Wing Bank, MBCC, and Khmer Times Join Forces to Raise Funds for a Landmine Free Cambodia

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Wing Bank, together with Malaysian Business Chamber Cambodia (MBCC), and Khmer Times are signing an MoU to raise funds to help the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA) and the Royal Government towards their efforts to make Cambodia a landmine free nation by 2025.

This event is attended by H.E. Ly Panharith, Secretary General of CMAA, Mr. Han Peng Kwang, CEO of Wing Bank, Oknha Tan Khee Meng, MBCC, and Mohan Bandam, Publisher of Khmer Times and honorably witnessed by H.E. Senior Minister Ly Thuch, the First Vice President of CMAA and H.E. Datuk Eldeen Husaini Mohd Hashim, Ambassador of Malaysia to the Kingdom of Cambodia, and other dignitaries.

“We know that humanitarian mine action is a precondition, not only for peace and security but also for poverty reduction and development,” said H. E. Ly Thuch. “There is no doubt in my mind that humanitarian mine action has contributed significantly to socio-economic development in Cambodia by making available safe land for local livelihood activities and sustainable economic development while also reducing casualties.”

 

 
To bring this landmine-free campaign and awareness for this to the people of Cambodia, MBCC and Khmer Times, with the kind cooperation and facilitation of Wing Bank, through their thousands of Wing locations and branches nationwide, are inking an MoU to raise Funds from throughout the country in a simple yet affordable campaign with the Theme of 4,000 KHR to clear 5 square meters of land.

“I am confident that with the continuous generosity and goodwill from friends near and far, together we can make the vision of a landmine-free Cambodia a reality in the near future, “said Oknha Tan Khee Meng, President of MBCC. “Let us all give our fullest support to this campaign and play our part in making Cambodia a mine-free country by 2025.”

“We are more than happy to do our part to help Cambodia to eliminate the terrible impact of landmines on people’s lives,” said Han Peng Kwang, CEO of Wing Bank, “Also, we hope that our contribution can help bring about positive changes to the community as people will have more land for farming and other development.”

Cambodia, with a population of approximately 16 million people, needs to have all arable land free from land mines to enable farmers to cultivate and provide food for the nation. Cambodia has the possibility of becoming a food basket for the region with its ample arable land and experienced farmers, comprising more than 75 per cent of the population.

Since June 2022, MBCC and Khmer Times have raised more than $100,000 and assisted in handing back several villagers in Kong Pisei District back to their people who inhabit the once land mines infested area. This includes food kits for more than 1,000 people.

“When I was involved with agriculture for close to five years, the land we were developing was littered with land mines and UXOs. It became a personal mission for me and for the past years of Khmer Times, which will be nine years in a week, to do something about this scrounge, help the people and the country to rid it of this menace once and for all,” said Mohan Bandam, Publisher of Khmer Times.

With this 4,000 KHR campaign, all parties, with the kind assistance of Wing Bank, hope that this affordable and meaningful campaign will draw the unflinching support of all Cambodians and make this campaign a huge success.

According to CMAA, Cambodia needs almost $138 million to achieve its target of being mine-free, and this campaign will help, in some ways, to alleviate the burden of the Government in delivering land back to the population.

From 1992 to March 2022, roughly 2,579 square kilometers of explosive hazard-contaminated land has been released for productive use such as agriculture, resettlement, roads, schools and other social infrastructure, leaving approximately 563 square kilometers of land yet to be cleared of land mines.