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Cambodia passes budget for 2017 despite opposition's boycott

Xinhua, November 22, 2016 Adjust font size:

The National Assembly of Cambodia on Tuesday approved the budget of 5.04 billion U.S. dollars for the government spending in 2017 despite a boycott of the vote from the opposition lawmakers.

Sixty-six lawmakers from the Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen's ruling party voted in favor of the proposed budget law, as 40 opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) lawmakers did not vote to support the bill.

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

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

CNRP lawmakers joined the parliament's plenary session for the first time on Tuesday after boycotting it since May to protest a court case against their deputy leader Kem Sokha.

Finance Minister Aun Porn Moniroth said the 2017 government spending was equal to 22.67 percent of the GDP and was up 15.6 percent compared to this year's expenditure.

"The budget for 2017 is very important to ensure the economic growth of 7 percent per year and to reduce at least 1 percent of poverty rate annually," he told the parliamentary session.

He said the Southeast Asian country's economy is projected to grow 7 percent in 2017, bringing the kingdom's GDP to nearly 22 billion U.S. dollars, and the GDP per capita is forecast to reach 1,422 U.S. dollars.

Next year's budget will be focused on the spending in general administration, national defense, security, social affairs, education, health, agriculture, and infrastructure and economic development.

According to the bill, the government will allocate some 834 million U.S. dollars for national defense, security and public order in 2017, an increase of 20.4 percent year-on-year.

Some 326 million U.S. dollars will be earmarked for the economy-driven sectors next year, up 13.1 percent year-on-year.

The social sector will get 1.2 billion U.S. dollars in 2017, up 12.7 percent year-on-year. Enditem