Cambodian Cabinet Reviews Functioning of Police

Cambodia's Council of Ministers on Friday examined a new royal decree for the public functioning of the police nationwide in a move to reform it into a better qualified authority for serving the people and its nation.

Pen Thol, a spokesman of the Council of Ministers, told reporters shortly after the regular and weekly meeting that the royal decree consists of nine chapters with 50 articles.

Deputy Prime Minister and Co-Minister of Interior Sar Kheng, serving as acting prime minister, sponsored today's meeting.

Pen Thol added that the royal decree would come into force soon after being signed by His Majesty the King.

The decree has spelled out the daily functioning of the police nationwide, that includes how to recruit police officers, salary, rank, position, rights and obligation, retirements and judicial roles.

Pen Thol, however, noted that the government, so far, is performing a law on functioning of the government's civil servants, therefore, the military and police must be defined by separate decrees.

He added that the Ministry of Defense has already defined their roles and obligations.

It is reported that the government has employed some 60,000 police nationwide, but in a move to reform the sector, the government will demobilize some 20,000 police officers until 2003 in order to strengthen performance of the body for the sake of the nation and of the people.






People's Daily Online --- http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/