Phnom Penh—On 01 October 2017, Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, paid a visit to the factory administrators, supervisors, foremen, and factory owners that there are over 80 factories with 4,910 participants in Koh Pich hall.
Samdech Techo Hun Sen visited workers for 10 times—there are 05 times in the compound of factories including Phnom Penh Special Economic Zone, Vattanak I Industrial Park, Vattanak II Industrial Park, Canadia Industrial Park, and factories in Sangkat Chak Angre.
Due to political stability, social security, and tax exemption to the foreign investor, it attracts a variety of investors by providing job with decent income to workers. Previously, the wage of worker was only over 30 USD and increased continuously; currently, the minimum wage of worker is 153 USD; and in 2018 the wage will be increased not less than 160 USD a month plus other benefits.
Samdech Techo Hun Sen appealed to all Cambodian workers and citizens for contributing to maintain peace and development with the aim of developing the country. He said, “No peace, no development. Also, the development cannot lack peace.” In line with the issuance of industrial policy 2015-2015, Samdech Techo provided main five recommendations to the employers and workers in order to unite to ensure good working conditions and income as follows:
- Work together to maintain peace, stability, security, and social order well.
- Bring together to maintain job and create new jobs by strengthening and increasing job market.
- Join together to increase income by offering the training course to worker. The Royal Government will continue to increase the wage of worker every year. For electricity and water price since 01 September 2017 onwards, electricity price will decrease 450 riels/kilowatt for the consumption of less than 50 kilowatt a month and water price is only 700 riels/cube meter. Samdech also appealed to the owner of rental house not to increase the fare for one year (2018) in order to improve the livelihood of worker.
- Provide the social security schemes to the worker since January 2018 that the employer shall pay 100% of contribution so that the worker can save around 8,000 riels to 12,000 riels a month. Meanwhile, all workers, including persons who are working in construction, hotel, transportation, and agriculture sectors…etc., have entitlement to access health care services in the public health facility free of charge through the health equity fund. Samdech guided the owners of enterprises/establishments to create infirmary in their enterprises/establishments in order to rescue the workers when they suffer from any accidents. For the pregnant women, when they deliver a baby, they shall receive three-month maternity leave and 120% of wage. Also, from January 2018 onwards, the pregnant female worker will get additional allowance from the Royal Government when they deliver a baby—one baby equal to 4,00,000 riels, twin equal to 8,000,000 riels, and triplets equal to 1,200,000 riels plus additional allowance from Samdech. Samdech Tech Hun Sen reaffirmed that all workers nationwide will gain public transportation service free of charge for two years (from August 2017 to August 2019). In 2019 all workers will obtain pension scheme.
- Continue to provide the social protection to the workers who are working abroad by coordinating with the partnership countries in order to provide good working conditions and facilitate to provide legal instruments involved with labour of migrant worker.
Before closing the speech, Samdech Techo Hun Sen requested all employers and workers to maintain peace and country development because if there is no peace, it does not have development; and the development can’t lack peace. There are 231 pregnant female workers took selfie photo with Samdech; this highlighted the sincere love of Samdech Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, to the worker in the close and happy occasion.
