Draft consumer law completed

KHMER TIMES
CHEA VANNAK

The new consumer law will ensure that food sold in markets is safe and free from contamination. KT/Chor Sokunthea

The Ministry of Commerce has finished the draft consumer protection law and will soon submit it to the Council of Ministers, according to a senior government official.

Mao Thora, the ministry’s secretary of state, said yesterday that all chapters of the draft had been completed and it would be reviewed shortly.

“Drafting of the law is finished and we will submit it to the Council of Ministers to get recommendations on the draft from each relevant ministry before sending it to the National Assembly,” he said.

The consumer protection law will help crack down on fake production and false promotion in business. Anyone found making fake products, copying registered products or making false claims about products will be slapped with a lawsuit, Mr. Thora added.

“Currently each relevant ministry can establish consumer associations according to the sectors under their jurisdiction to prevent the sale and promotion of products that can harm consumers’ health.

“These consumer associations can follow up and file a lawsuit against those companies if they are found to be against the law,” he said.

Mr. Thora said the law, which was created in response to the increasing demand for safety from consumers, is important because it will ensure that the quality of goods produced follows standards.

He said the law would be approved this year if technical questions from each ministry are few and are resolved in the upcoming Council of Ministers meeting.

Commerce Minister Pan Sorasak, after joining CamControl officials to inspect the quality of products and food at O’Russey Market yesterday, also told reporters that the consumer protection law would be approved sometime this year.

“We finished the draft law and now we need inter-ministry talks at the Council of Ministers meeting. We expect to have it approved this year,” he said.

Te Taing Por, president of the Federation of Associations for Small and Medium Enterprises of Cambodia, told Khmer Times previously that the law would create a fair business environment and reduce unethical and illegal practices that sometimes go unchecked.

“If we have this law, it will help investors run their businesses fairly and will encourage producers to manufacture goods that ensure consumer safety,” he said.

Similarly, Lim Phara, owner of the Kampong Cham province-based Banana Sugar Handicraft, said that he hopes the law will help eliminate companies producing and importing products without clearly stating where they come from.

Chan Sophal, director of the Center of Policy Studies, said consumers will benefit from the law because suppliers and traders would not be able to cheat the public. “Cambodia needs this law urgently because there are many unscrupulous suppliers and traders out there,” he said.