Cambodian journalists urged to join fight against corruption

Club of Cambodian Journalists (CCJ) president Pen Samitthy published details of the competition in the country's largest selling Khmer-language daily, Rasmei Kampuchea. Samitthy is also the editor-in-chief of that newspaper.

"To effectively fight against corruption, we need the support of the media," Samitty wrote in his prologue. "Please, all journalists, expose corruption. We must all respond, not just the government." 

He also called on the Cambodian National Assembly and the international community to support local journalists who dared to root out corruption at all levels of society.

A first prize of 1,100 dollars plus a trophy were on offer for the best anti-corruption investigative journalism piece, and all stories must be submitted anonymously, Samitthy wrote.

The CCJ boasts more than a thousand members and receives support from the US embassy and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation amongst others. Rasmei Kampuchea is viewed as being close to the ruling Cambodian People's Party by media analysts.

Cambodia was ranked at 162 out of 180 countries by Berlin-based anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International in its recently released 2007 index. Rampant graft has been blamed for the country's failure to attract more much-needed foreign direct investment.//DPA