Government Ended Contract With AZ Distribution.Co On Maintaining and Servicing National Route 4

This morning the government declared the decision of ending the contract with AZ Distribution.Co on maintain and service on National Route 4 which mean people who use National Road Number 4 is no longer to require to pay the money.









Source: Prime Minister Facebook Page


Related article: (From August 2001)

Sihanoukville highway toll deal draws fire

The 35-year concession agreement granted to AZ Distribution Company to maintain and

service National Route 4 has drawn strong criticism from some government officials

and MPs.

Under the agreement, AZ Co will maintain the 210 kilometer long road, which it will

operate on a toll basis. A source at the company said that although the pricing policy

had not been announced, private car owners and taxi-drivers would have to pay one

dollar to travel the road to Sihanoukville.

"This decision by the government is a disgrace and does not serve the interests

of the people," said MP Son Chhay, who is chair of the National Assembly's committee

that deals with transport and public works. "Charging fees on vehicles could

affect people's livelihoods and is contradictory to the poverty reduction policy."

Taxi drivers, too, said they were extremely annoyed at the project. Son Chhay's words

were echoed by a group of disgruntled drivers who provide daily services along the

route.

Chhiang Doeun, a 35-year-old taxi-driver, has been running a service on Route 4 since

1991. He said that as he only earns 30,000 riel for a two-way journey, paying a $2

toll was impossible.

"I wonder why AZ Co. has built the toll booth to charge travelers. The route

was rebuilt with US government aid. Why doesn't the company repair the other badly-conditioned

national routes like route number 3?" he asked.

However, Tram Iv Tek, secretary of state for the Ministry of Public Works and Transport

(MPWT), defended the company in a speech given at a ceremony marking the official

opening of the road earlier this month.

"Organizations like the ADB and the World Bank advise that fees should be charged

for people using roads. Private companies should invest in road maintenance,"

he said.

"In countries like China they have already implemented this kind of project

successfully. The government here has the approval of the US embassy - they are happy

that the government is seeking capital from the private sector."

According to his speech, AZ Co. will invest $3 million in widening the road. They

will also build two toll booths and weigh-stations for trucks. He added that the

company would spend $10 million after five years to maintain the road.

In February this year, Prime Minister HE issued a power of attorney letter authorizing

Iv Tek, who is a member of the CPP, to sign an agreement with AZ Co. Chhay said that

this was done without the knowledge of MPWT Funcinpec minister, Khy Taing Lim, who

was questioned about the affair by Chhay's committee.

An MPWT official, who asked not to be named, said the agreement was not negotiated

properly.

"[Normally] the MPWT minister must sign the agreement," he said. "But

this agreement is not transparent."

The official said if the government wanted Route 4 renovated, it should have held

a public bid.

"I am not convinced that the AZ Distribution Company has millions of dollars

to invest, and furthermore it does not specialize in road construction," he said.

Doeun commented: "Cambodian people are still poor after the war... We are very frustrated about this."

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/s ... draws-fire

I can't read the document. Does it actually say this: "people who use National Road Number 4 is no longer to require to pay the money."

ជនរួមជាតិជាទីស្រឡាញ់!

កង្វល់និងការព្រួយបារម្ភរបស់ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋ គឺជាកង្វល់និងការព្រួបារម្ភរបស់ខ្ញុំផ្ទាល់។ ជាពិសេសពលរដ្ឋដែលរស់នៅតាមបណ្តោយផ្លូវជាតិលេខ ៤ និងប្រជាពលរដ្ឋទូទាំងប្រទេសដែលធ្វើដំណើរឆ្លងកាត់ផ្លូវនេះទាំងអស់គឺបានសំណូមពរមករាជរដ្ឋាភិបាល និងខ្ញុំផ្ទាល់អំពីការពិបាកគ្រប់យ៉ាងក្នុងការបង់លុយសម្រាប់ធ្វើដំណើរលើផ្លូវជាតិមួយនេះ។ ខ្ញុំបានស្តាប់ និងបានពិភាក្សាជាមួយរដ្ឋមន្រ្តីក្រសួងហិរញ្ញវត្ថុ រដ្ឋមន្រ្តីក្រសួងសាធារណការនិងដឹកជញ្ជូន ហើយនៅក្នុងថ្ងៃប្រជុំសភាថ្ងៃនេះ ក្នុងនាមខ្ញុំជានាយករដ្ឋមន្រ្តី គឺបានសម្រេចបញ្ឈប់មិនអោយយកលុយទាំងស្រុងពីអ្នកធ្វើដំណើរចាប់ពី ម៉ោង១២ យប់ ថ្ងៃទី១៣ មករា ២០១៦នេះតទៅ។

រាជរដ្ឋាភិបាលកម្ពុជា បានសម្រេចដកយកផ្លូវជាតិលេខ ៤ មកកាន់កាប់ទាំងស្រុងចាប់ពីពេលនេះតទៅ។ ដូច្នេះចាប់ពីពេលនេះតទៅគឺទាំងពលរដ្ឋរស់នៅតាមបណ្តោយផ្លូវជាតិលេខ៤ និងពលរដ្ឋអ្នកធ្វើដំណើរទូទាំងប្រទេសឆ្លងកាត់ផ្លូវនេះទាំងអស់គឺមិនត្រូវបង់លុយតទៅទៀតឡើយ។

ខ្ញុំសូមអរគុណប្រជាពលរដ្ឋដែលតែតែផ្តល់ព័ត៌មានពិត និងយោបល់ល្អៗមកខ្ញុំតាមរយះគេហទំព័រហ្វេសប៊ុគរបស់ខ្ញុំ ដើម្បីយើងរួមគ្នាដោះស្រាយ និង កសាងអភិវឌ្ឍន៍សង្គមជាតិអោយកាន់តែរីកចម្រើខ្លាំងទៅមុខដើម្បីប្រជាពលរដ្ឋមានការងារ និងជីវភាពរស់នៅកាន់តែប្រសើរឡើង៕


Dear Fellow Cambodian

The worries and problems of people are also my worries and problems. People who are living each sides of National Road Number 4 and people who frequently travel on National Road Number 4 had informed the government as well as me about and requested us to address, any problems related to paying money for using National Road Number 4. I listened to them and later I brought it to discuss with the minister of finance and minister of public work and transportation on the assembly meeting. As a Prime Minister of Cambodia, I decided to stop requiring people paying money for using National Road Number 4 from 12:00 am on 13 Jan 2016.

The government decided to end the contract with AZ Company and the government will maintain the road by itself. From now on people who live on both sides of the road and people from all over the country who use the road will no long to require paying the money.

I would like to express my sincere thanks to people who provide me information and give me suggestion through my facebook page, so together we can address problems in our country and make Cambodia a prosperous country seeking to create more employment opportunities for people and improving their livelihood.

Google Translate

Dear compatriots!

Concerns and worries of the people's concerns and my prime concern. Especially those living along the National Road 4, and citizens across the country who are all traveling through this route requests to the government and I personally find it difficult to pay for all travel on the road. I listened to and discussed with the Finance Minister Minister Ministry and in the days of parliament today, as I am the prime minister is decided to stop not to take money exclusively from travelers from 12am on 13 January 2016 onwards.

Cambodian government decided to take Route 4 to occupy exclusively from now on. So from now on, citizens living along the National Road 4 citizens traveling across the country and across the road is not being paid anymore.

I thank the people who provide information and practical suggestions to me via my Facebook page so that we together solve and build national development much more substantial improvement moving people to have jobs and better living conditions.



On CEO, our readers are not required to read khmer or Cambodian, we will try to make our content readable for both CAMBODIAN and FOREIGNER.

"Cambodian government decided to take Route 4 to occupy exclusively from now on. So from now on, citizens living along the National Road 4 citizens traveling across the country and across the road is not being paid anymore."

That's rather oddly put. Sounds like he is saying that there are to be no more tolls on Route #4, though stated in a unnecessarily long and convoluted manner. Is this just flowery political speech, or is something buried in there?

Plan for the future. Change your image with social media today.
You have a popularity problem? Not enough friends ? No problem. Just revoke all those unpopular laws and business concessions on FB. Win-win. Lots of likes and lots of votes.

Now if anyone else has any gripes about landgrabs, illegal logging, the state of the public health system, the price of tuktuks or noise from karaoke bars, just address your problems to the Dear Aunty fb page.
(This comment on social media was sponsored by the registered NGO Improving your world with fb Inc Co Ltd).

National Road 4 toll fees nixed

Prime Minister HE yesterday abruptly scrapped toll fees for National Road 4, ending a controversial 15-year contract with the politically connected business AZ Distribution Co.

As of 12am today, drivers of cars, trucks and buses no longer need to pay at any of the four toll booths along the 210-kilometre Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville highway, the premier announced at a National Assembly plenary session yesterday.

“Even though this decision has not been signed, as the head of the royal government, I can declare beforehand that the government will cancel the contract over the problems with National Road 4,” HE said.

“I hope that cancellation of the contract and retaking control of the road will mean there will be no fees for cars travelling along this highway.”

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/n ... fees-nixed

Yes, it is good news to use.