Wing to Handle Gov’t Fees

KHMER TIMES
MAY KUNMAKARA

Commerce Minister Pan Sorasak (left) and Kith Meng, chairman of the Royal Group, shake hands at the MoU signing ceremony. Supplied

In an effort to increase transparency and accuracy, the payment of fees for government services such as business and vehicle registration, and taxes in the future, is now being handled by Wing Specialized Bank, the Commerce Ministry announced yesterday.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed on Monday between Wing and the ministry, and the service went live yesterday, said Commerce Minister Pan Sorasak.

In his speech at the signing ceremony, Mr. Sorasak acknowledged that while developing the infrastructure to move government services online was time consuming, the end result would be a far better service for the public.

“It helps to reduce time and make the cash transaction faster, and gives a better public service for customers through its efficiency.”

“Today’s signing ceremony will create another more competitive climate for the e-payment market, which is good for customers. At the same time, it also helps the ministry in improving accurate cash flow management, because all revenue will be transferred to the National Treasury every day,” said Mr. Sorasak.

Last week, the Ministry of Economy and Finance and Wing reached an agreement on the plan, before it was handed over to the Commerce Ministry this week, explained Kith Meng, chairman of the Royal Group, Wing’s parent company, at the ceremony.

Mr. Meng said that the execution of the agreement is also part of the government reform of public services to allow easy and accessible payment for customers

“The collaboration will bring the new payment gateway and can manage the income derived from public services online in a faster, more secure and convenient way via Wing,” he said, adding that Wing has over 4,200 agents nationwide at which to pay.

The announcement comes as the commerce and economy ministries look to migrate the nation’s tax payment system online, expected to be complete by April.

In a speech last month, Prime Minister Hun Sen stressed that online payments will stamp out the pervasive corruption by government officials in the current system, and help to improve Cambodia’s attractiveness to foreign investors.

“We have been using digitalized payment systems to fight corruption...They no longer have to meet physically with unscrupulous tax collectors who demand bribes,” said Mr. Hun Sen.

Preap Kol, executive director of Transparency International (Cambodia) told Khmer Times last month that such effort must be applauded, but that there is still much more work to be done.

“We have tried to encourage the government to further use online options for their administration, but there is no consistency across the government as a whole yet. Only a few ministries seem to make progress in this while the rest do not move at all or have only moved very slowly.”