wednesday, april 28, 2021 Intelligent . In-depth . Independent Issue Number 3651 / 4000 RIEL Over 10% of Some 1.2M workers bear women suffer miscarriages, brunt of Covid lockdown study reveals ONE in seven pregnancies world- wide ends in miscarriage, and eleven Lay Samean per cent of women endure a failed pregnancy at least once in their life- N ESTIMATED 1.2 time, experts said on April 27. million factory Some 23 million miscarriages workers have been occur every year, according to data affected by the gov- pieced together from around the ernment’sA lockdown of globe by an international team of Phnom Penh and adjacent 31 researchers. Takmao town in Kandal prov- But the actual tally is sure to be ince, which will now be “substantially higher” due to under- extended to May 5, according reporting, they said in a trio of stud- to the Ministry of Labour and ies published in The Lancet. Vocational Training spokes- Two per cent of women – one in person Heng Sour. 50 – have experienced two miscar- Sour told The Post on April riages, while less than one per cent 27 that according to a re- have been through three or more. port he had received, about Levels of care for women suffering 400,000 of the 1.2 million af- miscarriage is highly uneven across fected workers live in locked countries, and even within many down areas, while the re- wealthy nations, the data showed. mainder live outside but are “A new system is needed to ensure employed by factories in the miscarriages are better recognised restricted zones. and women are given the physical Sour confirmed that al- and mental health care they need,” though they cannot go to the researchers said in a statement. work, the factory workers Misconceptions about miscar- would still receive their pay riage are widespread. from employers for the work Many women believe they occur they did before the lock- only rarely, for example, or that they down, along with an allow- can be caused by lifting heavy objects ance from their employers or previous contraceptive use. and government assistance. They may also think that there’s “They had worked in the no effective treatments to prevent first two weeks of April, so a miscarriage, especially in women they received 50 per cent of at high risk. their regular wages. For week Such misconceptions can be three and four during lock- damaging, leaving women and their down, the Garment Manufac- partners feeling at fault and discour- turing Association in Cambo- Garment workers stand in front of their rented apartments in Stung Meanchey III commune of Phnom Penh’s Meanchey district on aging them from seeking treatment dia (GMAC) is working with Saturday. YOUSOS APDOULRASHIM and support, the authors note. its members to mobilise as Miscarriage can also lead to isolation, much financial support as ent,” Sour said. food aid to those who are work at the factories outside lockdown of Phnom Penh since many women might not tell their they can afford to provide. He said that – more or less living in rented rooms. of Phnom Penh and Takmao. remains in place, the lift on family, close friends, or even their “Some factories still – all factories must have an Sour noted that after the in- “In brief, more than 60 per the inter-provincial travel partner about the loss of a pregnancy. have purchase orders from assistance package for their ter-provincial travel ban was cent of garment factories ban in reality has nothing to A miscarriage is widely defined as the abroad, but others have very workers while the govern- lifted on April 25, some work- are based in Phnom Penh loss of a pregnancy before 20 to 24 limited resources at pres- ment continues to provide ers had resumed travelling to and Kandal province. As the Continued – page 2 weeks of gestation, with the exact time period varying from country to country. A review of published academic literature up to mid-May 2020 identified many causes for miscar- riages, including a more advanced Ministry defends private-vendor move maternal age, previous miscar- riages, and a father older than 40. Thou Vireak Phnom Penh Municipal Hall’s April of whom he noted live “from hand to The ministry on April 27 said Other risk factors correlating with 23 directive dictating that all state- mouth”. He likened the potential vend- allowing private vendors to sell on pregnancies that end spontane- THE Ministry of Commerce on April owned markets and other improvised ing posts to “a pot for cooking rice”. a small scale at designated locations ously are being extremely under- or 27 responded to criticism that allowing ones – such as those that sprawl near He added: “In my opinion, the [com- would “likely reopen markets”, over-weight, smoking, alcohol con- private vendors to sell essential goods factories, hospitals and residential merce] ministry should focus on sup- which it noted could pose a high- sumption, persistent stress, work- at designated locations would run areas – throughout the capital shut porting vendors so that they can run risk source of infection that could ing night shifts, and constant expo- contrary to government preventive for 14 days effective through May 7. their businesses well, at a suitable loca- add fuel to the spread of Covid-19. sure to air pollution or pesticides. health measures – which prohibit gath- Saing Koma called on the com- tion to receive a smooth supply of agri- While it said it welcomes open, There is also a link with anxiety, erings – to stem the spread Covid-19. merce ministry to establish places cultural products from various sources constructive feedback, the ministry depression and – for about 20 per cent Senior Grassroots Democratic for wholesale agricultural products and sales transactions in accordance noted that the spread of false infor- of women – post-traumatic stress dis- Party (GDP) official Yang Saing inbound from the provinces so that with good health principles. mation and offensive comments has order nine months after a miscarriage. Koma has called on the ministry to traders can earn an income during “Sharing responsibilities and hindered ministerial activities Health consequences can be set up booths for private vendors in the movement curbs. mutual assistance between the state towards facilitating the sale, supply, severe, especially for women who lockdown areas. This, he noted, would provide oppor- and the people has led us to combat experience a second or multiple His appeal came on the heels of tunities for small business owners, most Covid-19 successfully.” Continued – page 9 miscarriages. AFP

municipal hall releases Direct mango exports map detailing colour to China at hand after coded Covid-19 risks customs okays farms nATIONAL – page 3 business – page 6 2 THE PHNOM PENH POST april 28, 2021 www.phnompenhpost.com National ‘Be patient, Covid-19 commission told to observe new accelerate vaccination drive lockdown RIME Minister Hun Sen has instructions’ directed the national ad-hoc commission for Covid-19 Continued from page 1 vaccination programme to useP all means necessary to accelerate do with the operation of the factories the drive and inoculate all residents in Phnom Penh. aged 18 and over in Phnom Pehn and “Only a small number of workers adjacent Takmao town in Kandal who travelled between Kampong Speu province amid the lockdown. and Kandal or between Kandal and In a recent directive that extended Takeo for their jobs can resume their the lockdown in Phnom Penh and work now, which is good for them of Takmao to May 5, he told the vacci- course, but really the travel ban affect- nation commission to revise its strat- ed only between five and 10 per cent egy and plan to transform it into a of all factory workers,” he said. “National Vaccination Campaign”. The labour ministry estimates that “Use all means available to accel- approximately 100,000 factory work- erate the vaccination of all people ers and trade unionists have been vac- in the shortest period possible for cinated now with their first dose. After people aged 18 and over in Phnom vaccinations resumed on April 25, an- Penh and the densely populated area other 8,700 workers then received their of Kandal province,” he said. second doses, according to Sour. The campaign is being acceler- He called on workers locked down ated to achieve herd immunity and in red zones and dark yellow zones ensure the effective control of the to remain indoors, be patient and spread of Covid-19 and to prevent obey the new lockdown orders even further lockdowns. if they have received their second This large-scale vaccination cam- vaccine dose. paign must be properly prepared “When the designations for red, and proceed in an orderly manner to dark yellow or yellow zones are an- avoid the spread of the disease dur- nounced then the factories in the ing the campaign. The vaccination yellow zones can resume their oper- should be carried out at locations People wait for their turn to get vaccinated against Covid-19 in Phnom Penh’s Por Sen Chey district. heng chivoan ations. But most factories are locat- nearest residents’ homes, he said. ed in Por Sen Chey, Meanchey, Kam- Meanwhile, another 400,000 doses bath who told local media Fresh News. in February and March. Cambodia As of April 26, a total of 1,295,973 bol and Dangkor districts, which are of Sinopharm vaccines donated by “The donation is to join the fight also purchased two million doses people have been vaccinated, both all facing high risk for infections. the Chinese government will arrive in against Covid-19 and to protect the of Sinovac vaccines from China and for first and second doses, in a large- “So, they should wait patiently un- Cambodia on April 28. This is the third health of Cambodians from the dis- received 324,000 doses of the Astra- scale campaign administered by the til the Covid-19 transmission chain time China has provided Sinopharm ease,” Sambath said. Zeneca vaccines through the COVAX ministries of Health and National is broken – but as of now, many vaccines to the Kingdom, Ministry of China donated a total of 1.3 mil- facility initiated by the World Health Defence – 1,001,430 by the former samples from these areas are still Health’s secretary of state York Sam- lion doses of Sinopharm vaccines Ogarnisation. and 294,543 by the latter. testing positive,” he said. Takeo villagers protest construction of reservoir on encroached spaces Nov Sivutha

RESIDENTS from seven villages in Takeo province protested against authorities who they said were digging a new reser- voir on 200ha of land they have depended upon for years. The villages are Chi Chrap village, Srah Trakoun village, Lok village, Trapeang Sno village, Phnous village, Tra- peang Veng village and Ang Keo village in Traing district’s Sanlong commune. Protest representative Ith Touch told The Post on April 27 that of the seven villages, three were the most affected by the encroachment: Chi Chrap, Lok and Srah Trakoun. He did not specify how many families lived in each village but said about 60 fam- ilies were affected by the de- The protest has been going on since February to prevent the land from being developed and allow people to velopment. grow crops for a living, according to a representative of the protesters. supplied Touch explained that villag- ers have used the land since people’s land for a new one,” people who depend on the ral disaster, not the restora- 1983, and that the authori- he said. land are not affected. tion of the canal. ties had issued a land title, or According to Touch, the pro- The commune chief said “When the restoration is chicken-wing cards [a com- test has been going on since that both the provincial gover- complete, we will give them mon nickname for old land February to prevent the land nor and the commune author- the keys to open, close or title cards] since 1990. from being developed and al- ity have signed a contract with drain the water to grow dry He added that they tried to low people to grow crops for the people to build three water season rice. We do it for them, stop authorities allowing exca- a living. gates for rice on the land. After but if they don’t do it then it vators to dig the new reservoir. Sanlong commune chief a harvest, people can close the is their choice. Do not blame “The main purpose for this Lok Sari said that the land was gate and continue to cultivate us,” he said. reservoir is to rebuild the earmarked by the Ministry of dry season rice. He added that those pro- old one which they [authori- Water Resources and Meteo- According to Sari, the de- testors had ringleaders be- ties] had sold. So, they need rology for making a reservoir velopment will not affect hind them. They wanted au- to excavate a new reservoir and connecting it to a lake. people’s land, as the authori- thorities to issue land titles to to respond to the Ministry Sari added the ministry ties will only rehabilitate the them, but authorities could of Water Resources and Me- plans for people to have wa- canal along the lake. The not issue titles because of the teorology, by taking 200ha of ter for dry season rice. The flooding in 2020 was a natu- nearby lake. THE PHNOM PENH POST april 28, 2021 www.phnompenhpost.com 3 National Economic P Penh municipality releases map zone set for M’kiri detailing colour coded Covid risks sanctuary Voun Dara Long Kimmarita HNOM Penh municipal gover- nor Khuong Sreng released an THE Mondulkiri Provincial official map detailing the red, Administration has requested yellow and dark yellow zones the Ministry of Interior to allo- withinP the city under the new lock- cate more than 3,000ha of land down orders for Phnom Penh in the Nam Lear Wildlife Sanc- announced on April 26. tuary, which is under the juris- The designation of red, dark yellow diction of the Ministry of Envi- and yellow corresponds to areas with ronment, for the construction high, moderate and low risks of trans- of a new border gate and mission of Covid-19, respectively. administrative infrastructure. The red zones are located in parts of According to a letter sent to five districts including Tuol Kork, the interior minister on Febru- Dankgor, Meanchey, Russey Keo and ary 5, the land would be des- Por Senchey. ignated a special economic In Tuol Kork the red zones are Boe- development zone along the ung Salang commune’s villages 14, 16 border. The land is in Pech and 17. In Dangkor district the red Chreada district’s Bou Sra zones are Praka village of Prey Sar com- commune. mune and Mol, Thmey and Sambor The letter noted: “In the cur- villages in Dangkor commune. rent situation, the provincial In Stung Meanchey district all four com- administration would like to munes are designated as red zones: Stung manage and protect the land Meanchey I, Stung Meanchey II, Stung and avoid loss due to encroach- Meanchey III and Boeung Tompun I. ment and illegal forest occu- For Russey Keo and Por Senchey dis- pation.” tricts, the entire Tuol Sangke I com- Provincial governor Svay mune and Chom Chao I commune are Sam Eang said in the letter that both designated as red zones. the old Nam Lear border gate Several other villages and communes is surrounded by land conces- in each of the capital’s 14 districts are des- sions, which the government ignated as dark yellow or yellow zones. has authorised a company, Meanchey district is the only district Police block a street in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, April 17. Hean Rangsey Kovi Phama, to plant rubber that has no yellow zones since all of its plantations. There is no land communes are designated as either red for each zone. and they may be subject to arrest and dark yellow zones and allowed without for an administrative area, and or dark yellow zones. Those who violate the restrictive prosecution under the Covid law. restrictions in the yellow zones, though traffic must travel through the The directive also explains travel and measures regarding travel will have While travel is completely banned in curfew from 8pm to 5am is still imposed rubber plantations, which will business permissions and restrictions their vehicles temporarily impounded red zones, it is partially permitted in in those areas. have serious side effects. Sam Eang said: “The provin- cial administration plans to maintain the land and propose to relocate the old border gate EdC under fire over excessive electric bills to a new location more than 2km away in order to improve Lay Samean shut down due to Covid. Yi Sophoarn who resides in the border gate’s administra- “My house sells goods . . . but Chaom Chao II commune in tive infrastructure and turn ELECTRICITE du Cambodge for over two months, we have Phnom Penh’s Por Sen Chey the area into a special eco- (EdC) has come under fire as not sold goods regularly. But district said he had spent over nomic zone.” consumers have posted com- the electricity bill was more 400,000 riel a month, but this He added that the adminis- plaints online about excessive than 600,000 riel ($150) for two April, it had doubled to more trative infrastructure of the increases in electricity bills, months in a row. What is note- than 800,000 riel. new border gate will contrib- while EdC said bills depend on worthy, in March and April, the “Each month I use at most ute to national economic the time of year and the types bill increased to over 870,000 460,000 riel. But this April, it came growth and improve the living of electric devices used. riel and I had shut the business to over 800,000 riel. I did not use standards of the people in the People have claimed that the for some time,” he said. anything more or add any tools. border areas. increases have affected their “In fact, they [EDC] explained I used it as usual. I do not use air According to the letter, the daily livelihoods as Phnom on the phone and sent a work- conditioners all day, I only turn proposed land will be used to Penh and Kandal province’s ing group to inspect our house them on at night,” she said. construct various projects, Takhamo town have been in and explained the matter clear- EDC said: “Although we use such as residential, industrial, lockdown. ly. Because I do not understand normal house devices, during and agricultural areas and a Business owner Van Sokunt- the techniques, I pay the mon- the dry season demand for reforestation farm. hear told The Post that over ey and I will monitor it. If it still electricity increases. Electrical Provincial environment the last few months, electric- increases, I will find a way to devices such as fans, air condi- department director Keo ity prices had skyrocketed meet with the working group tioners and refrigerators are Sopheak told The Post on April Electricity meters are seen along a road in Phnom Penh. hong menea even though his business has again,” Sokunthear added. used longer than before.” 26 that the proposal had not yet been confirmed. Interior ministry spokesman Khieu Sopheak and environ- Caution urged over heavy rains, monsoon season arrival ment ministry spokesman Neth Pheaktra declined to provide Khouth Sophak Chakrya Mountain range and in the cast for 2021 released by the details, saying they needed more northeastern plateaus, as well ministry on April 21, no dry time to look into the matter. THE influence of a low pressure as in the coastal provinces.” spell is predicted to occur dur- Mondulkiri’s Indigenous system out of India combined Ngin Chhay of the general ing this year’s rainy season. People Network coordinator with the southwestern mon- directorate of agriculture told The ministry estimates that Kreung Tola said if the govern- soon is predicted to bring heavy The Post on April 27 that so far between 28 and 30 storms will ment granted the request, it rainfall and scattered showers this year there had been more occur in the Pacific Ocean and would amount to a nod for to Cambodia, especially in the rainfall than average and that the South China Sea and that deforestation of a protected south-central plains and in the some regions of farmland had these storms will bring heavy area with scarce resources. northwest, according to a ample supply of water already rainfall to Cambodia. “The proposal is not honest, notice from the Ministry of which should signal farmers in The third week of April has and if there is a unanimous deci- Water Resources and Meteorol- those areas to begin growing seen heavy rainfall in Cambo- sion, it would be like destroying ogy posted on April 27. rice, especially those in the dia and over 85,000ha have the land and the natural resourc- The ministry said in the notice central plains in the south and been ploughed with over es that remain in the sanctuary,” that “this year’s rainy season will in the northwest. 24,000ha of rice crops now Tola said. “It also violates the arrive in the first week of May. “[One of the most important] planted, Chhay added. rights of indigenous peoples, Provinces in the central plains things for farmers to consider Chhay also noted that farm- because this place is the people’s of the south and in the north- is whether they have enough ers had already harvested their rotation rice field.” west will see heavier rainfall water resources to avoid water dry season rice across the coun- than the rest of the country, but shortages, which can lead to try with a total yield of 2.93 mil- www.phnompenhpost.com scattered showers are expected rice crop damage,” he said. lion tonnes from 646,530ha Dark clouds gather over Phnom Penh skyline. This year’s rainy season check the post website for breaking news to occur along the Dangrek In the second weather fore- under cultivation. will arrive in the first week of May, according to the ministry. hong mea 4 THE PHNOM PENH POST april 28, 2021 www.phnompenhpost.com National Man arrested UNESCO: Promote press freedom over altering Long Kimmarita

NESCO has highlighted PM remarks the importance of World Press Freedom Day, ob- on TikTok app served annually on May 3,U noting that the current crisis is Nov Sivutha forcing the closure of many inde- pendent media outlets and forcing A MAN who altered Prime Minister job-cuts and an overall reduction in Hun Sen’s speeches to “distort the the number of working journalists truth” and then posted the remarks while increasing the trend towards on the popular video-sharing app political capture of media outlets by TikTok has been sent to Kampong governments, their proxies and other Chhnang Provincial Court. business interests. Provincial court spokesman Ea In a letter released on April 26, Bunthoeun told The Post on April 26 that UNESCO promoted the idea of “in- 39-year-old Phoem Phayphat, a resident formation as a public good”, saying of Svay Chrum commune’s Svay Chrum urgent policy shifts are needed to Thmei village in Rolea Ba’ier district, was help support the independent news arrested for posting malicious com- media outlets which underpin fact- ments that “incited social chaos” amid based journalism internationally. the ongoing outbreak of Covid-19. “Already, we face drastic losses He said the man had altered Hun Sen’s . . . The result is that we live in ever- audio remarks from last year that the expanding ‘news deserts’ devoid of government would ban people from local coverage and journalists are in- travelling for another three months. creasingly working under precarious “He edited the leader’s speeches and conditions,” the letter read. posted them on TikTok at 5pm on April UNESCO said there needs to be a 23, and they were different from the media “new deal” – referencing the Journalists while on their duties in Phnom Penh. Heng Chivoan truth. We arrested him on April 24,” he vast and wide-ranging government said, adding the police had built a case programmes and reforms enacted the crisis caused by Covid-19. “walk the talk” and take concrete ac- ment have been granted. file for referral to court on April 26. by former US President Franklin UNESCO also called upon internet tions that demonstrate our shared “During this outbreak, the media Provincial court prosecutor Ith Sothea Roosevelt in response to the econom- and tech companies to be more trans- commitment to the principle of profession’s practices in Cambodia confirmed that the court had received ic catastrophe of the Great Depression parent about what they are doing to accurate information as a public are the same as ever and the scope the case, which had since been referred during the 1930’s – that secures the vi- promote information and to outline good,” it said. of media coverage has remained the to the investigating judge. But he could ability of a free and pluralistic media the steps they are taking to stop the Meas Sophorn, undersecretary of same. And if we compare the media not comment on the judge’s decision ecosystem, while also enacting safe- distribution disinformation, arguing state at the Ministry of Information, industry from 2019 and 2020 to today, because it was at his discretion. guards for the editorial independence that enhanced transparency makes said that in the context of Covid-19 online media outlets have actually in- Article 496 of the Criminal Code essential to journalism as a public good. for better public accountability. the recent lockdown did not put any creased in overall number,” he said. stipulates that direct incitement as UNESCO added that this ongoing UNESCO also noted that citizens added pressure on any Cambodian Sophorn added that this year, on- defined in Article 494 of the Code – “collapse” of the media industry has need to learn the skills necessary to media outlets and that the ministry line media outlets had risen by over discrimination, violence against a occurred at the very juncture when discern good information from bad had actually provided journalists with 100 new organisations with nearly person or group because of their eth- the information independent media and to incorporate critical thinking a special right to cover news in locked 700 licensed outlets now in total. Ad- nicity, nationality, race, or religion – could make the difference between about media consumption into their down areas and issued them special ditionally, over 4,000 press cards have shall be punishable by imprisonment life and death for millions of people daily decision-making. permits to travel while on duty – a been delivered to national and inter- from one to three years and a fine of or between the ending of the pan- “This calls for a renewed national privilege he said very few professions national journalists in Cambodia for between two and six million riel ($500 demic and the indefinite extension of and international commitment to outside of those working in govern- this year, an increase of over 400. and $1,500). Sihanouk suspends five markets, one factory over Covid concerns Voun Dara closed factory is the footwear business owners cooperate factory in commune I. with the working group and AS OF April 26, the Preah Siha- “In order to break the chain have their samples taken for nouk provincial administra- of transmission of Covid-19 Covid testing. tion has suspended the opera- throughout our community, Those suspected of having tion of five markets and one we have to suspend operations come into contact with a Cov- factory for 14 days to prevent of these markets for 14 days,” id-19 positive person were the spread of Covid-19. he said. banned from exiting and Provincial hall spokesman In order to assist the resi- entering the locations in ques- Kheang Phearom said on April dents whose livelihoods will tion and they have to self- 17 that due to the Covid-19 be affected by the closures, quarantine at their homes and outbreak, five markets and one especially those in areas des- comply with health ministry factory had to be shut-down ignated as red zones, the pro- rules during their quarantine. for 14 days. vincial administration has As of April 27, the province The markets affected are prepared mobile vans to trans- had detected 1,474 cases with Dara Samnang Business Cent- port groceries to them in the 857 receiving ongoing treat- er, Yeay Touch New Star Mar- villages within the red zones. ment and three deaths, accord- In the past 51 days, five hospitals and centres with 4,300 beds have been set up to treat Covid-19 patients ket, Peanichkam Market, Phsar The municipal administra- ing to Centre for Disease Con- with mild symptoms. supplied Leu and Achin’s Market. The tion has also requested that all trol and Prevention. Five hospitals, centres set up to treat mild Covid-19 cases Voun Dara ment Koh Pich I and II, and which has caused worsening Covid-19 treatment Toul Pong. Covid-19 transmissions. IN THE past 51 days, five hos- “I would like to thank all team Dr Hok Kim Cheng, director of pitals and centres with 4,300 members for their active par- general health of Ministry of beds have been set up to treat ticipation in this event,” he said. Health, said on April 26 that as of Covid-19 patients with mild Without the participation of eve- April 25, there are 35 Covid-19 symptoms, according to dep- ryone, we would not have been treatment facilities nationwide. uty commander-in-chief of able to accomplish this great task As of April 27, Cambodia had the Royal Cambodian Armed in such a short time.” recorded a total of 11,063 Cov- Forces Hun Manet. The establishment of Covid- id-19 cases, with 7,270 receiv- In a Facebook post on April 19 treatment facilities took ing ongoing treatment and 82 21, Manet said the treatment place while Cambodia was fatalities. centres the team had set up are experiencing a severe Covid- On April 27 alone, three the Great Duke Hotel, Luang 19 epidemic, especially after new deaths and another 508 A health worker wearing protective suit sprays disinfectant amid the Covid-19 outbreak at markets in Mer Hospital, Covid-19 treat- the February 20 outbreak, infections were reported. Sihanoukville. Facebook THE PHNOM PENH POST april 28, 2021 www.phnompenhpost.com 5 National Minister: Use resources wisely Three face court for illegal gold mining Ry Sokchan INISTER of Envi- in Kratie province ronment Say Sam Al called for the Khouth Sophak Chakrya ther legal action,” he said. effective use of Sambor district police chief Mnatural resources, noting that SAMBOR district police trans- Bun Chhoeun told The Post they must be carefully man- ferred three men being held on April 26 that his team had aged and used for the benefit in custody to Kratie provincial received the case and taken of the Cambodian people police on April 26 after arresting custody of the three suspects because of their limited avail- them on April 25 for allegedly for further questioning before ability and supply. attempting to illegally mine sending their case file to the “We need to use Cambo- gold on property owned by a court. dia’s natural resources to im- Chinese company in the O’tron Chhoeun said he expected prove the standard of living of area of Kbal Damrei commune. to send them to the provincial our population, in the same District police chief Chrin So- court later that day. manner as every other nation thea told The Post that the sus- Illegal gold mining in the has done as its own economy pects – 52-year-old Sin Sokhet O’tron area of Sambor dis- developed. We also know that and his two accomplices, An trict’s Kbal Damrei commune these resources are limited, Ravi, 29, and Chim Sola, 24 – has been a problem in recent and so we must find innova- are all residents of Kbal Damrei years, and a number of work- tive ways to use them more commune’s O’Por village. ers have died due to landslides efficiently and sustainably,” Sothea added that they at the gold mine’s entrance. his statement read. were caught in the act of dig- The authorities have repeat- Sam Al – who also serves as Environment minister Say Sam Al. supplied ging for gold on the property edly cracked down on illegal the chairperson for the Na- of Xing Yuan Kanng Yeak Co gold mining in the district’s tional Council for Sustainable tainable livelihoods and better the agreements struck between “We do not absolutely reject Ltd on the night of April 25. economic land concession area Development – released this economic opportunities, pro- the companies exploiting the development which provides “The three suspects were sent after the government granted statement to coincide with the moting agro-industries like resources and the state, and benefits to the nation and soci- to the Kratie provincial police mineral extraction rights to the launching of the Asian Vision cashews and soft-wood plan- thus there was no accountabil- ety, but we reject any extraction on Monday afternoon for fur- Chinese mining company. Institute’s sustainable devel- tations, and securing market ity to the Cambodian public, of resources that occurs with- opment goals conference held access for trade on favourable who are the true owners of the out first studying the impacts via webinar on April 26. terms are some of the innova- nation’s natural resources. it will have on the community He further noted that tech- tive and strategic approaches He said that the state bore and environment,” he said. nological solutions exist that we consider viable means to primary responsibility for the Resident UN Coordinator Number of areas put could assist Cambodia with address this complex nexus of loss of all those natural re- in Cambodia Pauline Tamesis issues related to sustainable issues related to use of natu- sources – justified at the time suggested that there are poli- use of natural resources in the ral resources,” Sam Al wrote by mostly unfulfilled promis- cy opportunities and possible in lockdown across energy sector, construction, in summary. es of economic development starting points for dialogue transportation, water man- San Mala, advocacy officer in rural areas – because the on this issue which would al- agement and agriculture. for the Forest Defenders Proj- state’s decision making pro- low Cambodia to accelerate Kingdom on the rise He stated that the protec- ect of the Cambodia Youth cess excluded input from civil its march towards prosperity tion and conservation of nat- Network, told The Post on society organisations and cit- for all in the short to medium Lay Samean two in Takeo Tbong Khmum ural resources can also deliver April 27 that because Cam- izens, nor did they share any term and in ways that don’t respectively. Kampong Chh- added value to the Cambo- bodia is one of the poorest information on these deals rob future generations of the SINCE the February 20 com- nang, Prey Veng, Mondulkiri, dian economy and enhance countries in the ASEAN re- with the public beforehand. benefit of Cambodia’s natural munity outbreak of Covid- Kampong Speu, Battambang, people’s livelihoods. As an ex- gion the need to extract natu- “Although a large amount of ecosystems and biodiversity. 19 began, authorities have and Kampong Thom each had ample, he cited eco-tourism ral resources for economic the natural resources in our “It is important that we en- imposed 14-day large-scale one village in lockdown. while cautioning that it is development persisted. country have been used up, sure that the country we hand lockdowns in the capital, pro- Kampong Cham provincial highly dependent on the suc- He said that many natural the revenues generated for down to [future generations] vincial towns, communes, governor Un Chanda said cessful preservation of Cam- resources – such as sand, gold, the state from those develop- is prosperous, secure and and villages across the coun- that during the lockdown, bodia’s natural ecosystems. and timber – have been heavily ments seems to be very small better prepared to withstand try after many Covid-19 cases authorities have set up patrol “Thus, providing … com- extracted already, but there had relative to the profits gener- the shocks that they will in- were detected there. teams to distribute food for munities with better and sus- been no transparency regarding ated,” Mala said. evitably face,” she said. The provincial towns under impoverished families. lockdown include Takhmao “Some villagers have tested in Kandal; Poipet in Banteay positive and passed on the Meanchey, and Sihanoukville disease to their family. That’s in Preah Sihanouk. why we imposed a 14-day Five communes have been lockdown. After the lockdown Governors told not to let guard down completely shut down, in- was imposed, we saw the situ- cluding three communes in ation improve; no more cases Khouth Sophak Chakrya ellers from Covid-19 hotspots Siem Reap province’s Siem found,” Chanda said. who test positive for the virus Reap town; one commune in Takeo provincial governor A DIRECTIVE issued by Prime by identifying people who Svay Rieng province’s Bavet Ouch Phea said the lockdown Minister Hun Sen on the night have come in direct or indirect town; and one commune in was imposed for the author- of April 25 reminded munici- contact with the individual. Koh Kong province’s Kiri Sa- ity to track all those who had pal and provincial governors If a traveller tested negative, kor district, according to an- direct or indirect contact with to strengthen measures to that person could remain but nouncements made by pro- a Covid 19 positive patient. contain the ongoing commu- must notify local authorities of vincial administrations. “We can only reopen the nity outbreak of Covid-19. their residence and take safety A total of 14 villages were also villages when the situation The new directive, “Strength- precautions during their stay. placed in lockdown, including is better and returns to nor- ening the Implementation He further suggested that if four in Kampong Cham and mal,” Phea said. of Measures to Prevent the there is an outbreak in a bor- Spread of Covid-19 and Lock- dering province, provincial down Measures in the Capital authorities can implement and Provinces”, said the gov- restrictions or travel bans in ernment had already intro- their jurisdiction, in accor- duced a series of measures dance with Sub-Decree No 57 aimed at breaking the chain of dated March 31 of the law to transmission triggered by the prevent the spread of Covid-19 February 20 outbreak, includ- and contagious diseases. ing inter-provincial travel ban After receiving the prime min- and closures of all tourist at- ister’s directive, Phnom Penh tractions across the country. Trucks are seen at a checkpoint in Kampong Cham province’s Batheay municipal governor Khuong Municipal and provincial district. heng chivoan Sreng announced an extension governors, on their part, had of the ban on the sales of alco- also introduced measures for travel ban and reopen resorts tinue to strictly implement the holic drinks across the capital implementation in their ju- across the country on April 25 lockdown in outbreak areas for another two weeks, effec- risdictions to curb the spread, – save for Phnom Penh and ad- in your jurisdictions, and im- tive through May 8. including lockdown and des- jacent Takhmao town Kandal mediately suspend business He instructed the 14 district ignation of Covid-19 hotspots province, where the situations work and other work activities administrations and the Phnom as Red Zones -- where resi- have yet to subside. to prevent the spread of Covid- Penh municipal Department of dents are forbidden from Hun Sen, however, reminded 19, especially by human traf- Commerce to inspect places that leaving their homes. the governors not to let their fic,” he stated in the directive. sell alcohol and ensure the order Those measures have ap- guard down. He also advised the gov- was being followed, and anyone parently borne fruit, with the “In this new development, ernors to strengthen coop- failing to cooperate would be government eventually decid- municipal and provincial eration with health officials in punished in accordance with Takmao is among provincial towns in the Kingdom that has been placed ing to lift the inter-provincial board of governors must con- follow-up procedures for trav- the law without exception. under lockdown. post staff 6 THE PHNOM PENH POST april 28, 2021 www.phnompenhpost.com Business

USD / KHR USD / CAD USD / CNY USD / JPY USD / MYR USD / SGD USD / THB AUD / USD EUR / USD GBP / USD 4,060 1.2561 6.5671 110.61 4.1425 1.3451 31.41 0.7620 1.1742 1.3858

Trading Information on Cambodia Securities Exchange Date: April 27, 2021 Auction Trading Method (ATM) No Stock Closing Price Opening Price High Low 1 ABC 16,840 16,840 16,940 16,780 2 GTI 4,300 4,120 4,300 4,120 3 PAS 13,000 13,020 13,020 12,960 4 PEPC 3,050 3,050 3,090 3,040 5 PPAP 13,100 13,020 13,100 13,000 6 PPSP 1,880 1,880 1,890 1,860 7 PWSA 6,660 6,640 6,680 6,620 Tourist resorts to resume Mango exports to China at after travel ban removed Thou Vireak “Overall, we can say that resorts and entertainment plac- hand after customs approvals At least 200 tourist resorts are es, which are potential tourist expected to resume operations destinations, really make our Thou Vireak be able to officially export. after the end of an inter-provin- people and our tourists want to “The mango season – we can cial travel ban and tourist-resort go on vacation during the Covid- hina has allowed harvest again this May, some closures across the country. 19 era, we need to be very careful Cambodia to export of which can be exported to On April 25, the government and respectful of the policy of the fresh mangoes di- the Chinese market,” he said. lifted the travel ban and ended Ministry of Health on a regular rectly to its market The Chinese embassy in the closures of tourist destina- basis,” he said. afterC Chinese Customs on Phnom Penh wrote on its of- tions across the country, except Cambodia Association of Trav- April 26 certified 37 mango ficial Facebook page on April for resorts in blocked-off prov- el Agents (CATA) president plantations and five packag- 27 that Cambodian mangoes inces. Chhay Sivlin welcomed the gov- ing factories as compliant could be exported to China Ministry of Tourism spokes- ernment’s decision to allow with phytosanitary and pack- after the GACC had officially man Top Sopheak (pictured, inter-provincial movement – aging standards. posted a list of mango plan- Fresh News) told The Post that except in lockdown provinces – The approval came after tations and packaging plants there were a total of 557 potential and reopen resorts. experts from the General Ad- registered to export mangoes resorts and tourism destinations She said the reopening of ministration of Customs of from Cambodia to China. in Cambodia, including the resorts would help local tourism the People’s Republic of China “It is another significant newly established resorts in the business gradually recover. (GACC) in Guangxi province achievement in the real coop- Covid-19 era. “The reopening of tourist des- on March 10 virtually inspect- eration between Cambodia- Sopheak expects that at least tinations across the country will ed mango plantations and Cambodian mangoes can be exported to China after Customs officially China during the spread of 225 resorts – community tourism encourage more tourists after a steam treatments plants that posts a list of mango plantations and packaging plants registered to Covid-19 pandemic as it will locations and other tourist desti- short lockdown. People’s move- sterilise crops and extermi- export mangoes from Cambodia to China, according to the embassy. boost the collaboration and nations – will reopen after the ments can help business owners HENG CHIVOAN nate pests, specifically the fly provide the mutual benefit government lifted the travel ban earn money to rehabilitate their larvae found in mangoes. ture, Forestry and Fisheries, I owners and exporters to con- between two countries on the and ended the closure of tourist businesses,” she said. The five approved packag- would like to express my deep tinue their efforts to develop agricultural sector,” wrote the resorts across the country. The Tourism Statistics Report ing plants are Hyundai Mao gratitude to the Government their plantations from tradi- embassy. “The reopening of tourist 2020 shows that the Covid-19 Legacy Co Ltd, Shangda Jian of the People’s Republic of tional or family-based opera- Cambodia’s fresh mangoes resorts according to the policy of crisis has had a major impact on Hui International Agriculture China, especially the General tions to commercial produc- are the second agricultural the Royal Government is that we Cambodia’s tourism sector, with Product and Logistic and Al Administration of Customs of tion. product after fresh bananas to only reopen in areas where there revenues from international Jazeeland Food Pte Ltd as well the People’s Republic of Chi- “This means that the man- be exported directly to China. are no lockdown measures. tourism reaching $1.023 billion as Long Wo Agriculture (Cam- na, for officially authorising goes are of quality and stan- The minister said the Gen- Areas such as Phnom Penh, Tak- in 2020, down 79.2 per cent year bodia) Co Ltd and Boeung Ket the import of fresh mangoes dards, in accordance with the eral Directorate of Agriculture mao town and Siha- on year in 2019 which was $4.919 Fresh Fruits Co Ltd. from Cambodia,” he said. export requirements, when continues to receive applica- noukville and some billion. Minister of Agriculture, For- Hun Lak, CEO of Rich Farm Cambodia is able to officially tions from domestic mango other provinces will According to the report, 1.31 estry and Fisheries Veng Sak- Asia Co Ltd, a local agricultur- export, so all mango planta- plantations and packaging not be allowed a com- million international tourists hon said this comes after three al investor, welcomed the new tion owners across the coun- locations wanting to export plete reopening,” he visited Cambodia, down 80.2 years of negotiations, adding achievement, which he called try will have to work hard to fresh mangoes to China, with said. per cent from 6.61 million in that the ministry would hold a government effort through provide mangoes in accor- 55 obtained so far. He believes 2019. an official mango export - cer the ministry. dance with the standards of On June 9, last year, Cambo- the reopening emony this week in collabora- Lak told The Post on April 27 the [GACC],” he said. dia and China signed a proto- of resorts will tion with the Chinese ambas- that gaining directly access to Lak said that both parties col on phytosanitary require- help boost sador to Cambodia. the Chinese market for fresh will hold an official export ments for the export of fresh local eco- “On behalf of the leadership Cambodian mango exports ceremony early next month, mangoes from Cambodia to nomic activi- of the Ministry of Agricul- would encourage plantation meaning that Cambodia will China. ty. VEPR: Vietnamese economy could grow by 6.3% in 2021

The Vietnamese economy could grow by ment Protection Agreement. pected risks. about 6-6.3 per cent in 2021, said chief Additionally, disbursement of public Other risks are related to fiscal imbal- economist Pham The Anh from the Viet- investment capital has been stepped up ance, slow and low investment, a vulner- nam Institute for Economic and Policy and progress of key public investment able financial-banking system, and Research (VEPR) during a workshop projects accelerated while the wave of growth’s heavy reliance on the foreign- recently held to announce the Vietnam investment and trade is shifting to Viet- invested sector. Quarterly Macro-Economic Report. nam, helping maintain a stable macro- VEPR suggested that the top priority VEPR’s report said the global economy economic environment with inflation should be given to social welfare policies, has shown signs of recovery thanks to the under control. targeting the right people. availability of Covid-19 vaccines, but insta- However, Anh also warned that Vietnam The report also proposed that corporate bility remains while growth is uneven was facing challenges in an uncertain support policies should be continued with among nations and economies. economic environment. The resurgence more substantial measures and a greater In the first quarter, Vietnam’s economic of Covid-19 in many countries resulting focus. growth hit 4.48 per cent thanks to the gov- in lockdown measures is prolonging the Anh said Vietnam should gradually build ernment’s drastic actions to control the disruption of supply chains this year, a fiscal cushion to prevent shocks like pandemic from the early stages, along with weakening the resilience of enterprises. Covid-19 or its unexpected developments The Vietnamese economy could grow by about 6.3 per cent this year. the signing of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Geo-political conflicts among major pow- in coming years. VIET NAM NEWS/ASIA NEWS NET- PIXABAY Agreement and the EU-Vietnam Invest- ers could also expose Vietnam to unex- WORK THE PHNOM PENH POST april 28, 2021 www.phnompenhpost.com 7 Business Construction of terminal for AFD provides grant for energy planning Thou Vireak model energy supply and S’ville port delayed till 2022 demand dynamics across all Agence Francaise de Develop- major energy types and at least pement (AFD) has granted 10 end-use sectors. Hin Pisei € 300,000 ($360,000) to the King- It listed four long-term ener- dom of Cambodia to draw up a gy-transition scenarios to 2050 onstruction model of energy-transition sce- analysed in the model – “cur- of a new container narios to 2050, the French devel- rent policies”, “least-cost devel- terminal of Siha- opment agency revealed in a opment”, “sustainable devel- noukville Autono- statement published on April 1. opment” and “balanced”. Cmous Port has been delayed AFD has supported the Min- AFD noted that it is also to early next year due to istry of Economy and Finance accompanying stakeholders in slower-than-planned layout and other line-ministries to mobilising modelling tools and design, according to the man- develop a long-term energy scenario analyses in decision- agement. trajectory-modelling tool to making and policy dialogue Japan International Cooper- perform strategic, policy-level processes through technical ation Agency (JICA) is to pro- analysis in support of decision- training and capacity building, vide an Official Development making and multi-stakeholder as well as through consultative Assistance (ODA) loan for the policy dialogue in the energy working group meetings and first phase of the new terminal sector. the development of policy to the tune of 23,502,000,000 The agency said the project memos. yen ($218 million). was launched in January with It noted that through the The 350m-long and 14.5m- the support of the 2050 Facility 2050 Facility, AFD signed a deep container terminal was to support long-term low car- memorandum of understand- originally scheduled to begin bon development trajectories, ing (MoU) with the Policy construction in mid-2021, noting that it finances a pro- Department of the Ministry of with operations expected to gramme entitled “Energy Sec- Economy and Finance on July begin in mid-2024. tor Modelling Tool for the Min- 24. It will be able to handle istry of Economy and Finance The Cambodian economy, 60,000 DWT ships – or those of the Royal Government of mainly driven by the industrial carrying around 5,000 TEUs, Cambodia”. sector, is growing rapidly while allowing about 93 per cent The statement said the biomass remains the country’s of container vessels across project will develop a robust, primary source of energy, the Asia to enter the port of Siha- user-friendly, Excel-based demand for electricity is boom- noukville. The new 350m-long and 14.5m-deep container terminal will be able to handle 60,000 DWT ships – or those energy sector modelling tool, ing – analyses forecast an aver- Lou Kim Chhun, director- carrying around 5,000 TEUs. PAS MARKETING DEPARTMENT capable of aggregating existing age increase of 15 per cent per general of the deep-sea port’s data inputs and studies to year until 2040. operator Sihanoukville Au- design studies and multiple currently unable to dock at petitiveness of goods in the tonomous Port (PAS), a stock- revisions,” he said, adding the port. international market. listed company on the Cam- that larger ships will be able He said that nowadays, Currently, about 80 per cent bodia Securities Exchange to dock at the port of Siha- when it needs to export goods of Cambodian goods exported (CSX), told The Post on April noukville, which will help re- to the European and US mar- to international markets pass 26 that issues concerning the duce shipping costs and time, kets, Cambodia has to first through the port, according period scheduled for engi- as well as increase Cambo- transport them by small and to Chanthy. neering the layout design and dia’s competitiveness. medium-sized ships to major According to Kim Chhun, multiple revisions had ham- Kim Chhun said the global ports in other countries and in the five years before the pered plans for the terminal’s Covid-19 epidemic has had territories such as Singapore, Covid-19 crisis, the volume groundbreaking. some impact on business at Hong Kong, Thailand and of goods passing through the He said the terminal would the port. Vietnam. port increased by an average greatly contribute to the Cambodia Logistics Asso- “When Cambodia has a of 14 per cent each year. But strengthening of Cambodia’s ciation (CLA) president Sin deep-water port, it will al- that figure was just four per maritime transport sector Chanthy said the terminal low large ships to dock and cent in 2020. and its integration into the will greatly contribute to en- transport goods directly to Still, the port’s throughput region and the world. hancing the competitiveness all destinations in the world,” tonnage rebounded in the first “Plans to build a new con- of Cambodia’s exports to in- he said, adding that this will quarter of 2021, increasing The French government, through AFD, has granted €300,000 ($360,000) tainer port will be postponed ternational markets, adding reduce costs and save time, about six per cent compared to the Kingdom of Cambodia to draw up a model of energy-transition to early 2022 due to delays in that “world-class ships” are which will improve the com- to the same period in 2020. scenarios to 2050. HONG MENEA Ministry’s mobile units ‘stabilise commodity prices’

Continued from page 1 basis to prevent quality scams zones - and set up stalls there is and inflated prices, and to - a timely response to the food transportation and distribution advise traders to put price tags needs of the people in the of essential food and groceries on products and refrain from restricted areas. to the people in red zones. arbitrary price changes beyond He described the ministry as It added that these activities pre-lockdown ranges. a “facilitator” in distributing are its duties and are carried The ministry encouraged the food to the people, under the out in accordance with Royal public to report fraudulent guidance of the government, Government Instruction No price hikes to relevant author- and ensuring stability and 01, dated April 19. ities or ministerial units or adequate food supply in this The ministry explained that officials stationed at the stalls difficult period. its provision of food for sale to take timely action. “I would like to tell people through its Green Trade Com- It said it has also coordi- not to confuse mobile units pany’s (GTC) mobile units nated with some private com- selling food with government comes in response to the tem- panies and traders to supply vehicles distributing food to porary closures of a bunch of other essential goods to the those without it,” he said. markets and food and beverage people. The ministry, through its outlets as a measure to prevent “In this coordination, the GTC, sold 72.6 tonnes of milled the spread of Covid-19. Ministry of Commerce has rice, as well as a handful of “The ministry has released limited sales to only the most other essential food products eight mobile units and set up basic goods, such as chicken, to people in designated red a total of 11 stalls with 25 fish, meat, vegetables, fruits, zones in the five days from booths to stabilise commodity baby food and other dried April 22-26. prices as well as curb price foods, at reasonable prices, It said it sold 1,452 50kg sacks surges caused by a handful of and requires sales to be made of milled rice, 4,283 boxes of crooks that use this opportu- in an orderly fashion, in instant noodles, 2,803 packs of nity to increase prices” and accordance with protective canned fish, 1,161 cases of fish attract other nefarious indi- measures of the Ministry of sauce, 1,097 cases of soy sauce, viduals, it said. Health,” it said. 230 packs of bottled drinking At the same time, the ministry Commerce ministry secretary water, 602 2kg bags of chhay pov has assigned its officials to con- of state Pen Sovicheat told The – or sun-dried preserved daikon The commerce ministry, through its Green Trade Company, sold 1,452 50kg sacks of milled rice, 4,283 tinue to monitor and trace mar- Post that the ministry’s move to radishes – and “some vegetables” boxes of instant noodles and 1,161 cases of fish sauce from April 22-26.YOUSOS APDOULRASHIM ket price indices on a regular dispatch mobile units to red during that time. 8 THE PHNOM PENH POST april 28, 2021 www.phnompenhpost.com Business ExxonMobil investor says Over 80% of Thai businesses oil giant’s climate strategy struggling due to Covid-19 an ‘existential’ risk: Report ExxonMobil’s strategy in be distributed to other share- the face of climate change holders, the hedge fund criti- ore than 80 per cent of Thai poses an “existential business cised ExxonMobil’s “value organisations surveyed by risk” to the company, accord- destruction” and “refusal to PwC recently said they were ing to an activist hedge fund accept that fossil fuel demand hit adversely by the Covid- that is a shareholder in the oil may decline”, according to the M19 pandemic, while the report indicated giant, a report in the Financial Financial Times. that successful crisis recovery hinges on Times said on April 24. Engine No 1 is campaigning improving resiliency. The company, which has been for the oil company to consider The Thailand part of PwC’s “Global Cri- criticised over the last year for alternative energy more seri- sis Survey 2021” – a global survey of 2,814 both its financial performance ously. business leaders in 73 countries – ex- and its approach to renewable The document also claims that plores how the 52 Thai respondents faced energy investment, “has no cred- Exxon’s total emissions, includ- the pandemic, what they learned and ible plan to protect value in an ing those from the products it how they’re preparing for the future. energy transition”, hedge fund sells, will increase by 2025. Phansak Sethsathira, a risk consulting Engine No 1 said in an 80-page World leaders came together partner for PwC Thailand, said 84 per investor presentation. virtually this week at the request cent of Thai respondents said their busi- ExxonMobil has said its busi- of US President Joe Biden for a nesses had suffered badly. Some reported ness would focus on carbon cap- 40-leader climate summit. that the operation and supply chain was ture and storage technology as a Biden doubled US targets to the most affected area of their business means to counter the emissions slash greenhouse gas emissions as transport restrictions had brought im- that cause global warming. responsible for climate change by ports to a halt and disrupted production. However, it also plans to con- 2030, with Japan and Canada also The next most affected areas were work- tinue pumping oil and expects raising commitments and the EU force and financial liquidity. Survey results show that most Thai respondents had a business continuity plan (BCP) in place to spend $20 billion to $25 billion and Britain locking in forceful Like their global counterparts, the Thai before Covid-19. However, only 31 per cent had a designated crisis-response team. AFP per year between 2022 and 2025 targets earlier in the week. respondents adjusted their work process- to fuel its growth, mainly through The US oil giant, which lost $22 es and operations in response to the pan- never been higher. If they can steal the Another focus of the survey was to new oil and gas exploration billion in 2020 amid collapsing oil demic. This has included implementing right information, the actors can commit learn whether companies are determin- projects. prices, is due to report its first- new technologies, deferring investment fraud, damage information systems, hurt ing long-term threats and Covid-19’s In the document, which will quarter results on April 30. AFP to manage liquidity, improving remote reputations and other malicious – and impact on corporate strategy. Most Thai working capabilities and changing the costly – acts,” he said. respondents reported that they haven’t way they communicate with key stake- Survey results show that most Thai re- assessed this, nor have they conducted holders. spondents had a business continuity plan an “after action” or lessons learned re- These changes have created new chal- (BCP) in place before Covid-19. However, view. lenges for Thai business leaders. only 31 per cent had a designated crisis- “A post-crisis review allows you to im- “Insufficient monitoring of new or up- response team. prove your response plan and manage dated remote-working systems widens Phansak said the effectiveness of a BCP the next crisis better,” Phansak said. the opportunities for malicious actors to is at risk without a crisis-response team Organisations concerned about future take advantage of system weaknesses,” overseeing the overall execution. crises should ask what is needed to better warned Phansak. “Having a well-designated crisis-re- prepare for the next disruption. Phansak “These actors can pose as a trusted sponse team is key to mobilising things highlighted the need for a crisis manage- colleague or organisation and trick vic- quickly and recovering sooner. In times ment strategy for organisational resil- tims into transferring sensitive data. of crisis, one single crisis response weak- ience – the ability to adapt and develop With remote-working policies likely to ness or mistake can cause wider consum- the processes needed to effectively re- be in place for some time, the risk of data er and stakeholder distrust,” Phansak spond to a crisis and emerge stronger. THE An 80-page investor presentation claims that Exxon’s total emissions breaches and stolen information has said. NATION (THAILAND)/ASIA NEWS NETWORK will increase by 2025. AFP

Lyft to sell autonomous driving unit to Toyota SKIET’s blockbuster IPO busts US RIDE-HAILING service Lyft our mission to develop the saf- agreed to sell its autonomous est mobility in the world at Korean book building records driving division to a unit of scale,” said Woven Planet CEO Japan’s Toyota for $550 million, James Kuffner. Amid expectations of surging than double SK Bioscience’s deal before a ban on multiple tors’ allocation randomly goes the companies said on April 26. “This deal will be key in weav- global demand in the battery record of 1.047 trillion won. applications for new share sub- to those who put in the mini- The move follows a similar ing together the people, resourc- separators market, SK ie tech- The share price has been scriptions comes into effect, mum amount of subscription divestment from Uber last year es, and infrastructure that will nology (SKIET) has gained keen fixed at 105,000 won, at the top retail investors will place more bids and the other half goes to as the rideshare firms focus on help us to transform the world attention from investors both at end of its indicative price range. bids at several brokerages, they those who put down larger core operations amid struggles we live in through mobility home and abroad ahead of its The firm previously suggested forecast. deposits. during the yearlong coronavirus technologies that can bring market debut next month, set- a share price band of 78,000- As early as the end of June, Meanwhile, SKIET is set to pandemic. about a happier, safer future for ting a record on April 26 in South 105,000 won to raise up to 2.25 retail investors will be allowed enter the Kospi market on May The Lyft operations known as us all.” Korean initial public offering trillion won in fresh funding by to place bids in IPO subscrip- 11. Mirae Asset Securities and Level 5 will be folded into Woven Lyft CEO Logan Green said the (IPO) market history. floating about 21.4 million tions through only one broker- JP Morgan are the main under- Planet Holdings, a subsidiary of transaction “brings together the The battery materials sub- shares on the nation’s main age that is underwriting the writers of the IPO deal, while Toyota Motor Corp, which will vision, talent, resources and sidiary under SK Innovation bourse Kospi market. deal. Last November, the finan- Korea Investment & Securities, create a team of some 1,200 work- commitment to advance clean, wrapped up its two-day book “We really appreciate those cial authorities rolled out a Credit Suisse Securities, SK ing on self-driving technology in autonomous mobility on a glo- building process on April 23. who participated in our book revised plan to increase the IPO Securities, Samsung Securities Japan, the US and Britain. bal scale”. While institutional investors building process as they’ve share allocations to small and NH Investment & Securi- Lyft will receive some $550 mil- Both Lyft and Uber had been placed bids for new shares for highly valued both our position investors by 10 per cent to 30 ties are also participating as lion in cash, with $200 million working on their own technol- the IPO, a total of 1,734 domes- in the battery separators market per cent, but it soon revised the members of the underwriter paid upfront and $350 million of ogy for autonomous cars, but the tic and foreign institutions par- and our sustainable growth,” regulation again. group. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS payments over a five-year peri- firms have been hit hard by the ticipated, according to the SKIET CEO Rho Jae-sok said. As of now, half of retail inves- NETWORK od, under the agreement. slowdown in ridesharing during company’s announcement via “We’re anticipated to see retail “This acquisition advances the global pandemic. AFP DART, the Financial Supervi- investors’ heated interest in our sory Service’s electronic disclo- firm’s IPO during the upcoming sure board. retail tranche as well.” The competition marked With the price per share set, 1,883 to 1, making it the most the battery separator maker’s competitive book building two days of public subscrip- process among newly listing tions are slated to kick off on firms on the local stock market. April 28. In response to the It was even fiercer than SK intensified book building for Group’s vaccine unit SK Bio- institutional investors, the science, which last month retail tranche may also set a logged the best showing in local fresh preorder record, accord- IPO history at 1,275.47 to 1. ing to local market watchers. The total value of all bids Since SKIET’s market capi- placed for SKIET’s IPO also talisation is anticipated to The total value of all bids placed for SKIET’s IPO marked a record high Lyft will sell its autonomous driving division to a unit of Japan’s marked a record high of 2.417 reach up to 7.5 trillion won and Toyota for $550 million. AFP of 2.417 trillion won ($2.17 billion) – more than double SK Bioscience’s trillion won ($2.17 billion) – more is likely to be the last mega IPO record of 1.047 trillion won. SK INNOVATION THE PHNOM PENH POST april 28, 2021 www.phnompenhpost.com 9 World Hong Kong, US to export S’pore to start travel jabs as India bubble late battles Covid next month

HONG KONG and Singapore on April 26 announced plans catastrophe to resurrect their scrapped coronavirus travel bubble with HE US on April 26 able”. dedicated flights between the committed to releas- But President Joe Biden held two cities starting on May 26. ing up to 60 million a telephone call with Indian The two business hubs had doses of the AstraZen- Prime Minister Narendra Modi to abandon a highly antici- Teca Covid-19 vaccine, as India on April 26, pledging his coun- pated quarantine-free travel grapples with a catastrophic try’s “steadfast support for the A man stands amid burning pyres of victims who lost their lives due to Covid-19 at a cremation ground in corridor late last year after new surge in infections and people of India who have been New Delhi on Monday. AFP Hong Kong was hit with a severe medical shortages, with impacted by the recent surge fourth wave of infections. hospitals overwhelmed and in Covid-19 cases”. do “all it can” to help. in Europe are beginning to lift tightening restrictions. From May 26, one flight per crematoriums at capacity. The US “is providing a range Germany and Canada have restrictions as the pace of in- Japan’s annual “Golden day carrying up to 200 passen- The South Asian giant of of emergency assistance, in- similarly pledged support, oculation picks up. Week” holiday got under way gers will shuttle between the 1.3 billion people recorded cluding oxygen-related sup- while France on April 26 said In Italy – the first European with new restrictions in Tokyo two cities. Cathay Pacific and 352,991 new infections and plies, vaccine materials and it will send eight oxygen pro- country to be hit by the pan- and Osaka, where shopping Singapore Airlines will share 2,812 deaths on April 26 – its therapeutics”, Biden told Modi, duction units as well as oxygen demic in early 2020 and still one malls were asked to close and the route with two daily flights highest levels since the pan- according to a statement. containers and respirators to of the worst affected – bars, res- residents urged to avoid non- planned from June 10 demic began – as its Hindu- Others were also rushing to India. taurants, cinemas and concert essential travel. onwards. nationalist government comes India’s aid. halls reopened on April 26. Fiji’s capital Suva entered a Hong Kongers heading to under fire for allowing mass The World Health Organisa- Global infections still rising Prime Minister Mario Draghi 14-day lockdown on April 26 Singapore will have to have gatherings such as religious tion (WHO) “is doing every- The coronavirus pandemic has admitted that doing so rep- after detecting the first com- received two doses of either festivals and political rallies in thing we can, providing critical has killed more than 3.1 million resented a “calculated risk”, with munity transmission cases the Pfizer-BioNTech or Sino- recent weeks. equipment and supplies”, its people worldwide out of at least virus statistics improving but in 12 months following a fu- vac vaccines – an attempt to But with its health system chief Tedros Adhanom Ghe- 147 million infected. Covid-19 deaths still mounting neral. encourage inoculation in a city completely overwhelmed, breyesus told reporters, de- Tedros warned that globally, by hundreds every day. The tourism-dependent where take-up so far has Western countries are rushing scribing the situation in India new case numbers have been In Germany, Chancellor An- islands have recorded fewer remained a tepid 11 per cent to India’s aid – including the as “beyond heartbreaking”. rising for nine weeks straight. gela Merkel said her govern- than 100 cases and just two despite ample supplies. US, which has come under fire The UN health agency is “To put it in perspective,” ment was looking at relaxing deaths in a population of Travellers from Singapore for hoarding supplies includ- also sending oxygen, mobile he said, “there were almost as restrictions for people who are 930,000. – where the vaccination rate ing of the AstraZeneca vac- field hospitals and laboratory many cases globally last week fully vaccinated. In Turkey, President Recep is around 20 per cent – will cine, as other countries battle supplies and has transferred as in the first five months of the France is also hoping for fur- Tayyip Erdogan announced a not be required to have been sprawling outbreaks. more than 2,600 experts from pandemic”. ther improvement with millions full lockdown from April 29 to inoculated but must test neg- “U.S. to release 60 million As- various programmes, includ- Maria Van Kerkhove, the of children returning to schools May 17 as the nation of 84 mil- ative before departure and on tra Zeneca doses to other coun- ing polio and tuberculosis, to WHO’s technical lead on Covid- on April 26 after a shutdown lion has seen daily Covid-19 arrival. tries as they become available,” work with Indian health au- 19, told reporters the surge in against a severe third wave. death tolls to higher levels than Both Hong Kong and Singa- tweeted Andy Slavitt, senior thorities. India was “really, truly aston- In Britain, Scottish pubs were during two previous spikes last pore maintain strict quaran- adviser to the White House on From Britain, the first of nine ishing” – but warned it was not allowed to reopen for the first year. tine rules for all arrivals, a Covid response. airline containers of supplies – unique, and that several coun- time this year, along with non- In Iran, the Middle East’s measure that has kept infec- It was not immediately clear including ventilators and oxy- tries had seen similar trajecto- essential facilities such as gyms, worst-affected country, the tions comparatively low. But how many doses are ready to be gen concentrators – was set to ries of increased transmission. swimming pools and nail bars. death toll passed 70,000, ac- the restrictions have battered shipped or where they will go, arrive in India early on April 27, “We’re in a fragile situation,” cording to health ministry fig- tourism and the wider econ- with Slavitt adding “at this time Prime Minister Boris Johnson she said. Tighter curbs ures, with a record 496 deaths omy. there are still very few avail- said, pledging Britain would Nevertheless, some countries Elsewhere, countries are in the past 24 hours. AFP While countries are desper- ate to restart global travel, quarantine-free bubbles have had limited successes. Taiwan and Palau set up a dedicated Total halts Mozambique gas project after attacks travel bubble last month fol- lowed by Australia and New FRENCH energy giant Total on April 26 tractual obligations and could suspend Zealand. confirmed it is suspending work on a mas- or cancel further contracts, depending On April 23, New Zealand sive $20 billion gas project in northern how long the halt [to construction] paused arrivals from Western Mozambique following the latest jihadist lasts”. Australia after an outbreak assault on a nearby town last month. Nevertheless, “Total hasn’t aban- there. Total removed its remaining staff doned the project,” INP chief Carlos The EU is keen to allow US from the Afungi peninsula natural gas Zacarias told reporters in capital tourists who are vaccinated to site after a jihadist raid in the nearby Maputo, adding that “the main con- be able to visit without restric- town of Palma on March 24 left dozens tracts between Total and its major con- tion come the summer. of people dead. tractors remain in force”. But with global infections It had already evacuated some work- Gas-rich Cabo Delgado has been bat- still rising and only a tiny ers and suspended construction in tered by a bloody jihadist insurgency minority of the world’s popu- January following a series of jihadist since 2017 by a group known locally as lation vaccinated, widespread attacks nearby. al-Shabab. travel corridors remain a dis- “In the current environment, Total can The violence has killed at least 2,600 tant hope. no longer operate in the Cabo Delgado people according to NGO Acled, while Hong Kong and Singapore’s province in a safe and efficient manner,” Maputo said last week that more than bubble is dependent on both a Total spokeswoman told AFP. 700,000 have been displaced. sides remaining relatively “All project personnel have been Hundreds of people, including many foreign workers, were evacuated by air and sea Its scale raised doubts over the viabil- coronavirus-free in the com- removed from the site and will not return while thousands of locals walked to nearby districts following the jihadist attack in ity of the biggest single investment in ing months. Mozambique’s Palma last month. AFP until conditions allow,” the spokeswom- Africa even before the latest raid. Both sides have agreed that an added, saying “it is too early to pro- has restored security and stability in the Last week, the Confederation of Eco- March’s attack on Palma took place the bubble will be suspended vide an updated project schedule”. province … in a verifiable and sustainable nomic Associations of Mozambique just 10km from the gas project’s nerve for two weeks if the daily aver- Total also said on April 26 that it was manner”, the company added – although (CTA) said Total had already suspended centre, despite a government commit- age of untraceable infections declaring a “force majeure” situation it “remains committed to Mozambique contracts with a series of businesses ment to set up a 25km security radius in one week reaches more than beyond its control, a legal concept and to the development” at Afungi. indirectly involved in the gas project. around the site. five in either city. AFP meaning it can suspend fulfilling con- A military source told AFP earlier this The National Petroleum Institute Hundreds of people, including many tractual obligations. month that Total evacuated all of its staff (INP), a Mozambique government foreign workers, were evacuated by www.phnompenhpost.com The declaration “will remain in effect after drone surveillance showed insurgents body that governs energy projects, on air and sea while thousands of locals check the post website for breaking news until the Government of Mozambique were in areas “very close” to the gas plant. April 26 said Total “may not fulfil con- walked to nearby districts. AFP 10 THE PHNOM PENH POST april 28, 2021 www.phnompenhpost.com World Tesla: Driver at wheel in fatal Texas collision TESLA on April 26 said scru- into driving with no one be- tiny of wreckage from a fatal hind the wheel, with two sen- crash in the US state of Texas ators demanding a vigorous indicates that someone was federal probe of the crash. at the wheel, contrary to an The accident, which killed early report that the driver’s two people, involved a Tesla seat was empty. Model S that caught fire after During an earnings call, the hitting a tree late on April 17 electric car maker defended it- near Houston. Investigators self anew against a report that found no one in the driver’s seat a Tesla had been fooled into of the vehicle, local police said. driving with no one behind The developments added to the wheel, with tragic results. questions about the high-fly- “It was claimed to be autopi- ing electric car maker led by lot, but this is completely false,” the mercurial Musk, who said Tesla chief Elon Musk respond- last week that data logs show ed while fielding questions. Autopilot was not engaged Tesla has been working during the Texas crash. with federal and state inves- On its website, Tesla de- tigators, and a study of the scribes Autopilot as a driver wreckage indicated there was enhancement system that, someone at the wheel at the despite its name, requires a time of the impact, according human operator. The latest cases in Australia have sparked fresh debate over the effectiveness and fairness of the country’s hotel quarantine system. AFP to vice-president of vehicle “Autopilot enables your car to engineering Lars Moravy. steer, accelerate and brake au- “We were able to find that tomatically within its lane,” the the steering wheel was indeed website says. “Current Autopi- deformed, leading to a likeli- lot features require active driver Oz’s Perth ends lockdown as hood that someone was in the supervision and do not make driver’s seat at the time of the the vehicle autonomous.” crash,” Moravy said on the call. But engineers from Con- Tesla’s auto-steer feature sumer Reports “easily tricked” quarantine debate heats up was not engaged, and all the Tesla’s Autopilot to drive seat belts were found to be without anyone in the driver’s USTRALIAN author- turned from his wedding in break in Australia since early described the system as a “hu- unbuckled after the crash, ac- seat, “a scenario that would ities on April 26 lifted India to other travellers at a in the pandemic, leading to man rights catastrophe”. cording to Moravy. present extreme danger if a snap three-day quarantine hotel, including one a series of snap lockdowns But the federal government Tesla came under renewed it were repeated on public lockdown of Perth, who then unknowingly infected across the country and ever- has so far resisted calls to take scrutiny last week following a roads”, the magazine said on Abut faced pointed questions people in the community after tightening travel rules. over quarantine – despite having report its cars could be fooled its website last week. AFP about how the coronavirus being released from isolation. Canberra last week reduced responsibility for border control leaked from a quarantine hotel The cases have prompted the number of flights from vi- – with health minister Greg Hunt for returning travellers. a fresh debate over the ef- rus-hit India, while some are saying the system was among Stay-at-home orders for fectiveness and fairness of pushing to ramp up already “the best in the world”. Perth and surrounding areas Australia’s hotel quarantine strict limits on international And other leaders, such as expired at midnight on April system, which is now being travel for Australian citizens. New South Wales Premier 26, after just two people con- copied in several countries McGowan has slammed the Gladys Berejiklian, said “we tracted Covid-19 out of thou- around the world. quarantine system, saying have to accept” there would sands tested in the region. Australia closed its interna- hotels were “not fit for -pur be inevitable failures with the “It was a circuit breaker we tional borders to most non- pose” and calling on the con- system “from time to time”. needed to limit community citizens in March 2020, with servative federal government Australia has recorded less spread and keep our com- those allowed to travel sub- to find alternative sites away than 30,000 cases and 910 munity healthy,” Western ject to 14 days in quarantine, a from populated cities. deaths since the pandemic Australia state premier Mark policy that effectively curbed His demand was backed by began, with no major out- McGowan said. the spread of Covid-19. the Australian Medical Associa- breaks since last year and Tesla came under renewed scrutiny following a report its cars could The virus reportedly spread But quarantine hotels have tion’s Western Australia branch most regions enjoying few re- be fooled into driving with no one behind the wheel, with two senators from a man who recently re- been the source of each out- president Andrew Miller, who strictions. AFP demanding a vigorous federal probe of the crash.AFP US population growth slowed sharply over 2010-2020: Census US population growth fell over the cans, entered the country without In all, 13 states will either gain or past decade to the second-slowest documents and stayed. lose seats, with California, the larg- pace in history, the Census Bureau Since then, data shows the est by population, losing one of its reported on April 26, after Donald dropoff has been sharp. 53, while Texas, the second-largest, Trump’s tough crackdown brought In the past decade, researchers adding two to its current 36. immigration to a near halt. have said that the deep, year-long Others gaining one seat are The official 10-year count esti- economic slump from the 2008 Colorado, Montana, North Caro- mated that 331,449,281 million peo- financial crisis contributed to the lina and Oregon. Other losers were ple lived in the world’s third-most slowdown, with a lower birth rate Illinois, Michigan, New York, Ohio, populous country on April 1, 2020. and with many Mexican migrants Pennsylvania and West Virginia. That was a 7.4 per cent rise from returning to their country. The census was taken under a 2010, when the official population In addition, after he became cloud of politics, with Trump trying stood at 308,745,538, the Census president in 2017, Donald Trump to reverse past practice and force Bureau said. sought to sharply cut legal immi- the agency not to count undocu- The 10-year expansion was sig- gration and halt illegal immigra- mented or non-citizen residents. nificantly slower than the previous tion completely. His push against immigration is decade, when the population grew The region showing the largest also thought to have made many by 9.7 per cent, and was barely growth since 2010 was the south, people afraid to respond to census above the record low of 7.3 per followed by the west. takers. cent over 1930-1940, when the US Arid, heavily desert Utah in the The census was also hampered and the world were mired in the west had the fastest growing popula- by the Covid-19 outbreak. Great Depression. tion of the 50 states, gaining 18.4 per “Trying to count people in a glo- The population growth rate cent, while mountainous West Vir- bal pandemic made it even more accelerated with the “baby boom- ginia in the east fell by 3.2 per cent. challenging,” said Ron Jarmin, act- er” birth surge after World War II, The Census Bureau only released ing director of the Census but since the early 1950s has been the broad numbers for the country Bureau. on a fairly steady decline. and individual states on April 26, The bureau plans to release That was only interrupted for a to serve as a basis for reapportion- details on age, race and other The US population grew by 7.4 per cent over 2010 to 2020 to 331,449,281, the Census Bureau few years in the 1990s when mil- ing seats in the 435-member US characteristics of the population reported. AFP lions of migrants, mostly Mexi- House of Representatives. in the coming months. AFP THE PHNOM PENH POST april 28, 2021 www.phnompenhpost.com 11 ASEAN Indonesia Navy explores salvage of sub

HE Indonesian Navy on April 26 assessed options, with aid from local and for- eign specialised vessels, on howT to salvage its submarine that sunk to a depth of 850m, killing its 53 crew members. “We will analyse the underwater pictures and video, the current, et cetera, to decide the technology that will be used,” First Admiral Julius Widjojono was quoted as saying by Reuters on April 26. The KRI Nanggala-402 was discov- ered broken into at least three parts, on the seabed on April 25, four days after it had lost contact during the prepara- tion to launch a torpedo exercise. A sonar scan detected the subma- rine at a depth of 850m, which ex- ceeded its capability to withstand ex- ternal pressure of up to 500m deep. More than 20 vessels from Indone- sia and other countries, including Sin- gapore with its submarine rescue ves- sel MV Swift Rescue, were deployed in search and rescue operation to detect the location of the submarine. Grieving relatives of the dead crew members congregated at Celukan Bawang in north Bali coast on April 26 to pray and pay their respects to their beloved ones, local media re- ported. They also urged the govern- ment to retrieve the bodies of the submariners from the sea. A navy official said that family mem- bers of the lost crew will get on board The wife of a dead crew member with his photo as she sat with family members offering prayers in Surabaya, Indonesia on Monday. AFP the KRI Soeharso at Tanjung Wangi port in Banyuwangi on April 29 to pray and try’s security from any threat “This incident is a big tragedy. traordinary training. They are the emerged filmed singing a song titled ceremoniously scatter petals in water. “Performing the duties underwa- They passed away while performing greatest talent,” said Frans Wuwung, Sampai Jumpa (Goodbye), a few Zakheus Sortid, a resident of Bany- ter is tougher than any other job” their duties. They are national he- who was an engineer on Indone- weeks before the vessel went down. wangi, the coastal town in East Java in the military, said the 70-year old, roes,” he said. sia’s submarines, including the KRI President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo where the KRI Nanggala-402 was who used to be a sailor. “I am pray- Meanwhile, a former Indone- Nanggala-402. offered his condolences to the rela- stationed, expressed his deep sorrow ing that their souls rest in peace.” sian senior Navy engineer who had He called for a thorough investi- tives and vowed that the state would over the deaths of crew members, Another resident Daniel Pujiono, worked on the submarine said felt gation into the incident to find its financially support the education of saying they were “the chosen people” 73, said he was very sad and deeply “a big sense of loss” after he heard cause in order to learn a lesson and the children of the dead crew mem- and among Indonesia’s best military grieved for the death of the subma- about the incident. avoid the occurrence. bers. THE STRAITS TIMES (SINGAPORE)/ASIA personnel, who had ensure the coun- rine crew members. “Submarine crewmen attend ex- A poignant video of the sailors has NEWS NETWORK Maskless Thai PM fined as Philippines tallies millionth coronavirus infections soar case of Covid-19, gov’t says THAI Prime Minister Prayut a complaint against the prime try,” said 61-year-old restau- THE number of coronavirus Chan-o-cha was fined for not minister who accepted the rant manager Pracha, who cases logged in the Philip- wearing a mask on April 26 af- fine,” governor Aswin Kwan- only gave his first name. pines since the start of the ter new Covid-19 restrictions muang wrote on Facebook. Prayut said on Facebook pandemic topped one mil- came into force to try to halt the Some 2,048 new cases were the government was trying to lion on April 26, as a health country’s spiralling outbreak. announced in Thailand on source more doses and ramp official warned against easing Wearing masks is now com- April 26. The day before, the up the programme to inocu- restrictions, to give hospitals pulsory in public spaces in country recorded its highest late 300,000 people a day. some “breathing room”. 49 provinces and the capital, single-day death toll of the In addition to the mask re- Nearly 9,000 new infec- Bangkok – where the latest pandemic, with 11 fatalities. quirement, authorities in the tions in the past 24 hours outbreak has been traced Until the latest outbreak, capital have closed a raft of took the country’s caseload to back to a nightlife district. Thailand had managed to keep venues including cinemas, 1,006,428 – the second-high- Some locations are backing infections down thanks to strict parks, gyms, swimming pools, est in Southeast Asia – with up that requirement with a travel restrictions and swift ac- spas and nurseries. 16,853 fatalities, government 20,000 baht ($640) fine. tion to isolate confirmed cases. The new restrictions come figures show. After a picture of a maskless But there have been com- a week after bars and night- Limited testing means the A lockdown imposed on the national capital region and four surrounding Prayut attending a meeting plaints about the slow rollout clubs were ordered closed actual number of cases is provinces at the end of March to slow a record surge in infections appears to be working. AFP emerged on social media on of vaccines, with the kingdom and restaurants banned from probably much higher. April 26, the Bangkok gover- lagging behind other coun- serving alcohol. A lockdown imposed on the strictions were relaxed now. were “urgently” needed. nor said the premier had been tries in the region. Pranee Namrat, a 48-year- national capital region and “As a health agency, we Under current virus rules, fined 6,000 baht ($190). “It’s a failure in manage- old seafood vendor, told AFP four surrounding provinces at in the DoH [Department of indoor dining is banned, non- “As Bangkok governor, I filed ment from the health minis- she was frightened the situa- the end of last month to slow Health] see the importance of essential travel curbed, pub- tion would get worse. a record surge in infections continuing these kinds of re- lic transport capacity limited “If I got infected … I’m appears to be working. strictions so there is breathing and businesses such as gyms scared of not having a place New cases in the capital – room and space for deconges- and beauty salons closed. for treatment,” she said. the epicentre of the outbreak tion of our healthcare system,” Wearing a mask and face Neighbouring Laos – which – fell 20 per cent to an aver- Vergeire said ahead of a gov- shield in public has long been appeared to escape the brunt age of 3,841 per day last week, ernment task force meeting to mandatory. of the pandemic last year – data released by independent decide on the issue. There are growing concerns is also undergoing a surge, research group OCTA show. “This is primarily our major about the impact of the mea- jumping from 58 cases to 436 The occupancy rate of hos- concern.” sures on the already devas- in less than a week. pital beds allocated for Covid- The government has been tated economy. Its capital Vientiane was 19 patients has also eased af- redeploying healthcare work- President Rodrigo Duterte’s placed under a snap lock- ter capacity was boosted and ers from low-transmission re- economic advisers estimate down last week, with authori- isolation facilities for mild gions to the capital to support that the first two weeks of ties prohibiting residents cases expanded. struggling hospitals. lockdown cost about 252,000 from leaving their homes ex- But health undersecretary Philippine Red Cross chair- jobs and slashed household Wearing masks is now compulsory in public spaces in 49 provinces of cept for groceries and going Rosario Vergeire said infec- man Richard Gordon said income by nearly 30 billion Thailand as well as the capital, Bangkok. AFP to the hospital. AFP tions would go back up if re- more medical volunteers pesos ($620 million). AFP 12 THE PHNOM PENH POST april 28, 2021 www.phnompenhpost.com Opinion

www.phnompenhpost.com Immunisation against diseases EDITORIAL PERSONNEL Publisher & Chief Executive Offi cer Ly Tayseng Managing Editor Sam Rith is everyone’s responsibility Deputy Managing Editor Phuon Chansereivuth Chief of Staff Phak Seangly Business Editor May Kunmakara Deputy Business Editor Sangeetha Amarthalingam Deputy Head of Lifestyle Desk Pan Simala Senior Reporters Meas Sokchea, Niem Chheng Reporters Khouth Sophak Chakrya, Kim Sarom, Long Kimmarita, Hin Pisei, Mom Kunthear, Hong Raksmey, Pann Rethea, Voun Dara, Roth Sochieata, Orm Bunthoeurn, Lay Samean, Thou Vireak, Nov Sivutha Photographers Heng Chivoan, Hong Menea, Hean Rangsey Web Editor Leang Phannara Digital Team Sous Chanthy, Pang Vichea, Suy Sovandy SIEM REAP BUREAU Offi ce Manager Sophearith Blondeel PRODUCTION & PRINTING Head of Desktop Publishing Nhim Sokphyrak Desktop Publishing Suon Savatdy, Chum Sokunthy, Danh Borath

Tep Thoeun Thyda, Tim Borith, Than Veasna

HEAD OFFICE Post Media Co., Ltd. The Elements Condominium Level 7, Hun Sen Boulevard, Phum Prek Talong, Sangkat Chak Angre Krom,12353, Phnom Penh, Cambodia A child reacts during a Philippine Read Cross Measles Outbreak Vaccination Response in Baseco compound, a slum area in Manila on February 16, 2019. In the country today, only 62 per cent of children are fully immunised (January-November 2020), far from the target 95 per cent. afp Tel: 023 888 161, 023 888 162 Cellcard: 078 555 166, 078 555 133 of children are fully immunised (Janu- quarter of all deaths among children chain facilities, data, training, and Smart: 086 822 999, 086 277 999 Opinion SIEM REAP ary-November 2020), far from the tar- under five are from pneumonia, management, and fair and efficient Malalay Ahmadzai No 629, Street 6, Dangkum Commune get 95 per cent. In 2019, the Philip- diarrhea, and measles – a majority Covid-19 vaccinations, and strength- Tel: 063 966 290, Fax: 063 966 590 pines was among the top nine could have been prevented through en vaccine trust and confidence. We COMMERCIAL DEPARTMENT ORE than a year into the countries with babies that had not vaccination. call on civil society, local government Chief Operating Offi cer Covid-19 pandemic, it’s received a single vaccine against pre- UNICEF, as it celebrates its 75th officials, parents, teachers, social James Ong Soon Teck easy to feel paralysed by ventable disease, together with Niger- anniversary, has been in the Philip- workers, influencers, children, and Advertising Department the challenges we are ia, India, Democratic Republic of the pines working hand in hand with youth to become vaccine champions. Chap Narith, 017 996 241 Mfacing in the Philippines. Many are Congo, Pakistan, Ethiopia, Brazil, government and partners. UNICEF is Immunisation is everyone’s respon- Hun Channet, 017 578 768 suffering from the effects of the pan- Indonesia, and Angola. This puts chil- fighting for a world where no child sibility: We have a historic opportuni- Prach Monnyreak, 015 239 293 demic, especially children. Not being dren under increased risk of infec- dies from a preventable cause and all ty to both end this pandemic and set Keo Puthy, 012 966 605 able to go to school, lacking access to tions that can cause paralysis or even children realize their right to good out a pathway for the eradication of Phon Sok Chea, 012 717 404 essential health and nutrition servic- death, such as polio and measles. health. As we fight Covid-19, our aim preventable disease among children Jessa Piastro, 092 445 983 es, and being at increased risk of As we commemorate World Immu- is not just to return to normal, and adolescents. But this requires a CIRCULATION & DISTRIBUTION abuse and mental health issues, the nisation Week on April 24-30, we at because for millions of children collective effort to reach every child Acting Distribution Manager effect of this pandemic will be felt by UNICEF look to these children and around the world, normal was never and community with vaccines and Thenh Rithy, 087 888 854 children until they grow up to their families who need support. Vac- good enough. We need to redouble health services, continue taking key Circulation Supervisor become adults. cines are among the greatest advanc- our efforts by investing in essential preventative measures, and have Nou Chanthy, 096 999 2828 Younger children in the Philippines es of modern medicine. They have services that reach all children and confidence in the life-saving power of Yim Veasna, 015 814 499 are beset with yet another challenge: protected children against vaccine- reimagine an efficient health system vaccines. PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER/ASIA ADMINISTRATION being unprotected from diseases that preventable diseases and lifelong dis- that works for everyone. NEWS NETWORK Admin & HR Manager Pich Socheat are preventable through vaccines that abilities, saving millions of lives every We call on the government to Assistants Admin & HR Manager are safe, effective and, most of all, free. year. Although fewer children are secure sustained investments in rou- The writer is health and nutrition chief at Nhel Soaphea In the country today, only 62 per cent dying now than 30 years ago, one tine immunisation, invest in cold UNICEF Philippines Financial Director Heang Tangmeng Chief Accountant Sren Vicheka Treasurers Sok Sophorn, Yon Sovannara, Cheam Sopheak, Huy Hamsovannary IT Manager Seng Nak, Vong Oun

TO CONTACT US [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] www.phnompenhpost.com © Post Media Co., Ltd The Phnom Penh Post is wholly owned and printed by Post Media Co., Ltd. The title The Phnom Penh Post in either English or Khmer languages, its associ- ated logos or devices and the contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the written consent of Post Media Co., Ltd. www.phnompenhpost.com THE PHNOM PENH POST april 28, 2021 www.phnompenhpost.com 13 Lifestyle Stranded student preaching kindness Hong Raksmey and have a full stomach at least once a day,” he says. AING Huang Hao was vis- The homeless lack kitchens to pre- iting his parents in Phnom pare food in and thus aid given to Penh back in January 2020, them in the form of groceries misses on a short break between the mark. Raw chicken, whole onions semestersT at the university he was and cooking oil aren’t very appetizing attending in St Paul, and like most if you don’t have access to a gas range of us he had no notion that a global or a frying pan. But meals that are disaster was looming and the world already cooked and packed for take- was about to change forever. away suit their needs perfectly. St Paul is the capital city of the Not understanding the realities of state of Minnesota and one of the homelessness, many donors will give “Twin Cities” – along with the larger them bags of rice or packets of instant city of Minneapolis – with both cit- noodles – items they won’t be able to ies sprawled along the banks of the eat on the street, though they can Mississippi River, not unlike how sometimes manage to trade them to the Tonle Sap and Mekong Rivers others for prepared foods or send to wind past Hao’s hometown – except their families in the provinces. that its all much, much colder for “This is why Local4Local seeks to most of the year. focus on day-to-day meals for the Hao’s life in the Twin Cities was street dwellers. It sustains the street busy with classes and school full-time food vendors and feeds the hungry at the University of St. Thomas – the who don’t have other options. largest private university in Minneso- “It is important to note that Lo- ta and highly-ranked nationally – as a cal4Local does also accept non-per- third year student majoring in Supply ishable items and basic essentials as Chain and Operations Management. donations despite all that and we will When the pandemic struck, Hao The way Local4Local works actually creates a 3-way sustainable ecosystem: the meals are prepared and cooked by local food direct those to people who can make found himself stuck in Cambodia vendors, then delivered by cyclo-drivers and received by those in need on the streets of Phnom Penh. supplied appropriate use of them because sup- and unable to travel back to Min- plies are easier to find for some do- nesota in mid-March of 2020 when services of the cyclo-drivers. Management Unit,” Hao says. cept that most of it had small cosmetic nors and so they donate rice, noodles, he was due to return to begin his Hao has been working with the Cy- Hao wants to open Local4Local defects that made it less appealing to eggs, and sanitary items through us next semester, as the coronavirus clo Association to allocate the cyclo- Food Donation Centres or Food Banks shoppers in big grocery stores who too and that’s great,” says Hao. shut-down travel globally and made drivers and coordinate delivery du- and he’s also looking to start a volun- could always choose another of the crossing international borders dif- ties, now totalling over 1,500 meals teer programme in collaboration with same item sitting right next to it – one Why cyclo drivers ficult and often flat-out impossible and 100 cases of water along with schools and other community organi- without any flaws in its appearance. Back in December of 2020, Hao for much of the rest of the year. other necessities that have been do- sations. He said he hopes to have an A surprisingly huge amount of per- started an initiative called the “Mer- “After that happened, I decided nated like noodles and sanitation “L4L” Food Truck up and running soon fectly good food would go unsold and ry Cyclo Christmas” to share the joy that I wasn’t going to waste this time products or household essentials. that might incorporate a food-stamp eventually be thrown away if the food of the Christmas holiday season by acting like I was on an endless Local4Local’s services so far have or coupon system for those in need. drive programme didn’t collect it and with cyclo-drivers. vacation, so I started doing intern- been targeted towards helping “I’m just a college kid with a lot give it away for free all over the city. Hao had met a cyclo-driver named ships and found a job, but I also three groups: Street people or the of hope and my only ambition is to “Since then, I’ve been eager to Ta Sun and he drove him around the decided to work on some different homeless are the first priority as make a positive impact and inspire bring that idea back to Cambodia city showing him the different plac- social projects that would positively they are the most vulnerable, but the community with acts of kind- and implement it here. The Covid- es where Sun ate and slept. impact the community,” he says. they are also providing aid to 260 ness,” he avers in response to the in- 19 era has been a difficult time for “I was inspired to help one cyclo- Now, in response to the lockdown families who are living in the Steung creasingly frequent words of praise people in Cambodia, so I felt like driver, but in about a 2-week period and the hardship that it is caus- Meanchey Landfill area along with directed his way. there was no better time than the I organized two cyclo tours around ing some of the poorer residents of around 30 workers from the Medical present to launch this initiative and the city and raised over $5,000 for Phnom Penh, Hao has founded Lo- Waste Management Unit. St Paul food drive inspires Local4Local Local4Local began,” he says. the Cyclo Association to help around cal4Local – a youth-run programme “With the fundraising going so With its motto of “For the Locals, “I believe that the campaign is ef- 250 cyclo drivers with food, necessi- providing food assistance to the well, Local4Local allocated $3,000 By the Locals,” the Local4Local cam- fective because it was created at the ties and other support,” Hao says. poor, underprivileged and less fortu- towards distributing emergency kits paign was inspired by a mobile food right time when people were really nate people living in Phnom Penh. to 260 families in the Red Zone in drive truck that came to the Univer- needing support, while others were The power of kindness “The lockdown has made food the Steung Meanchey area, and that sity of St Thomas campus while Hao really keen to give that support to Hao believes in the power of individ- distribution difficult because it has was done in coordination with the was there. their community. Local4Local be- ual acts of kindness and paying them made travelling difficult. I haven’t Cambodian Children’s Fund charity. “I’d get out of class and go straight came a bridge to connect the donors forward, because he feels that kind- been able to go outside lately,” said “Local4Local has also budgeted $750 to the food drive truck and get free to those in need,” Hao says. ness is contagious. This has been a Hao, who runs the campaign him- to provide assistance to 30 people who bread, fruit and snacks – no ques- hard year for billions of people around self doing everything from graphic are unsung heroes – in all sincerity, I tions asked. The truck came twice a Day-to-day meals the world and everyone deserves a design to donation outreach coor- call them heroic – because they are week to my college,” Hao said. Cyclo-drivers and other people smile on their face. dinating the logistics. working on the front lines dealing with Hao explains that the food was all who live on the street or who aren’t Hao’s charitable impulses come “The way Local4Local works ac- hazardous medical waste for the Waste still in good condition and edible – ex- fully housed include some moto- from his upbringing, which was char- tually creates a 3-way sustainable dops, tuk-tuk drivers who sleep in acterized by abundance but at the ecosystem: the meals are prepared their vehicles at night, scavengers same time he was always taught that and cooked by local food vendors, and many security guards. Most the appropriate response to good then delivered by cyclo-drivers of them work hard for a living and fortune isn’t an attitude of selfish en- and received by those in need on in many cases nobody would ever titlement but humble gratitude. the streets of Phnom Penh. Thus, guess that they were technically “I am fortunate enough to have a the vendors and cyclo-drivers earn homeless, but it’s a common situa- roof over my head and the support of some money to support themselves tion in Phnom Penh. my family, so I am blessed to be able and those who are poor and hungry According to Hao, sustainability to give back to others in need and to get fed,” he says. and maximum impact are the core spread joy. I am elated by the fact that During a recent week-long period goals of Local4Local and reflect- despite being in lockdown we’re still during the lockdown, Local4Local ing his educational background in managing to give away food to hun- gave away 200 meals over seven con- supply chains and logistics, he says dreds of people on an ongoing basis. secutive days that were all cooked he tries to figure out solutions that “Helping the street food vendors, the by different local food vendors and will benefit a chain of people rather cyclo-drivers and the people on the distributed by cyclo-drivers to 5 dif- than just one person, especially dur- street with nowhere else to go and ferent neighbourhoods in the city. ing this era of economic uncertainty knowing that they get warm meals ev- Hao said that the food drive will when everybody is facing hardship. ery day puts a smile on my face,” Hao says. continue to operate in the weeks “That is why I have cooperated Each boxed meal provided for free ahead with no definite end date. with small local food vendors to by Local4Local costs them around Through April 25, Local4Local has help support their businesses, while 6,000 riel ($1.50) and comes with a raised nearly $16,000 in donations, also providing a cooked meal for the bottle of water. primarily given by individual do- street people in need. The street food For more details, please contact nors through Instagram. vendors already make meals that are Hao through his email: haotang101@ He says that all of the proceeds will easy to eat and easy to pack. gmail.com. Donations can be made go to pay for the meals from the lo- Taing Huang Hao was visiting his parents in Phnom Penh back in January 2020, when “Life is tough enough already and via his ABA account: Taing Huang cal food vendors and for the delivery he got stuck and was unable to travel back to Minnesota. supplied everybody deserves to eat a hot meal Hao: 002 851 840. 14 THE PHNOM PENH POST april 28, 2021 www.phnompenhpost.com Lifestyle Thinking caps

Abigail Glasgow receives a temporary tattoo by Marissa Boulay at Ephemeral tattoo shop on April 21 in New York City. AFP NYC startup aims to leave a mark with ephemeral tattoos

either a permanent mark nor a the ephemeral tattoos do not dilute or blur spo- paper transfer: a New York start-up radically over time. Instead, the lines remain has created the first tattoos that fully crisp and the designs fade evenly, he says. disappear after a while, aiming to openN the body inking market to new clientele. ‘Playful’ “It’s going to fade so I’m not too concerned,” The Ephemeral tattoo parlor opened in the says Abigail Glasgow with a mischievous look Williamsburg area of Brooklyn at the end of in her eye, as the first letter of her fiance’s name March. For now, only black ink is available, but is tattooed on her forearm. other colors are expected. For years, amateur tattoo artists around the “What we’re doing is we’re opening up the “TOPPED OFF” world – mainly in Asia – have offered “semi- possibility of tattoos for a whole new clientele permanent” tattoos, claiming that using veg- that previously wasn’t getting a permanent tat- ACROSS 46 Hits with one’s head 12 Bloomed etable ink and less penetration of the skin will too,” says Sakhai. 1 Ample, as a doorway 49 Arid 13 “Uh-uh” cause them to disappear eventually. The ephemeral tattoo, which costs between 5 Pre-stereo recordings 51 Out of practice 21 Coniferous evergreen forest But in practice, the tattoos tend only to de- $175 and $450, can be a step towards people 10 Clickable image 55 More nimble 22 Drink in Boston Harbor? teriorate, without vanishing completely and deciding to get a permanent tattoo, according 14 Cut and paste, e.g. 57 Ram’s ma’am 26 Star of a ball, briefly often causing lesions, to the point that sev- to the young entrepreneur. 15 Some Hindu people 59 ___ chi (martial art) 28 Blackguard eral professional tattooists have sounded the “This really expands the possibilities for the 16 Wine valley 60 South African peninsula 30 “Come in!” alarm. traditional community,” he says. 17 Boyfriend 64 Hubs 31 Asian holiday 34 Litigator’s org. After six years of development, the company Ephemeral has recruited tattoo artists that 18 He brings the house down in 65 Texas shrine (with “the”) Britain 66 Demon’s doings 36 Menu phrase Ephemeral has created an ink composed of are more used to inking permanent designs, 38 Traces 19 Where a squirrel squirrels nuts 67 Vending machine inserts biodegradable polymers that dissolves natu- such as 29-year-old Marissa Boulay, who draws 39 Beats to the tape away 68 The brightest star in Orion rally between nine and 15 months after the the “M” on Glasgow’s forearm, which also fea- 40 Venerable 20 It makes letters bigger 69 ___ over backward same inking process as a conventional tattoo. tures permanent tattoos. 41 Missed the mark 23 Donned the feedbag 70 “Hey ... over here!” Josh Sakhai, one of the three co-founders of “I can be more playful,” says Glasgow. “I can 42 PC “brain” 24 Apiece, in scores 71 Stretches across 43 Barbell abbr. Ephemeral, was a student at New York Univer- decide more off the cuff what I want to do” in 25 Followed closely, dog-style 72 There are 10 million in a joule 47 Keyboard user sity when he wanted to get a permanent tattoo terms of design and location. 27 “___ beaucoup” DOWN 48 “Didn’t I tell you?” but was “too scared” because of how his Irani- It is also an opportunity for her to test out a 29 “Is it soup ___?” 1 Computer accessory 50 Royal guards an-origin family might react. flower design to see whether she likes it enough 32 Actor’s lines meant for the 2 Form a conception 52 Candy company Russell ____ So he set out to create a temporary tattoo to get it done permanently. audience 3 It may be needed for a change 53 Using a camcorder made of ink that fades. The endeavor required Tattoos, once associated with society’s rebels, 33 Palindromic Eastern title 4 Decorative case 5 Fable finale 54 Gives the right-of-way 50 different formulations before he found the are increasingly mainstream among millennials. 35 Class-conscious org.? 56 Nature calls? right one, a number of which Sakhai tested on Some 40 per cent of 18-34-year-olds in the 37 Pencil stump 6 Common way to take medicine 7 Not yet final, in law 58 Angora, merino, etc. himself. United States have at least one tattoo, accord- 38 It’s twisted off 61 Gymnast’s feat 43 Costello or Gehrig 8 Court attention-getter Jokingly describing himself as a “guinea pig,” ing to a 2019 study by the Nielsen Institute. 9 “The Terminator” woman 62 Crazed with passion Sakhai points to several places on his arms “We’re not trying to change anything. We’re 44 Draft pick 63 Daughter of Hera and Zeus 45 Dada founder 10 West ___ (Jamaica’s home) where he says he used to have tattoos. just embracing the changes that are happen- 11 North or South state 64 Chop (off) Sakhai developed the formula in a laboratory ing,” says Boulay, an 11-year tattoo industry in Milford, Connecticut, just north of New York, veteran who is covered in tattoos herself. Tuesday’s solution in collaboration with dermatologists. They only “I think tattoos are about self-expression and used products approved by the US’ Food and art. And I think we’re just trying to make it eas- Drug Administration regulator. ier for more people to have that experience,” Sakhai assures that, like permanent tattoos, she adds. AFP

Tuesday’s solution

Ephemeral’s co-founder Josh Sakhai shows his temporary tattoo at Ephemeral tattoo shop on April 21 in New York City. AFP THE PHNOM PENH POST april 28, 2021 www.phnompenhpost.com 15 Sport African players in Europe: Salah goal creates Liverpool record ohamed Salah son fade. After scoring his 29th ninth straight season, but became the first goal of the season in all compe- Stuttgart were reduced to 10 Liverpool player titions, the Egyptian and Mane men after 12 minutes when to score 20 Pre- were both guilty of wasting a their 19-year-old defender Mmier League goals in three host of opportunities. NaouirouAhamada was different seasons when he RIYAD MAHREZ (Man- shown a red card after he netted in a 1-1 home draw chester City) clattered Haidara. He then against Newcastle United at Mahrez starred as City powered home a Dani Olmo the weekend. picked up the first silverware cross to put Leipzig ahead. After bagging 32 league goals of the English season with the RAMY BENSEBAINI (Borus- in the 2017-18 season and 22 win over Tottenham. He came sia Moenchengladbach) the following campaign, the close with a number of power- The Algeria defender scored Egyptian reached the 20-goal ful efforts off his favoured left a first-half penalty as- Mo mark this term, leaving him foot and had a goal ruled out enchengladbach romped to a one behind Harry Kane of Tot- in stoppage time for offside. 5-0 home win over strugglers tenham Hotspur in the chase Arminia Bielefeld. The hosts for the Golden Boot. SPAIN raced into a three-goal lead Salah was voted African SAMUEL CHUKWUEZE after just 18 minutes before Footballer of the Year twice (Villarreal) Bensebaini converted a spot- and another former winner, Chukwueze’s cool finish was kick. Algerian RiyadMahrez, was not enough for Villarreal as named man of the match after Barcelona came from behind FRANCE helping Manchester City beat to win 2-1 at Los Carmenes ISLAM SLIMANI (Lyon) Tottenham 1-0 in the League and boost their La Liga title A goal from Algerian Sli- Cup final. hopes. The Nigerian did well Liverpool’s Egyptian midfielder Mohamed Salah (C) scores the opening goal during the English Premier mani helped fourth-placed Here, AFP Sport rounds to steer away from Jordi Alba League football match against Newcastle United on April 24, 2021. AFP Lyon build a two-goal lead up the performances of Afri- and calmly round Marc-Andre over Ligue 1 leaders Lille, who cans in the major European terStegen before slotting in and Algerian Ounas scored Martins (28) as the top-scor- GERMANY recovered to pull off a dra- leagues: from the angle for his third either side of the break for ing Nigerian in the Italian top AMADOU HAIDARA (RB matic 3-2 triumph and stay goal in as many games. the basement club. Ivorian flight. Leipzig) one point above Paris Saint- ENGLAND Gervinho pulled a goal back ACHRAF HAKIMI (Inter Mi- The Mali midfielder scored Germain. MOHAMED SALAH, SADIO ITALY for Parma to break his five- lan) with a header just seconds WAHBI KHAZRI (Saint-Eti- MANE (Liverpool) SIMY, ADAM OUNAS (Cro- month scoring drought, be- Moroccan full-back Hakimi after half-time as second- enne) Salah’s stunning touch and tone)/GERVINHO (Parma) fore Simy slotted in the win- missed chances in either half placed Leipzig made Bayern Tunisia captain Khazri put finish to fire Liverpool into an Nigerian forward Simy ner from the penalty spot on before teeing up fellow defend- Munich wait to be crowned hosts Saint-Etienne ahead early lead against Newcastle scored twice as Crotone de- 69 minutes to bring his tally to er Matteo Darmian for the win- Bundesliga champions with on 11 minutes in a mid-table was not enough for the Reds, layed their Serie A relegation 19 league goals this campaign. ner in a 1-0 success over Hellas a 2-0 home win against Stut- clash with Brest, who hit back who conceded a late equaliser with a 4-3 win over fellow The 28-year-old has scored 29 Verona that put leaders Inter tgart. A defeat for Leipzig with a second-half brace from to see their chances of Cham- strugglers Parma, their first Serie A goals to overtake ex- Milan on the brink of their first would have confirmed Bay- GaetanCharbonnier, deliver- pions League football next sea- away win this season. Simy Inter Milan player Obafemi Serie A title since 2010. ern as champions for the ing a 2-1 victory. AFP First Arab woman basketball Ibrahimovic and referee to stand tall at Olympics Lukaku fined for When 3-on-3 basketball makes “My family is still beaming its debut at the Tokyo Olympics, with the news of my selection. Italian Cup spat referee Sarah Gamal will also be It’s a great reward for all the making a breakthrough, as an sweat and tears I’ve had to go Arab and African woman offici- through in recent years,” said Zlatan Ibrahimovic and restrained by his teammates. ating at the Games. Gamal Romelu Lukaku were handed “A fine of 4,000 euros for Ibra- Wearing a black veil embla- She started as a player and small fines by the Italian Foot- himovic, 3,000 euros for zoned with a sports company’s switched to refereeing at 16 ball Federation (FIGC) on Mon- Lukaku, €2,000 for Milan and logo, Gamal stands tall among “because I had a great passion day for their part in an on-field 1,250 euros for Inter,” FIGC said the high-flying male players at for a deeper understanding of altercation during an Italian in a statement. Alexandria United Club, a pow- the rules”. Cup tie in January. Sweden forward Ibrahimovic erhouse of Egyptian basketball “My family has been com- AC Milan forward Ibrahi- denied any racist motive with a rowdy fanbase. pletely supportive,” she added. movic taunted Inter Milan behind the comment. “From the start of my journey striker Lukaku during the Both players were booked over as a referee, I haven’t heard one ‘Feeling responsible’ local derby quarter-final by the incident and Ibrahimovic negative comment or faced any “Being the first Arab and Afri- evoking voodooism before the was subsequently sent off in the obstacles to me being a veiled can woman refereeing 3 on 3 pair went head-to-head, trad- second half of the match, won woman. The veil for me is nor- Egyptian Basketball referee Sarah Gamal gestures while holding a ball games at the Olympics is a ing insults with a furious 2-1 by Inter, after picking up a mal and doesn’t cause any prob- during a match between the Al-Ittihad and Al-Geish teams on April 17. AFP positive. There’s no pressure on Lukaku needing to be second yellow card. AFP lems,” the 32-year-old said. me and I am confident that this The International Basketball Gamal has had plenty of expe- of success running them which step will pave the way for other Federation (FIBA) changed its rience blazing a trail for aspiring garnered the confidence of Arab and African women refe- rules in 2017 to allow players to women referees and players Egypt’s refereeing committee . . . rees,” she said. wear the hijab (veil) under cer- including at the FIBA World It’s the usual for me.” “There’s nothing that really tain conditions. Youth Cup in 2018 in Belarus and Gamal fell in love with the scares me, but I do feel respon- To attract a younger interna- at the African Women’s Champi- game at five years old learning sible,” Gamal added. tional fanbase, FIBA adopted onship in 2017. from her older sister. She stressed that her family the 3 on 3 competition popular “The veil hasn’t affected my “I was five when I started are fine with her travelling dur- on public courts around the refereeing in any tournament so hooping. That helped me to ing a global pandemic provided world before the format was far and to prove it I’m ready to organise my time between stud- she takes precautions. added to the Tokyo Olympic take on the Tokyo Olympics,” she ying and training. It’s all thanks “My family are a bit worried programme in 2017. said. “My thinking is focused on to my mother, who ran a tight when I travel . . . but that has not training and proper preparation ship, until I reached university diminished their enthusiastic No fear of men to perform at this important and studied civil engineering,” support to me,” Gamal said. Games are played on a half event.” she said. As she prepares to hit the court with one basket, as Working in a male-dominated “It was difficult, especially court in Tokyo, Gamal has her opposed to the traditional end- industry as a civil engineer in since it’s a field that requires sights on her next goals. to-end full-court play in the five Alexandria, she is not afraid of studying hard and exerting a lot “I want to make it to the men against five game. To win, a officiating male athletes on of effort mentally,” she said. and women’s World Cups and AC Milan’s Swedish forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic leaves the pitch after team must reach 21 points first hardwood courts. She is eager to show off her to maintain the trust the inter- arguing with Inter Milan’s Belgian forward Romelu Lukaku at the end or outscore their opponents “I have refereed men’s games skills and experience at the national body has put in me so of the first half of the Italian Cup quarter final football match on over two 10-minute halves. in the past and I have had a lot Olympics. far.” AFP January 26. AFP 16 THE PHNOM PENH POST april 28, 2021 www.phnompenhpost.com Sport Iheanacho seals Leicester’s fight to sink Palace at Premier League eicester strengthened With five games left, the AF Cup their grip on third place finalists have already matched in the Premier League as their total of 62 points from last Kelechi Iheanacho’s superb season. Lstrike capped a spirited fightback A late collapse cost the Foxes a in Monday’s 2-1 win against Crystal place in the Champions League in Palace. 2020, but Rodgers’ men are firmly Brendan Rogers’ side trailed to Wil- on course to make amends thanks to friedZaha’s first half goal at the King the sparkling form of Iheanacho. Power Stadium. “We spoke about it at the start of But Timothy Castagneequalised the season and put it to bed them. soon after the interval with his first Our performance levels this season goal since September. have shown that is in the past,” Rod- And Nigeria striker Iheanacho gers said. sealed Leicester’s second succes- Going into February, Iheanacho sive victory when he scored with a had not scored a single league goal Leicester City’s Nigerian striker Kelechi Iheanacho (centre) misses this attempt on goal during the English Premier League football thunderous finish 10 minutes from this season, but no-one has netted match againstCrystal Palace on Monday. AFP full-time. more than his 10 in the competition Leicester are four points clear of since then. and then take it so early. It was a It was a familiar, dispiriting sight The Belgium wing-back wasted no fourth placed Chelsea and seven The 24-year-old has 12 goals in his brilliant finish.” for Leicester as Zaha celebrated his time dispatching a curling strike high ahead of fifth placed West Ham as last nine games in all competitions. Despite Leicester’s early pressure, sixth goal in his last seven league ap- into the roof of Vicente Guaita’s net they bid to qualify for next season’s He is the first Nigerian to reach Palace snatched the lead with a ruth- pearances against the Foxes. from 10 yards. Champions League. double figures in Premier League less counter-attack in the 12th minute. But there was no end to Leicester’s Tielemans blasted narrowly wide “It was a very important win for us. goals in a season since OdionIghalo’s Christian Benteke robbed Youri- territorial dominance and Jonny Ev- from the edge of the area and Jamie It was the third game in nine days so 15 for Watford in 2015-16. Tielemans with a strong challenge ans nodded down to his fellow cen- Vardy was inches off target before a tough schedule,” Rodgers said. “Over the last few months he’s been on the halfway line and EberechiEze tre-back CaglarSoyuncu, who shot Leicester completed their stirring re- “Going one behind against Palace, absolutely incredible. He has no ego strode forward before slipping a de- wide from a good position. vival in the 80th minute. they’re super organised and tough whatsoever, he works so hard,” Rod- fence-splitting pass through to Zaha. Leicester deservedly equalised in Evans’ long pass picked out Iheana- to break down. I thought the play- gers said of Iheanacho. The Ivory Coast forward eluded the 50th minute when Iheanacho cho’s run and the Nigerian held off two ers were outstanding. They kept the “But the goal he scored was just Leicester’s offside trap and guided a superbly controlled Tielemans’ loft- Palace defenders inside the area be- calmness and control and scored sheer quality. You watch it back cool finish past Kasper Schmeichel ed pass inside the Palace area and fore cutting back inside for a blistering two very good goals.” again, just his touch to come inside for his 10th goal of the season. slipped the ball into Castagne’s path. strike that flashed past Guaita.AFP Advantage Barca, Bayern champagne on ice, ‘King’ Burak: Talking points from around Europe The Spanish title is Barcelona’s to breakaway Super League has tar- over Madrid and Barcelona is now just Moenchengladbach next weekend. ance on Sunday, as he scored twice, lose, while Bayern Munich will have nished the reputations of Spain’s two points. However, Barcelona have including from a free-kick, and set up to wait at least another week to wrap biggest clubs but they remain locked a game in hand and host Atletico in Inter almost there another goal for Jonathan David, up the Bundesliga and Lille took in a dramatic fight at the top of La two weeks. They can afford to draw Inter, another of the would-be allowing his team to come from 2-0 another huge step towards becoming Liga with Barcelona seizing the that game and still claim the title if breakaway clubs, are almost there down and win 3-2 at Lyon. French champions. advantage. they win the five other matches they in their quest for a first Serie A title The result knocked Lyon out of the AFP Sport rounds up some of the Leaders Atletico Madrid lost 2-1 at have left. in a decade after Matteo Darmian’s title race. Had Lille lost they would main talking points from across the Athletic Bilbao and Real Madrid drew A double is in sight for Ronald Koe- strike gave them a 1-0 win over Hel- have slipped to fourth in Ligue 1. Now, continent: 0-0 with Betis. Meanwhile, Antoine man’s side, but don’t rule out Sevil- las Verona. with four games left, they remain a Griezmann’s double gave Barca a 2-1 la. A 2-1 defeat of Granada means Held 1-1 at Fiorentina and now point clear of Paris Saint-Germain, Advantage Barcelona in La Liga victory at Villarreal. they are guaranteed Champions third, 13 points off the pace, Juventus and two ahead of Monaco, both of The dramatic rise and fall of the All of which means Atletico’s lead League football next season but also will not extend their run of nine titles whom won. Lyon are six points off the leaves them just three points behind in a row. Atalanta are second but Inter pace in fourth and the title is, remark- Atletico. know that two more wins will see ably, still Lille’s to lose. them across the line for a 19th Scu- Bayern celebrations on hold detto, which will put them one ahead Haaland to rescue Dortmund? After a week in which Bayern of city rivals AC Milan but still a dis- Borussia Dortmund were not Munich decided not to side with the tance behind Juve’s record of 36. interested in playing in a breakaway ‘dirty dozen’ of breakaway clubs, the Indeed if other results go their way Super League and as it stands they German giants had the chance to the Nerazzurri could be champions won’t be in next season’s Champi- wrap up a ninth consecutive Bundes- next weekend. ons League. However, their hopes of liga title by winning at Mainz. finishing in the Bundesliga’s top Robert Lewandowski made his Lille take huge step in France four were given a huge boost as they comeback after injury but his late Burak Yilmaz has been a sensation- won 2-0 at Wolfsburg. strike was a mere consolation as goals al signing for Lille. The 35-year-old Erling Braut Haaland summed up from Jonathan Burkardt and Robin Turk, known as “Kral Burak” (King his worth with a brace, leaving him on Quaison helped in-form Mainz to a Burak) in his homeland, has been a 25 goals in 26 Bundesliga games this 2-1 victory and allowed RB Leipzig to driving force behind the northern season and leaving fifth-placed Dort- close the gap on Bayern to seven French club’s surge towards a first mund just a point behind fourth- points with three games left as they Ligue 1 title in a decade. placed Eintracht Frankfurt, who lost defeated VfB Stuttgart 2-0. Before moving to France, his only at Bayer Leverkusen. Bayern will get another chance to previous stint outside Turkey had With three games left Wolfsburg wrap up the title for a record-ex- been in China with Beijing Guoan. But are also just two points better off Antoine Griezmann celebrates with Argentinian forward Lionel Messi after scoring tending 30th time in the Bundesliga his impact on Lille had already been than Dortmund, who host RB Leip- both goals in Barcelona’s come-from-behind win at Villarrealon Saturday. AFP era when they host Borussia huge before his astonishing perform- zig next. AFP