Cambodia to pass bill governing NGOs: PM

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said Sunday that his government will pass a law governing the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and associations by May.

"It is necessary to make the law on Non-Governmental Organizations (and Associations). Without it, the government does not know the sources of funding where those NGOs are getting from, " he said during a visit to dumb, deaf and blind children at an organization.

"The government will approve the draft law by May, and then send it to the National Assembly for adoption," he said, adding that the adoption of the law will need a 50 percent plus one majority vote, or 63 votes only, in the National Assembly.

The prime minister said the law will require NGOs to register their nationalities with the Cambodian government in order to have legal standing and those NGOs will be required to file annual reports on their activities and finances.

The law is aimed at improving NGOs' accountability and transparency, as well as fighting against terrorism financing, money laundering, and creation of illegal armed forces, he said.

"We do not make the law to prevent the activities of NGOs, but we want to see them operate transparently," he said.

According to the figures of the Ministry of Interior, currently, there are 2,672 NGOs and 1,706 associations in Cambodia. Endi