Club of Madrid Managing Editor Post Khmer Sam Rith er populations. Deputy Chief of Staff HE scale, speed and Sam Rith Technology is a part of the Deputy Chief of Staff Phak Seangly threat of the global solution, but it also needs to Business Editor Phak Seangly Covid-19 pandemic be applied equitably between May Kunmakara Business Editor are unprecedented, and within nations. We know Deputy Business Editor asT is the financial response May Kunmakara that digital transformation Sangeetha Amarthalingam Deputy Business Editor now required. According to has not been inclusive and Deputy Head of Lifestyle Desk Sorn Sarath experts, this pandemic is equitable across societies, Pan Simala unlikely to be quickly con- Deputy Head of Lifestyleparticularly Desk as it affects Senior Reporters tained. It may ebb and flow Pan Simala women and minorities. We Meas Sokchea, Niem Chheng over time, across seasons and Senior Reporters must be sure that the techno- Reporters between regions, underscor- Meas Sokchea, Niem Chhenglogical responses we develop Khouth Sophak Chakrya, Kim Sarom, Long ing the importance of a coor- Reporters like testing, medical care Kimmarita, Khorn Savi, Hin Pisei, Soth dinated global response. Khouth Sophak Chakrya, Kimand, Sarom, in time,Long vaccines are Koemsoeun, Voun Dara, Sous Yamy,Soung As former presidents and distributed equitably. Kimmarita, Khorn Savi, Hin Pisei, Soth Sovanny, Thou Vireak, Ry Sochan prime ministers, we have var- In South Korea for example, Koemsoeun, Voun Dara, Sous Yamy,Soung Photographers iously led our democracies in access to continuous and rig- Sovanny, Heng Chivoan, Hong Menea response to governance tran- orous testing procedures Web Editor Ry Sochan sitions, financial crises, civil made accessible to the public Leang Phannara Photographers unrest and violent conflict, through user-friendly drive- Webmasters and to epidemics as serious Heng Chivoan, Hong Meneathrough and even walk- Sous Chanthy, Pang Vichea as Sars, H1N1, Mers and Ebo- The G20 response to the Covid-19 pandemic must result in concrete decisions, such as to eliminateWeb Editorbarriers to through sites, has main- SIEM REAP BUREAU la. Given the startling velocity the free movement of medical personnel and equipment, to coordinate efforts around vaccine developmentLeang Phannara and tained civil order and allowed Offi ce Manager testing, and to support low-income countries which have poor public health infrastructure and capacity. AFP with which Covid-19 has Webmasters public health managers to Sophearith Blondeel spread globally, this pandem- Sous Chanthy, Pang Vicheaachieve a high recovery rate. PRODUCTION & PRINTING ic must be addressed urgently response to both the unfold- form miracles. The multilater- ber) Antonio Guterres SIEM REAP has BUREAU Efforts to support the glo- Head of Desktop Publishing in real time. That will require ing public health emergency al system as a whole must rightly called onOffi wealthier ce Manager bal economy must also focus Nhim Sokphyrak a leadership approach based and, increasingly, the global step up to provide the countries to focusSophearith beyond Blondeel on the most marginalised Desktop Publishing on values of solidarity, equity economic and social emer- response required. The UN their national challenges and and excluded populations. Suon Savatdy, Chum Sokunthy, Danh Borath PRODUCTION & PRINTING and cooperation which tran- gency in a way that provides Security Council should work towards a comprehen- This means building eco- Tep Thoeun Thyda, Tim Borith, Than Veasna Head of Desktop Publishing scend a sole focus on national confidence to people and resolve to address the global sive response which supports nomic recovery strategies Nhim Sokphyrak interests – that alone would markets. This response must pandemic as a threat to global poorer countries. around employment, poverty HEAD OFFICE prove insufficient to stop a go beyond platitudes and peace and security. The UN The proposal Desktopof the Publishinggovern- reduction and sustainable global pandemic. principles. It must result in system as a whole is only as ment of NorwaySuon to Savatdy,the G20 Chum to Sokunthy, business Danh Borath models. concrete decisions, such as strong as its members. establish an internationalTep Thoeun Thyda, Tim Borith, ThanWithout Veasna an effective global Global solidarity to eliminate barriers to the The Covid-19 response fund to help the countries of strategy and action, Covid-19 Post Media Co, Ltd. We welcomed the conven- free movement of medical requires leadership at the the Global South HEAD is a OFFICE step in will continue to spread, tak- The Elements Condominium Level 7, ing of the first virtual Leader’s personnel and equipment, to global level, to tackle not the right direction. A global ing a heavy toll on human Hun Sen Boulevard, Phum Prek Talong, Summit of the G20 on March coordinate efforts around only the outbreak, but also to response fund which envi- health and well-being and Sangkat Chak Angre Krom,12353, Phnom 26. The message sent from vaccine development and coordinate efforts to stave off sions public-private coopera- severely damaging econo- Penh, Cambodia the Club of Madrid before- testing, and to support low the next great economic tion across borders,Post Media at the Co, Ltd. mies and societies. As former Tel: 023 888 161, 023 888 162 Cellcard: 078 555 166, 078 555 133 hand aimed to encourage the income countries which have depression. Governments disposal of internationalThe Elements Condominiumpresidents Level 7, and prime minis- Smart: 086 822 999, 086 277 999 G20 to establish global soli- poor public health infra- should not develop stimulus public health experts,Hun Sen Boulevard is criti-, Phumters, Prek we Talong, call on the G20 and SIEM REAP darity in the fight against the structure and capacity. packages in isolation. We cal for leaving noSangkat one Chak behind Angre Krom,world Phnom leaders Penh, to finance and No 629, Street 6 Dangkum Commune pandemic. We fully agree know from history this will both between andCambodia within empower a reinvigorated and Global peace and security Tel: 063 966 290, Fax: 063 966 590 with the call made by the only create fiscal imbalances countries. SIEM REAP coordinated international director-general of the World To date, world leaders have that will make the recovery response which leaves no COMMERCIAL DEPARTMENT No 629, Street 6 Dangkum Commune Health Organisation (WHO) largely focused on the out- harder. Inclusive and equitable one behind and aims to stop Chief Operating Offi cer Tel: 063 966 290, Fax: 063 966 590 James Ong Soon Teck to “fight, unite, ignite” breaks in their own coun- And governments must In many places, identifiable the Covid-19 pandemic. THE COMMERCIAL DEPARTMENT Advertising Department against the virus that threat- tries. The priority given by also align their efforts with groups have not enjoyed full JAKARTA POST/ASIA NEWS NETWORK ens to tear the world apart. leaders to solving the prob- the Sustainable Development access to goods,Chief opportuni- Operating Offi cer Chap Narith, 017 996 241 James Ong Soon Teck Hun Channet, 017 578 768 We call on the G20 to pro- lems of their own citizens is Goals and the Paris Agree- ties and services. Public Club of Madrid is an association Prach Monnyreak, 012 123 7777 vide the leadership and sup- understandable. No country ment to ensure we are better health responsesAdvertising must take Department of democratic former presidents Keo Puthy, 012 966 605 port needed for a globally is safe, however, from a pan- placed to tackle other global into account theChap need Narith, to 017 996 241and prime ministers. The writers are Jan Peter Balkenende, former Phon Sok Chea, 012 717 404 coordinated response. The demic like Covid-19. Stand- challenges like climate focus on and includeHun Channet, those 017 578 768 Prime Minister of the Netherlands Jessa Piastro, 092 445 983 G20’s engagement is particu- alone national strategies will change as we emerge from historically or otherwisePrach Monnyreak, 012 123(2002-2010); 7777 Ban Ki-moon, former CIRCULATION & DISTRIBUTION larly important. As we saw a not only prove ineffective in this crisis. marginalised from CIRCULATION health- & DISTRIBUTIONUN secretary-general (2007-2016); Kjell Magne Bondevik, former prime Acting Distribution Manager Acting Distribution Manager decade ago during the finan- stopping the virus, but they We are especially con- care, including ethnic and minister of Norway (1997-2000; 2001- Thenh Rithy, 087 888 854 Thenh Rithy cial crisis, its convening of would also mean that the cerned regarding the rapid religious groups, indigenous 2005); Helen Clark, former Prime Circulation Supervisor Minister of New Zealand (1999-2008); countries from every region international response will spread of Covid-19 to coun- peoples, minorities, ADMINISTRATION Nou Chanthy, 096 999 2828 of the world representing be weaker than needed to tries in the Global South. migrants, women and youth. Benjamin Mkapa, former president of Admin & HR Manager Tanzania (1995-2005); Ricardo Lagos, Yim Veasna, 015 814 499 more than 90 per cent of the prove effective. Public health infrastructure If their exclusionPich is Socheat replicated former President of Chile (2000- ADMINISTRATION global economy and two- The WHO has worked admi- and capacities have already in the responseAssistants to the pan- to Admin & HR2006); Manager Kevin Rudd, former Prime Admin & HR Manager Minister of Australia (2007-2010, thirds of its population can rably within its capacity to been sorely stretched in Chi- demic, not onlyNhel will Soaphea they be Pich Socheat be critical. coordinate a global response. na, South Korea, Europe and potentially decimated by ill- 2013); Aminata Toure, former Prime Financial Director Minister of Senegal (2013-2014); Assistants to Admin & HR Manager The G20 must develop and Yet one multilateral agency the US. UN secretary-general ness but, they may also Heang Tangmeng and Danilo Turk, former president of Nhel Soaphea deliver a comprehensive left to act alone cannot per- (and Club of Madrid mem- become continued transmit- Slovenia (2007-2012). Financial Director Chief Accountant Heang Tangmeng Sren Vicheka Chief Accountant Treasurers Sren Vicheka Sok Sophorn, Yon Sovannara, Treasurers Cheam Sopheak Sok Sophorn, Yon Sovannara, IT Manager Cheam Sopheak Seng Nak, Vong Oun IT Manager Seng Nak, Vong Oun TO CONTACT US [email protected] TO CONTACT US [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] www.phnompenhpost.com www.phnompenhpost.com © Post Media Co, Ltd © Post Media Co, Ltd The Phnom Penh Post is wholly owned The Phnom Penh Post is wholly owned and printed by Post Media Co Ltd. The and printed by Post Media Co Ltd. 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Hong Raksmey this song”, “dance with me”, “very nice” and “miss”. One Fa- T A nightclub, a teen- cebook user called ParmjyPjy age disc jockey (DJ) said it’s a “quarantine festival”. wearing a long black Another well-known club and white number 88 in the capital, Epic Club, is T-shirtA and a black hat controls offering online clubbing for the music while his colleague its revellers who miss the live who is the emcee speaks above music from its DJs. the blaring hip-hop music to Beginning with a slow tune, welcome patrons. Epic Club’s DJ played a hip The patrons that the emcee song while the emcee danced is addressing are not the ones in tempo to the lyrics. in a darkened hall with flashing The 17-minute video cap- lights that most are accustomed tioned “STAY HOME” attract- to. Rather, they have tuned-in ed more than 25K views, and to a video live-streamed via the almost 500 shares on its Face- Facebook page of a nightclub in book page. Phnom Penh. Online clubbing not only This is the new fad that club- helps the nightclubs keep bers are turning to since the their patrons until better times government imposed social cometh and the clubs reopen. distancing to curb the novel Live-streaming of such music coronavirus outbreak – by also introduces their clubs to closing schools, nightclubs, new viewers and future pa- beer gardens, spas, massage trons who have never visited parlours, casinos and more. a nightclub or seen a DJ per- So to remain relevant, some forming live. clubs have started putting A viewer, Kem Vuthara their DJs and music perfor- wrote a comment saying: mances online. “Now I know Epic just like all On this occasion, the DJ the others. Thank you corona welcomes the revellers who for allowing me to know what are confined to their homes the night club looks like.” because of the Covid-19 pan- Facebook user, SseavMey demic. wrote that “I want to learn DJ In some of the videos, which too”, while Elodee Kim echoed: are probably filmed some- “Elodee Kim Stay home and where outside of their venues, watch DJ Epic lived lolzzz.” DJs are performing against the Adding to their voices, To remain relevant, some clubs have started putting their DJs and music performances online. AFP green screen that was applied viewer Na Vin said “it’s also with computer visual effects. fun to dance at home”, while STREAM’s post twice a week. being healthy and safe.” Sok Vanna, the director of the poses and viewers are small in A 46-minute live-stream vid- Rathoudom Hong added: On its Facebook page, Pon- Vanny from Epic Club who Ministry of Tourism’s Depart- number, and watching from eo posted by Pontoon on April “Online class for daytime and toon says: “Our DJs are here and only wanted to be known by ment of Entertainment Ser- the safety of their own homes, 4 at 10:45pm gained more than online club for nighttime”. ready to live-stream the best one name, tells The Post: “DJ vices says DJs cannot use club then that is fine,” he says. 10K views, and more than 250 Though the nightclubs’ beats right to your home so you LIVE STREAM aims to keep in venues to produce their videos Vanna says, more important- shares on its Facebook page. main goal is to entertain their can keep partying with us while contact with our clients who or live-stream on social media ly, club owners have to seek While DJ Jay Bee lowers the patrons who miss clubbing you keep yourself healthy.” stay at home and want to be as it would be against the law. permission from the Ministry music, emcee Kodak-Y greets and wish to keep in touch To entertain people at home, entertained like they used to “But if they use other places of Information before upload- viewers with: “Welcome to with their favourite DJs and Epic Club also posted: “Epic is do at our club. such as a room in a house, that ing live-streamed videos. this Saturday live-stream mu- emcees, they did not forget to coming to your house to party. “We’ve produced a video would be fine,” he says. It is not the first time that sic in Pontoon Club.” remind viewers to maintain Epic is here to help you keep and are live-streaming it from Vanna tells The Post that clubs have gone online to en- He then pauses a while their hygiene and stay safe your spirits up and party into 9:00-10:00pm twice a week.” live-streams are not exempt tertain people staying at home to let the music rock, and from Covid-19. the night by having our DJs The emcees kept repeating from bans on large public amid tightened measures. viewers’ hearts race with the “Don’t forget to take care of stream live sets on Facebook. “stay at home”, “wash your gatherings, no matter where Singapore’s nightclubs have adrenaline rush before add- your health. Please wash your “So you can party live with hands”, “wear a face mask they are filmed. offered “cloud-clubbing” ing: “I dedicate this song to all hands with soap and clean them just like you used to, all when going out”, “use disin- “Live-streams with 10 or parties for clubbers to enjoy ladies. Let’s dance to the mu- water or hand gel to get rid of the while helping you keep fection spray” and “keep social more viewers should not be al- electronic music from home, sic while staying at home.” the virus. Stay at home, stay your social distancing by do- distancing” through the music lowed. But if it is organised by while Canada’s Quarantine Among the Facebook com- at home,” said Kodak-Y from ing this right in your own to remind people of the Covid- just an emcee, DJ and a small Club gets partygoers to join ments that followed were “love Pontoon who offers his DJ LIVE home so that you can keep 19 threat that is out there.” camera crew for filming pur- in via the Zoom app.

The 17-minute video captioned ‘STAY HOME’ attracted more than 25K views, and almost 500 shares on its Though the nightclubs’ main goal is to entertain their patrons who miss clubbing, they did not forget to Facebook page. SUPPLIED remind viewers to maintain their hygiene and stay safe from Covid-19. AFP THE PHNOM PENH POST april 9, 2020 www.phnompenhpost.com 13 Lifestyle Thailand’s sex workers face virus conundrum

shutdown to contain the coronavirus has killed Thailand’s party scene and forced sex workers like Pim outA of bars and onto desolate streets. She’s scared but desperately needs customers to pay her rent. Red-light districts from Bangkok to Pattaya have gone quiet with night clubs and massage parlours closed and tourists blocked from entering the country. That has left an estimated 300,000 sex workers out of a job, pressing some onto the streets where the risks are sharpened by the pandemic. “I’m afraid of the virus but I need to find customers so I can pay for my room and food,” Pim, a 32-year- old transgender sex worker, said in an area of Bangkok where previous- ly bawdy neon-lit bars and brothels have gone dark. Since Friday, Thais have been un- der a 10pm to 4am curfew. Bars and eat-in restaurants closed several days earlier. Many of Bangkok’s sex workers had jobs in the relative safety of bars, working for tips and willing to go home with customers. When their workplaces suddenly closed, most returned home to wait out the crisis. Others like Pim went to work the streets. Thailand’s Covid-19 lockdown has hit its 300,000 sex workers hard. AFP The government says it is ready to enforce a 24-hour curfew if neces- The already high risks of sex work workers, says entertainment ven- sary to control a virus that has in- have rocketed as the virus spreads. ues make around $6.4 billion a year, fected more than 2,300 people and Sex workers have flocked back to many of them selling sex in some killed 30, official figures show. homes across the country in an- form. Pim is paying a heavy price for the ticipation of several weeks of virtual Women are suffering the most movement restrictions – she has not lockdown before Thailand’s night from the virus measures, it says. had a customer for 10 days and the economy comes back to life. Many are mothers and their fami- bills are stacking up. There are fears the malaise could lies’ main income earner, forced Her friend Alice, another trans- last for months, yanking billions of into sex work by lack of opportuni- gender sex worker, has also been tourist dollars from the economy ties or low graduate salaries. forced to move from a go-go bar to and leaving those working in the in- The group has written an open the roadside. formal sector destitute. letter to the government urging it “I used to make decent money some- They include sex workers – an ille- to “find a way to provide assistance times $300-600 a week,” Alice says. gal but widely accepted part of Thai- to all workers who have lost their “But when businesses shut down land’s nightlife. earnings”. my income stopped too. We are doing There are concerns that a Thai As the 10pm curfew looms, Pim this because we’re poor. If we can’t pay government emergency scheme to and Alice prepare for a final forlorn our hotel they will kick us out.” give 5,000 baht ($150) to millions patrol for customers. The occasional tourist loiters near of newly jobless over the next three “I think the government has been clusters of sex workers, before a fur- months will exclude sex workers really slow. They don’t care about tive negotiation and a quick march because they cannot prove formal people like us who work in the sex to a nearby hotel, one of the few employment. industry,” Alice said. still open on Bangkok’s main tourist The Empower Foundation, an ad- “We’re more afraid of having noth- drag. vocacy group for the kingdom’s sex ing to eat than the virus.” AFP Bills are stacking up for Thai sex workers who now find themselves unemployed. Afp Taking it slow: Pandas mate after 10 years of attempts

STUCK at home with no visi- at reproducing, especially in detected by an ultrasound tors and not much else to do, captivity. scan some 14 to 17 days before a pair of pandas in Hong Kong But vets had their hopes up birth. finally decided to give mating when the monochromatic lov- But Ying Ying might exhibit a go after a decade of dodging ers started showing an interest hormonal fluctuations and the issue. in each other during the short behavioural changes as early Like half the planet, Ying Ying spring mating season. as June if fertilisation has and Le Le have only really had For those who knew where occurred. each other for company since to look for the tell-tale signs, The announcement was a coronavirus-caused lockdowns ursine love was in the air. rare bit of good news as Hong shut off the flow of guests to “Since late March, Ying Ying Kong reels under a recession their theme park pad. began spending more time and movement restrictions And like couples everywhere, playing in the water, while Le caused by the coronavirus. they’ve been making the best Le has been leaving scent- Ocean Park, which is ear- of the time on their own. markings around his habitat marked for a HK$10.6 billion “Since Ying Ying and Le Le’s and searching the area for Ying (US$1.4 billion) bailout from arrival in Hong Kong in 2007 Ying’s scent,” the park said. the city government, has been and attempts at natural mat- “Such behaviours are con- shuttered since late January ing since 2010, they unfortu- sistent with those common because of the pandemic. nately have yet to succeed during breeding season, which Many Facebook commenters until this year upon years of occurs once every year between speculated that the absence of trial and learning,” said Ocean March and May,” it added. crowds might have boosted Ying Park conservation official Experts will now monitor Ying and Le Le’s confidence. Michael Boos. Ying Ying for signs of preg- “It’s a good time to make The park released photos of nancy, but it may be quite baby bear when you are on the pair embracing in an some wait as the gestation holiday and have no pressure,” enclosure uncharacteristically period for giant pandas ranges wrote Janet Mok. free from prying eyes and from 72 to 324 days. Chan Fong added: “It’s no cameraphones. The park said confirmation pressure when no one is Pandas Ying Ying and Le Le embrace in an enclosure free from prying eyes and cameraphones. afp Pandas are notoriously bad of pregnancy can only be watching.” AFP 14 THE PHNOM PENH POST april 9, 2020 www.phnompenhpost.com

Thinking caps

“PLAYING KEYBOARDS”

ACROSS 51 Fragrant legume plant 12 Sweetie pie 1 Communion site 53 City silhouette 13 Circular coral reef island 6 Circum-ference segment 56 Mama porker 21 Put forth, as effort 9 Fruit derived from a single ovary 57 Baltimore-Philadelphia dir. 22 Boy king of ancient Egypt 14 Positive thinker Norman Vincent 58 Joined, as a party to a contract 26 Frat boys, slangily 15 “___ Blas” 64 Part of RCMP 27 What Moses saw burning 16 “It’s ___ time!” 66 Geller with all the mind stuff 28 Type of tangelo 17 Jockey wear 67 Not from Earth, say 29 With a look not to be trusted 18 Night before a major holiday 68 Piece of church land 30 Carpenters’ tools 19 So much, musically 69 Big racket 31 Buttons alternative 35 Felt in one’s bones 20 Have a survivor story 70 Dishwasher cycle 37 Folk knowledge 23 “Open ___ midnight” 71 “The Sons of Katie ___” (1965 38 “___ Smile” (Hall and Oates hit) 24 Frequent bagel topper film) 40 Watch part 25 Farmer’s tipcart 72 Finish 42 Ones in a gaggle 27 Flier’s “classy” choice 73 Lets stand, in proofreading 45 Extravagant pitcher 32 Pacific food staple DOWN 47 Tall cedars 33 “That turns my stomach!” 1 Chapel recess 50 Raggedy redhead 34 Bent an elbow, so to speak 2 Flowery necklaces 52 Aglow at dusk 36 Payments to cross a bridge 3 Soft mineral 53 Material that’s worsted for wear? 39 Went down a chute 4 Acid neutralizer 54 Small hill 41 Sound a banjo can make 5 Give an answer 6 Like cheese or whiskey 55 Exercise by Chopin 43 Ancient Greek meeting spot 59 “___ go bragh!” 44 Oldies players 7 Tear asunder 8 Athlete’s shoe part 60 Cantaloupe castoff 46 What some people do when 61 Baseball team minimum they’re over 65 9 It keeps water off the floor 10 “Defending Liberty, 62 Put through the paces 48 Legendary Bruin Bobby Pursuing Justice” org. 63 Singles 49 Acapulco appetizer 11 Pantyhose type 65 “Honest” presidential nickname Wednesday’s solution

Wednesday’s solution THE PHNOM PENH POST april 9, 2020 www.phnompenhpost.com 15 Sport Trump-opened India cricket stadium empty

US President Donald Trump recently inaugurated the world’s largest cricket stadium. Afp The Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad, India has yet to see a ball bowled. afp

here is no larger symbol of the global following the completion of the world’s largest sports shutdown than cricket’s 110,000- statue there in 2018 – also dedicated to inde- seater Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmeda- pendence hero Sardar Patel. bad, India opened by US President The giant Statue of Unity measures 182m TDonald Trump, but yet to see a ball bowled. – twice the height of New York’s Statue of Lib- India’s newest and the world’s biggest cricket erty. stadium lies empty because of the coronavirus Modi was Gujarat chief minister for 13 years pandemic. Where there should be the sound until 2014, and revamping the former Motera of leather on willow and the roar of the crowd, stadium had long been a pet project. there is only silence. Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah, a close Just a few weeks ago, it had been packed to ally, headed the Gujarat Cricket Association capacity as Trump and Indian Prime Minister until last year and his son Jay Shah is the sec- Narendra Modi stood side-by-side in a show of retary of the BCCI, the world’s richest and most pomp and ceremony for the February 24 inau- powerful cricket board. guration. Despite cricket being wildly popular in India, Eclipsing Australia’s 100,000-capacity Mel- domestic first class matches – and even some bourne Cricket Ground, it was rumoured to international Test matches – are often played be in line to host the final of this year’s Indian to near-empty stadiums. Premier League, the world’s richest Twenty20 The only matches guaranteed to attract big tournament, watched by millions worldwide. crowds are IPL games and one-day interna- But then came Covid-19. The pandemic tionals – and even then it depends on the qual- has brought the sporting world to a grinding ity of the opposition. halt with massive events including the Tokyo The nation of 1.3 billion people already has Olympics, football’s European Champion- more than a dozen stadiums capable of host- ships, golf and tennis majors, and the glitzy The stadium was packed to capacity just weeks ago when the US president visited. afp ing international cricket, although in the off- IPL postponed. season they can be used for other events. “There was hardly any time between the The Board of Control for Cricket in India unobstructed views and has state-of-the-art “You are left wondering whether it is a rock Trump event and the pandemic,” a senior (BCCI) has pushed back the IPL from its original facilities including an Olympic-sized swim- concert venue, [or] is it a cricket stadium?” ES- Gujarat Cricket Association official told AFP start date of March 29 to April 15, but with the ming pool as part of a multi-sports complex. PNcricinfo senior editor Sharda Ugra said. on condition of anonymity, adding that once number of coronavirus cases in India exceed- Next door, a refurbished venue on the site of “I would have hoped that there would have cricket resumes, the stadium could be ready ing 5,000 and still rising, pressure is growing for the former 49,000-capacity Motera Stadium been some analysis on the kind of grounds that “in double-quick time”. it to be shifted again, truncated or scrapped. will serve as a venue for cricket, football and India needs now. “Just five per cent work is remaining and it hockey. “We have a lot of these giant grounds in just needs the finishing touches,” the official Unobstructed views Critics have charged that it is another “white which you have one international match in said. The $100-million, circular venue, promises elephant” vanity project in Modi’s home state, two years.” afp Brazil’s Ronaldinho put under house arrest in Paraguay A Paraguayan judge on Tues- and his brother”. Milan, among others. bished 107-room Palmaroga a news conference. Brazil on March 4. day ordered the release of Bra- The pair were jailed one The ruling means that the Hotel, located in the capital’s Paraguay’s appeal court last However, shortly after their zilian football great Ronaldinho month ago to await trial, but brothers can swap their grim historic centre, describes it as month rejected a request to arrival, the brothers were taken and his brother into house their lawyers have posted bail police cell block – which has offering “a seamless blend of release the pair, meaning the into police custody when inves- arrest while they await trial on of $1.6 million. also housed Paraguay’s former early 1900s Renaissance grace two-time world player of the tigators raided their hotel fol- charges of using false passports Ronaldinho, considered one soccer federation chief and the and modern comfort as well as year spent his 40th birthday lowing discovery that their to enter the country. of the greatest footballers of all ex-speaker of the lower house luxury”. behind bars. passports were fake. Judge Gustavo Amarilla told time, was a star of Brazil’s 2002 of parliament – for a plush “I have the assurance of the With Paraguay’s capital on Ronaldinho, given a rock reporters that he had ordered World Cup win and played for colonial-style hotel in down- hotel managers that they, at their lockdown due to the coronavi- star’s welcome to Asuncion by the “continuation of house European giants Barcelona, town Asuncion. own expense, can observe house rus pandemic, the judge com- around 2,000 children and arrest in a hotel for Ronaldinho Paris Saint-Germain and AC The brochure of the refur- arrest there,” Judge Amarilla told municated his ruling in a cell- teenagers, said the passports phone call to the brothers, with had been given to him by spon- prosecutors and defence law- sors of a charity working with yers – and TV cameras – present. disadvantaged children. The judge and many others Fourteen other people have wore face masks as a precau- been charged in the case, which tion against the virus. has expanded into an investi- A beaming Ronaldinho, in a gation into possible money black T-shirt and matching laundering. headband, gave a thumbs up An arrest warrant has been sign to show he understood the issued for the Paraguayan busi- terms of his release. nesswoman in charge of the charity foundation that invited ‘Fake passports’ Ronaldinho. He and his brother, Roberto He proved a popular inmate de Assis Moreira – who is also of the police headquarters jail his business manager – ini- where he was held, donating a tially encountered no prob- trophy to the winning team in Famed Brazilian footballer Ronaldinho was arrested in Paraguay for Ronaldinho and his brother have moved to a swanky hotel in the lems after arriving in Asun- a recent prisoners’ futsal tour- entering the country on a false passport. afp historic centre of Asuncion, the country’s capital. afp cion from neighbouring nament. afp 16 THE PHNOM PENH POST april 9, 2020 www.phnompenhpost.com Sport Russian star MLB pitches Arizona 2020 season plan makes NHL debut with AJOR League Baseball (MLB) dimmed any no- Maple Leafs tion of a quick OCKEY star Alexander Mstart to the 2020 season on Barabanov, who helped Tuesday after a report that it Hthe Russian squad cap- was focused on a plan to open ture the gold medal at the 2018 in May in Arizona. Winter Olympics in South Korea, ESPN claimed MLB was “in- signed a one-year NHL contract creasingly focused” on a plan on Tuesday with the Toronto to isolate players and umpires Maple Leafs. and have all 30 teams stage The 25-year-old right winger games in empty stadiums scored 11 goals in 43 games around Phoenix, Arizona, this season for his hometown used for pre-season training club, SKA St Petersburg, in the as well as Chase Field, the Kontinental Hockey League. domed home of MLB’s Ari- Over seven campaigns with zona Diamondbacks. the club, Barabanov scored 62 The idea, unnamed sources goals and set up 75 more and told ESPN, has the support of helped SKA St Petersburg win top federal public health of- the Gagarin Cup championship ficials who think clubs could in 2015 and 2017. operate safely despite the on- During the Olympics he netted going coronavirus pandemic. a goal and assisted on another But MLB, in a statement, to help Russia win a gold medal. said no detailed plan for such “Great playmaking ability, a move has been developed very good in tight,” Maple Leafs and they have not sought ap- general manager Kyle Dubas proval from officials or the said last month. players union. “One of the other things we “MLB has been actively like about him is his ability to considering numerous con- Hunter Pence of the San Francisco Giants takes a swing at a spring training game in Phoenix, Arizona. Getty Images/AFP make plays under pressure, tingency plans that would al- his ability to win pucks, protect low play to commence once developed a detailed plan. of our employees, players, ESPN’s report said players Rodriguez said. pucks when people come after the public health situation “While we continue to inter- fans and the public at large would be tested and would “Players want to play and him and use his strength.” has improved to the point act regularly with governmen- are paramount, and we are live in hotels in relative iso- fans want to watch.” When the 2019-20 NHL season that it is safe to do so,” the tal and public health officials, not ready at this time to en- lation, traveling only to and The report said top federal was shut down in March due to league statement said. we have not sought or received dorse any particular format from stadiums. health officials have spoken the coronavirus pandemic, the “While we have discussed the approval of any plan from fed- for staging games in light of “I think there would be an about the viability of such a plan Maple Leafs were in an Eastern idea of staging games at one loca- eral, state and local officials, the rapidly changing public adjustment but we would with MLB, which was to have Conference playoff spot with 36 tion as one potential option, we or the Players Association. health situation caused by follow suit,” retired MLB star opened a campaign of 162 games wins and 81 points in 70 games. AFP have not settled on that option or “The health and safety the coronavirus.” and ESPN commentator Alex per club on March 26. AFP

Ousted Fifa president Sepp Blatter says the Russia and Qatar decisions were a gentleman’s agreement. afp Russian Alexander Barabanov vies for the puck during the IIHF Men’s Ice Hockey World Championships. AFP Qatar, Russia refute World Cup bribery accusations QATAR and Russia hit back at allega- papers” while the Kremlin said it “abso- “Russia absolutely legally got the has already forced the postponement ment released on Monday detailed tions of bribery on Tuesday after US lutely legally got the right” to host the right to organise the World Cup,” of the European football champion- corruption surrounding the 2010 prosecutors accused them of paying 2018 global football spectacle. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov ships and the Tokyo Olympics. Both vote in Zurich which saw Fifa award millions in bribes for the rights to The US legal action is linked to a told reporters. will now take place in 2021. the 2018 World Cup to Russia and the host the 2018 and 2022 tourna- wide-ranging 2015 corruption scan- Qatar’s Supreme Committee for The latest US legal action centres 2022 World Cup to Qatar. ments. dal that left world governing body Delivery said in a statement that the on two former executives of US media Blatter told AFP that “there was a Fifa officials received bribes to vote Fifa in turmoil and led to the downfall allegations “are part of a long-stand- giant Fox who were charged with cor- gentlemen’s agreement at the heart in favour of awarding the 2018 World of then-president Sepp Blatter. ing case, the subject of which is not ruption, bank fraud and money- of Fifa’s executive committee” to Cup to Russia and the 2022 tourna- In the ensuing years, the US govern- the 2018/2022 Fifa World Cup bid- laundering on Monday. award the 2018 tournament to Russia ment to Qatar, said US Justice Depart- ment has accused a total of 45 people ding process.” But Federal prosecutors have also and the 2022 edition to Qatar. ment documents released on Mon- and various sports companies of more The timings of the competition, shed fresh light on the scandal-taint- “That’s all,” added Blatter who pre- day. than 90 crimes and of paying or due to be held in November and ed bidding war for the 2018 and 2022 sided over both bidding processes Doha said it “strongly denies the alle- accepting more than $200 million in December of 2022, remain unchanged World Cups. and is currently banned from foot- gations contained within the court bribes. by the coronavirus pandemic which An unsealed superseding indict- ball. AFP