Importance of Oppositon Discussed in South African Forum

Delegates of the World Parliamentarian Conference met in South Africa recently to discuss poverty, corruption and the importance of parliaments and opposition.

Tioulong Saumura, wife of opposition leader Sam Rainsy and a parliamentarian for the party, spent five days at the conference, which was sponsored by the World Bank.

"International communities, especially donor countries, have the impression based on experience of many years, that any country that has a strong and active parliamentary system is more developed than other countries," Tioulong Saumura told VOA.

She had met with World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz, she said.

He was "very concerned about corruption in Cambodia," she said. "He told me that if we are a leader and we want to reduce poverty, we have to fight against corruption."