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Cambodian parliament adopts 4.3 bln USD for 2016's gov't spending amid opposition boycott

Xinhua, November 30, 2015 Adjust font size:

The National Assembly of Cambodia on Monday passed the annual budget of some 4.3 billion U.S. dollars in the government spending for 2016 despite a boycott from the opposition's lawmakers.

Sixty-six lawmakers from the Prime Minister Hun Sen's ruling party unanimously approved the draft budget law after a half-day debate, as all 55 opposition lawmakers boycotted the session.

The current parliament comprises 123 lawmakers, including 68 from the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) and 55 from the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP).

The adoption of the budget law needed a 50 percent plus one majority vote, or 63 votes, only.

The opposition lawmakers boycotted the session after two of them were beaten by a group of people while leaving the parliament in October, deputy opposition leader Kem Sokha was ousted as the parliament's 1st vice president, and opposition leader Sam Rainsy was removed from parliament following a warrant issued for his arrest over an old defamation conviction.

During the session, Finance Minister Aun Porn Moniroth said that the 2016's government spending was equal to 21.31 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and was up 16.1 percent compared to the 2015's expenditure.

"The 2016 budget law is to ensure the economic growth of around 7 percent per annum," he said, adding "the budget is also to contribute to the implementation of the recently-launched Industrial Development Policy 2015-2025."

The budget is mainly focused on physical infrastructure investment, human resources development, economic development, national defense and health.

The country will allocate 1.43 billion U.S. dollars of the budget for investing in public projects such as roads, bridges, railroads, ports, irrigation system, and other economy-driven projects, said the draft bill.

It added that the ministry of education will get 500 million U.S. dollars, up 28 percent year-on-year and the ministry of defense will get 383 million U.S. dollars, up 17 percent year-on-year.

The ministry of health will receive 274 million U.S. dollars, up 8.6 percent, it said.

In the draft law, the government will be allowed to borrow up to 961 million U.S. dollars from foreign countries and development partners in 2016. Enditem