By Sopheap Chak

While the world is facing financial downturn, richest men on the earth have been still recorded. My interest to the 2010 World’s Richest Man record is the Mexican Carlos Slim who also broke the record for 2007 when i compared him to a well-known Cambodian richest man, Tycoon Kith Meng. My commentators debated whether my assumption about Kit Meng as the Cambodian richest man is corrected or should be someone else or our Prime Minister.

With this debate and current development of draft law on Anti-Corruption which have been adopted in the National Assembly this Thursday, the Cambodian’s richest man record can be prevailed since the law outlines for asset declaration among high ranking officials and civil society leaders (this asset declaration has draw much discussion on why civil society leaders are also subjected to this declaration). However, this premise is questionable as key proposals for independence of Anti-Corruption Commission and publicity of asset declaration have been ignored.

If transparency and Anti-Corruption is the aim of Cambodian government, i hope the detail of asset declaration either put by the Anti-Corruption Commission or any agency can be made publicly.