Source: Khmertimeskh

Employees of heavy vehicle weighing stations have been threatened with legal action after the Transport Ministry uncovered CCTV footage pointing to widespread corruption.

Transport Minister Sun Chanthol said security cameras showed workers at some stations were allowing overloaded trucks to pass through scales without being weighed.

The warning was made yesterday at the inauguration of the Motor Vehicle Inspection Centre on National Road 1 in Veal Sbov commune, Chbar Ampov district, Phnom Penh.

Mr Chanthol said the employees responsible would be punished according to the law, while he called on owners and drivers of overloaded trucks to obey the rules of the road and prioritise safety.

“I would like to inform officers at all 24 weighing stations that they have to be careful. We know some trucks have been allowed to leave without proper weighing. “We have information on and photos of those vehicles. We will take action because we have 24-hour CCTV cameras placed at all stations,” he said. 

Mr Chanthol also called on all vehicle owners to attend regular checks at inspection centres to comply with regulations to avoid traffic accidents.

Some accidents are caused by technical problems or vehicles with illegal modifications, while overloaded cars and trucks damaged the roads, he said.

Between January 30 and July 24 this year, 94,000 vehicles were checked at inspection centres. Cambodia has about a half a million vehicles on the roads.

Phnom Penh resident Khoem Sambath supported the ministry’s action to crackdown on bribery at weighing stations.

“I would like to thank the Transport Minister for his efforts and urge him to also check the work of some corrupt traffic policemen,” he said.

San Chey, executive director of the Affiliated Network for Social Accountability, said he had received many reports relating to irregularities at weighing stations.

He called on the ministry to increase inspections of stations and and intervene in cases of corruption.

“We are suspicious about the monitoring of transportation at night, when bribery is more likely,” he said.

“There is a system to check the vehicle and if it has been weighed. But what if the scale is rigged? How do we check on that?

“There should be a working team to monitor and deal with the issue directly.”