In the last two decades, families in the CPP leadership have bought huge houses and property, but have not. Silently abroad, worth millions of dollars. Real estate of the ruling party is available all over the world but has only recently Recently discovered only. There are no specific reports on their vast wealth abroad, and a series of press reports have hit you. Analyze that only a "small fraction" of their entire wealth.
From now on, RFA will continue to broadcast information on the number of real estate and overseas assets of wealthy families. These Khmers.
Buying these homes can be seen as a way to protect property and money laundering from fraud. These assets could also be a safe haven in the future if the current Hun Sen regime collapses.
Politics and Wealth Enhancement
After the collapse of the Khmer Rouge structure in 1997, Cambodia's economy grew eightfold. At the same time, CPP officials and their families have also increased their wealth, such as homes and residences abroad. Very well. However, about 35% of Cambodians continue to live below the poverty line.
In 2009, political science experts Dr. Un Kheang and Dr. So Sok Bunthoeun wrote about the lives of both classes or those in power. This. "They see state institutions and natural resources as their exclusive means to buy support from "People keep their loyal network and increase their wealth."
Now, after discovering that officials and politicians have millions of dollars to buy a house abroad, it is right According to the two political scientists.
In terms of salaries, most Cambodian civil servants are only a few hundred dollars a month. But those officials have increased their wealth through rent, bribery, and partisan corruption. Real estate found by Free Asia and other institutions will further demonstrate the viability of the continuation of power."A place where they can be safe and secure"
Cambodia ranks as one of the most corrupt countries in the world, 161 out of 180 countries in the index Understand the corruption of Transparency International. Although corruption can bury powerful officials in power, this issue is a clear indication of the failure of They too.
In 2016, the CPP quietly hired an Israeli company to survey Cambodians. The survey report was leaked to the media in 2017. The poll finds that corruption is a major concern for voters. The Cambodian people who answered the survey question were satisfied with the CNRP's efforts to eradicate corruption.
Five months after the secret results of the poll were released, the Cambodian Supreme Court completely dissolved the CNRP.
For officials in authoritarian countries, buying real estate abroad is to find "a place where they can live happily ever after." Safety ”when the current regime collapsed. This is according to Jason Sharman, a researcher at Cambridge University. Specializes in cross-border corruption.
Dr. Ear Sophal of Occidental College in California believes this is true. Cambodia.
"If anyone wants to make sure their property is protected in the future," he said. Buying real estate abroad is a must-have, for any Affiliate, promoting any program. They have a house in Phnom Penh and take the rest of the money and send it to a Swiss bank. Then they can have fun with those gold and silver piles and they can also buy huge luxury villas abroad.
Most of the luxury villas and other houses are bought by them in strong democracies such as the United States and the United Kingdom. And Australia. The choice to buy assets in the West shows a global trend of the families of ruling party officials. Of Cambodia.
Enjoying the lavish life of a nation of thieves
Oliver Bullough, author of The Silver Land: The Internal Story of the Nationalist Rulers Who Rule the World (Moneyland: The Inside Story of the Crooks and Kleptocrats Who Rule the World) published in 2018 describes how money from corruption, such as corruption, is fraudulently mixed with righteous money in the global economy. There are many ways to do this. One way is by buying real estate in the West.
"You will see a pattern like this in a country where government is being robbed by government officials," Olivier Buller told RFA. "Steal your country and take the stolen property to a foreign bank." "The possibility that some of you are doing what you used to do is come to power and steal something," he said. Everything is a story that you have a clear understanding of. "So you will want to protect yourself from this scandal."
What is good for stealing officers can continue to steal by buying real estate in London or New York York) Yes, that is due to the unprecedented double growth of the real estate market in major Western cities. Those. Unfortunately, much of the boom in the real estate sector is due to corrupt officials using those cities to Save your vast wealth. For example, the towns of Mayfair and Manhattan have become vehicles for the wealthy through corruption. For laundering dirty money and doubling their wicked wealth.
Dr. Ear Sophal, who has Khmer resin blood, told RFA that the houses that RFA found were the property of Corruption and must be returned to the original owner, the general Cambodian people. "What they are earning is from their continued investment, but the assets from the beginning," he said. Not their property. We hope that one day there will be justice. At that time, the property of these people will be handed over to those who deserve this property, the general Cambodian people, so that they can enjoy the property stolen from them.