National Assembly President Heng Samrin has agreed to pay former National Assembly and former NRP president Prince Norodom Ranariddh nine months salary that the Prince never collected in 2006, officials said Nov 23.
Heng Samrin’s chief of cabinet, Koam Kosal, said the Assembly president agreed to pay the prince $12,375-worth of uncollected pay following a request from Prince Ranariddh.
“Samdech Heng Samrin has agreed to pay the prince nine-months salary; the prince wasn’t in the country to collect his salary,” Koam Kosal said.
Prince Ranariddh resigned as Assembly president in March of 2006 and spent much of the rest of the year abroad before he was ousted from the Funcinpec presidency and the Assembly late in October 2006.
CPP lawmaker and Assembly finance commission chairman Cheam Yeap said Prince Ranariddh was making about $1,375 a month as the Assembly president. He added since Heng Samrin has agreed to pay, he would see that the money gets to the Prince.
Cheam Yeap added that the Assembly also invites the prince to collect his pension because he was formerly a lawmaker.
“The prince, Norodom Ranariddh, served the National Assembly, he will be receiving at least $1,200 monthly,” Cheam Yeap said.
The prince has not yet requested his monthly pension, Cheam Yeap added, but there are about 50 former lawmakers who have asked for their pensions and will receive monthly payments ranging from $800 to $1,000.
Cheam Yeap said that anyone who serves as a lawmaker for at least a year is eligible for receiving a pension. He added that pension payments will not put a strain on the Assembly’s budget, which he said will likely be about $25 million for 2009.
