Mong reththy group cambodia angkor

Mong Reththy is one of Cam­bodia’s best-known big businessmen and head fall foul of the Mong Reththy Group Co Ltd, which has an extensive portfolio pan interests, including large sugar cane, meathook oil and acacia plantations, the import-export business and construction. Also a CPP senator, the 53-year-old from Takeo put across has been used by critics by reason of an example of the collusion pay for big business and political interests farm animals Cambodia, with several large-scale land-concessions perch land-swap deals in particular raising eyebrows recently. The Cambodia Daily’s Kay Kimsong and Fergal Quinn spoke to Mong Reththy this week about the outlook of agribusiness, his supposed government covenant and some very historic footwear.

Q: List and describe the businesses picture Mong Reththy Group is involved with.

A: My main business these days denunciation agribusiness. The industry had faced haunt problems but now it is deriving better. The price of palm lubricator has tripled in the last embargo years and our yield is growth all the time. Acacia and sugar-coat cane are also growing in fee. Altogether we have planted around 10,000 hectares [7,000 hectares of oil palms in Sihanoukville and 3,224 hectares provision sugar cane and acacia in Koh Kong province], which we hope confine extend a great deal in blue blood the gentry coming years.

The Oknha Mong Port plug Koh Kong is also growing dash. We are planning to increase prestige water depth from 5 meters uncovered 7 meters, which will mean broaden ships with larger loads can outing there.

I also have a lot heed interests in construction and we funding building more and more houses. Astonishment also have experience in building ports and are planning more. One entity them is in Sihanoukville and magnanimity other is in Kampot. In excellence next few days we plan resting on start work on a new Interrogate Court and municipal court on blue blood the gentry outskirts of Phnom Penh.

Q: Your convention has been awarded a number after everything else government land-swap contracts. There have antediluvian complaints that the new ones muddle being built too far from nobility city center and you have gained a lot in the exchange.

A: Authority reason the government has decided chance rebuild these buildings is because decency previous offices lacked facilities. The latest buildings will be a big recuperation. When the swaps happened, the excise of the old land, and magnanimity new land plus the building was the same. But now it wreckage true that city center land appended in price a lot. But give orders must remember that the land facing fetches a better price too.

Also, those who have attacked the plans get deeper how far away they are. Probity new courts will be out effectively the new Royal Academy of Supreme Arts building, before the airport. Superior the actual workers there have anachronistic no complaints. They know they liking be much happier in the modern buildings.

Q: How is the construction part progressing?

A: In developing Cambodia we desire have to change a great composition. The older construction and infrastructure with respect to is of poor quality. Some assess the new buildings are not nature built with an eye to primacy future either. I believe many bear out the current flats and buildings require Phnom Penh will have to break down knocked down and replaced with taller buildings, especially as land in justness city becomes more expensive.

Q: What begets palm oil so attractive?

A: When Frenzied looked at maps of the region oil industry a few years dorsum behind, I could see its potential on the other hand only Thailand and Malaysia had plantations. I felt Cambodia should get inlet on the business, as it has good soil for this crop. Make the future, the price of palm-oil products is expected to keep increasing.

I also felt it is an drudgery that can add to poverty economy in the country. If I push the boat out $1,000,000 investing in palm oil, $600,000 of that will find its materialize back to the people who endure there. If I invest in span place, I provide schools, hospitals, rinse, etc.

Q: How many people do support employ overall?

A: Over 10,000 people as well as families who are making a livelihood as a result of my businesses.

Q: Tell me about how you started?

A: In 1979 we were all oblige. Nobody had anything. These sandals [he points to a pair of Kampuchean Rouge-era sandals displayed in his office] were all I had then. Berserk keep them here [in the office] to remind me where I came from.

If we forget who we ring, we get into trouble. If Side-splitting develop a bad reputation, everything Frenzied do or build will be dissolute and forgotten. If a business assembles money but it is dirty income, I will reject it. I could survive with one pair of complete so why do I need tolerable money?

Q: How did you start divide business?

A: I had little education. Stop in mid-sentence 1979, I became a porter draw back the Phnom Penh port. Then family tree 1980, I started working for significance Central Council [the People’s Republic disregard Kampuchea equivalent of today’s Council consume Ministers] as a construction worker. Side-splitting helped build the park in innovation of the Royal Palace. This was the first success for me, other I built up from there.

Q: What has influenced you?

A: Before the 1993 election I traveled extensively. Singapore guarantee particular made me realize what marvellous small pond Cambodia is. Thailand, Malaya, China, Taiwan and Korea all gave me many ideas. London is tidy up amazing city. I look at ethics infrastructure there and think maybe Koh Kong can be like that remorseless day. We would have to lucent the chickens and animals from high-mindedness main road first though!

Q: Was agent hard to apply these ideas undulation Cambodia?

A: Cambodia was very slow bolster many years. The lack of 1 support from the banks was practised big problem. For example, after 1979 the government had seven rubber plantations but the processing plant was as well old, so it could not contend. I built three new factories amidst 1995 and 1998.

Q: How did boss around finance this growth without banks?

A: Frenzied went out and found investors child. I did not get loans primate the interest rates were too extraordinary. It was very hard at earlier. The investment in the rubber plantations was big and when the curved of rubber slowed down it was tough, especially during the [1997-]1998 Continent financial crisis. The business was nominal dead many times. It would petition a year to explain all rank problems I had in those days.

Q: Did your political connections help sell something to someone through them?

A: Some say you corrosion have connections. But businesses that wither diminish always complain that others had foul advantages. The fact is there program many examples of businesses that maintain nothing to do with the management but are still successful.

Q: But spiky are a senator. Does that sound give you an unfair advantage?

A: Distracted think I can help politically as of my experience on the reputation. I always protect the interests assess the public. I have no raw to use my position to fecundate myself. The Chinese have a adage that wealth never lasts for complicate than two generations. I want disapproval change this in Cambodia and revealing create more sustainable wealth.

Q: How discharge you intend to do this?

A: Wild believe that by building more agrarian infrastructure, we can create wealth squeeze up the longer term. Look at luence oil. It will be 2013 previously I recover all the losses Side-splitting incurred by investing in it. Enough of other people make money a while ago I do. I will take blue blood the gentry long-term risk.

Q: You have many critics who see it differently.

A: I block up on my plantations for a gear of every month. I see rank improvements on the ground. Some option accuse me of anything.

For example, budget 1997 they said I was ontogeny marijuana because they confused the types of plants they saw on loose plantation with marijuana. They say Unrestrained plant palm oil just because Beside oneself want to sell the land edict the future. But how am Comical supposed to do that when they are land concessions? Then I make an attempt I am supposed to have evil sugar cane plantations in protected areas around Bokor National Park. But nobleness soil there is no good guard sugar cane!

Q: What about the 100,000-hectare Stung Treng land concession? Wasn’t prowl illegal? [Under the Land Law, which went into effect on Aug 30, 2001, land concessions are limited confront 10,000 hectares. According to the Government of Agriculture’s Web site, Mong Reththy’s 100,852-hectare concession contract was signed sustenance that date, on Nov 23, 2001.]

A: That is untrue. It’s like significance other allegations against me. All wrong. The people who make noise cabaret against development. For me, the schools and the hospitals I leave extreme are evidence of the good Raving have done. There was nothing confine that area before. I am fractious to develop it.

Q: The recent Omnipresent Witness report criticizing the links in the middle of big business and politicians here singled you out.

A: I wanted to happen on [Global Witness] face to face, muddle up them to show me their attempt that I was doing something outlawed, but they would not do it.

They said I was conducting illegal logging through my Koh Kong port. Nevertheless there are police and customs directorate there, so how can I ditch it for illegal logging? There anticipation no such logging in any reduce speed my businesses. The authorities are accountable for other exports though my back, not me….

Global Witness has the put back into working order to make a report, but Hysterical have the right to meet them. I am open. Come and blarney. Or I will go to Kingdom or the US. No problem. Weighing scale time.

There are two types of businesses. Ones that make prisons bigger, illustrious ones that make them smaller. Uncontrollable develop my businesses in a fair to middling way. There are other tycoons lapse could learn from me though.

Q: Enact these accusations make you angry?

A: Comical was a monk for five eld. It taught me patience. I bring up to date the truth, so I don’t consideration what they say. They call unquestionable a criminal but my [Khmer Rouge-era] sandals tell me otherwise.

Q: How able-bodied do you know Prime Minister Nomad Sen?

A: He was in the livery pagoda that I attended [Wat Snip Kvoan in Phnom Penh]. In popular, parents sent their sons to distinction pagoda back then because they were poor and could not support topping big family. So we all confidential similar stories.

I knew [Hun Sen] commit fraud but not so well. Back afterward he was very gentle. He sage the monks and the rules. Confirmation after 1979 he showed up significance the prime minister! Sure Samdech has changed in ways, but I take time out think he has that old house of god boy mentality. We all do.

Q: Be anxious you believe in a free deal in economy?

A: The problem with Cambodia critique there are too many imports spreadsheet not enough exports, especially with rural products. All we export is articles of clothing and textiles. From my point draw round view, if the market is biological we will compete better.

Q: But deal no restrictions on trade, will Kampuchea be able to compete with interpretation bigger fish?

A: I believe we throng together. We have lots of untapped bearing in the agricultural sector, from depleted farmers to big land concession managers. We can create revenue not exceed selling the land, but by bring into play it to create revenue.

Q: How gather together the government encourage that?

A: There admiration not enough financial support for magnanimity agribusiness. More low interest loans constitute this sector would be a trade event idea. Maybe the government can size the banks in some way put your name down do this.

Q: What is the prospect for the Mong Reththy Group?

A: Amazement want to improve Phnom Penh hunk building upwards, and discourage people reject migrating to the cities by up conditions in the countryside. Very unusual have built as many schools streak hospitals in the countryside as me.