Unofficial translation
KINGDOM OF CAMBODIA
NATION RELIGION KING
STATISTICS LAW
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Chapter I
GENERAL PROVISION
Article 1 This Law governs all matters relating to collection, processing, compilation, analysis, publication and dissemination of statistical data and pertains to the whole Kingdom of Cambodia.
Article 2 The technical terms used in this Law shall have the following meaning:
“Statistics” are data obtained by collecting, processing, compiling, analyzing, publishing and disseminating results, gathered from respondents through statistical collections or from administrative data sources.
“National Statistics System” is integrated statistics data at national and local level and infrastructure, including all official statistical data and national statistical programs; statistical organizations and statistical units within ministries and institutions of the Royal Government; as well as their statistical staff and other infrastructure.
“Basic statistics” are official economic, environment and socio-demographic statistics that are cross sectoral in nature, national and sub-national, that are required by the Royal Government for policy and program formulation and evaluation, as well as for use by the wider Cambodian and international communities.
“Sectoral statistics” are statistics collected by ministries or institutions of the Royal Government for their internal needs and reporting purposes.
A “census” is a statistical collection of data on individuals, households, establishments or other organizational units where all units in the population are enumerated.
A “survey” is a scientific statistical collection of data on individuals, households, establishments or other organizational units where only a sample of units in the population are enumerated.
A “statistical officer” is an employee of the Royal Government who has the authority to engage in official statistical activities.
A “respondent” is an individual, household, company, establishment, government or non- government institution, or other organization, that has been selected in a census or a survey.
Data are information in the form of numbers.
“Designated official statistics” are statistics produced by Government organizations that are determined by the Royal Government to meet the statistical information requirements of policy-makers in formulating and evaluating economic and social policies and programs in addressing the socio-economic development and welfare of the nation, as well as the requirements of decision-makers and researchers in the wider Cambodian and international communities.
Chapter II
PRINCIPLES AND DIRECTIONS
Article 3 Statistical development is based on the principles of accuracy independence, objectivity, reliability, relevance and
timeliness.
Article 4 Statistical activities shall be guided by the following objectives:
Supporting the statistical data requirements of Royal Government policy-makers in formulating and evaluating economic and social policies and programs, in addressing the socio-economic development and welfare of the nation, as well as the requirements of decision-makers and researchers in the wider Cambodian and international communities.
Facilitating the development of an effective and efficient National Statistical System
Enhancing public awareness of the importance of the role and function of statistics in national development programs.
Encouraging the development of methodology and technology in statistical activities.
Chapter III
STATISTICAL DATA COLLECTION
Article 5 Statistical data are collected by:
a. Conducting censuses.
b. Conducting surveys.
c. Accessing government and non-government administrative data sources.
Article 6 Censuses as referred to in Article 5 (a) shall be conducted at least once every ten years. There are three categories of census.
a. Population census.
b. Agricultural census.
c. Establishment census.
These censuses shall be conducted by the National Institute of Statistics of the Ministry of Planning in cooperation with relevant institutions.
Article 7 The Royal Government shall issue a Sub-Decree specifying the dates for conducting each of the three censuses within the ten-year period and may change the dates where it deems it necessary to do so.
Article 8 Intercensal surveys shall be conducted between censuses to facilitate annual updates of the benchmark census data in order to compile accurate and reliable economic and social statistics that meet the needs of government policy makers and other users.
Article 9 Sample Surveys, as referred to in Article 5(b), may be conducted periodically in order to produce accurate and reliable basic national statistics, as well as on an ad hoc basis in order to address any urgent statistical data needs of the Royal Government. For the purposes of conducting economic surveys, the National Institute of Statistics of the Ministry of Planning will establish a register of businesses or population frame, to be updated and maintained on an annual basis.
Article 10 Statistics produced from administrative data sources, as referred to in Article 5 (c), shall be compiled using data recorded on administrative documents, forms and other records sourced from both Royal Government and non-government organizations. For the purposes of compiling statistics from administrative data sources, the National Institute of Statistics of the Ministry of Planning will establish a directory of administrative and statistical data sources, to be updated and maintained on an annual basis.
Article 11 In the context of this Law, the National Institute of Statistics of the Ministry of Planning is responsible for:
- Collecting, processing, compiling, analyzing, publishing and disseminating basic data by conducting censuses and surveys, and utilizing administrative data sources.
- Compiling national accounts and price indexes, as well as economic, environment and socio-demographic indicators.
Article 12 Ministries and institutions of the Royal Government shall collect sectoral data either independently or in cooperation with the National Institute of Statistics of the Ministry of Planning by:
- Conducting surveys.
- Collection of statistical data on administrative records.
Chapter IV
COORDINATION AND COOPERATION
Article 13 The National Institute of Statistics, under the Ministry of Planning, shall be responsible for making official statistical policies in establishing an integrated National Statistical System, encompassing all designated official statistics and statistical organizational units within ministries and institutions. The Royal Government shall issue a Sub-Decree on the operation of the National Statistical System and designated official statistics.
Article 14 In these tasks, the National Institute of Statistics of the Ministry of Planning shall establish:
Coordination in activities of statistical development, including training, with the ministries and institutions of the Royal Government, and the private sector, at the national and sub-national level.
Cooperative arrangements in statistical activities with international organizations, other national statistical offices, and other private institutions in accordance with the prevailing legislation.
National statistical standards pertaining to classifications, concepts, definitions and statistical units, so as to avoid confusion on the part of data users and any duplication of official statistical data on the part of data producers.
Article 15 A "Statistics Advisory Council" shall be established to provide advice to the Ministry of Planning in facilitating the development of the National Statistical System. The composition, role and tasks of the Statistics Advisory Council shall be determined by Sub-Decree.
Article 16 A "Statistics Coordination Committee" shall be established to assist the National Institute of Statistics of the Ministry of Planning in the technical coordination of the official statistics of the Royal Government. The composition, role and tasks of the Statistics Coordination Committee shall be determined by Sub-Decree.
Chapter V
ORGANIZATION
Article 17 The National Institute of Statistics is the official national statistical institution and is the Directorate General within the portfolio of the Ministry of Planning, which has a number of Departments responsible for specific statistical activities.
The National Institute of Statisticsalsohas organizational units in the provinces, municipalities, districts, khans and in the communes and sangkats.
Article 18 Ministries and institutions of the Royal Government that are required to produce designated official statistics under this Law shall establish statistical units within their organizations for statistical purposes and submit the statistical data they produce to the National Institute of Statistics of the Ministry of Planning.
Chapter VI
PUBLICATION AND DISSEMINATION
Article 19 In order to address the statistical requirements of users:
a. The National Institute of Statistics of the Ministry of Planning, as well as statistical units in the ministries and other
institutions of the Royal Government shall publish and disseminate the statistical data they produce to all users.
b. The National Institute of Statistics of the Ministry of Planning shall publish a Statistical Yearbook, covering the main
aspects of socio-economic conditions in the country.
Article 20 All statistical data released by the National Institute of Statistics of the Ministry of Planning are designated official statistics of the Royal Government.
Chapter VII
RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS
Article 21 Articles 11 and 12 of this Law enable the National Institute of Statistics of the Ministry of Planning, and statistical units in ministries and other institutions of the Royal Government to conduct statistical activities in order to obtain statistical information from respondents in order to produce designated official statistics.
Article 22 Staff and employees working in the National Institute of Statistics of the Ministry of Planning and statistical units in ministries and other institutions of the Royal Government, as well as the designated statistical officers of these organizations shall ensure confidentiality of all individual information obtained from respondents, except under special circumstances with the consent of the Minister of Planning. The information collected under this Law is to be used only for statistical purposes.
Article 23 A statistical officer of the Ministry of Planning or any other ministry or institution of the Royal Government shall have the right to enter, with the consent of the owner or resident, for the purposes of statistical data collection:
a. A dwelling or place of residence, including a home or any part of any other premises that is separately occupied.
b. Any other premises.
Article 24 A designated statistical officer of the Ministry of Planning or any other ministry or institution of the Royal Government must present his or her letter of assignment and official identity card to respondents, and shall behave in a professional and polite manner in making suitable interviews, in accordance with local custom and public order.
Article 25 Respondents must provide accurate, complete and timely information to a designated statistical officer of the Ministry of Planning or any other ministry or institution of the Royal Government.
Chapter VIII
PENALTIES
Article 26 Government employees and designated statistical officers of the National Institute of Statistics and statistical units in ministries or institutions of Royal Government who violate Article 22 of this Law will be subject to imprisonment for a period of 1 month (one month) to 6 months (six months) or a fine of 50,000 Riels ( fifty thousand Riels) to 200,000 Riels (two hundred thousand Riels), or both.
Article 27 Government employees and designated statistical officers of the National Institute of Statistics and statistical units in ministries or institutions of Royal Government who violate Article 23 of this Law will be subject to imprisonment for a period of 1 day (one day) to 6 days (six days) or a fine of 10,000 Riels ( ten thousand Riels) to 50,000 Riels (fifty thousand Riels), or both.
Article 28 For any respondent, who knowingly violates Article 25 of this Law, the following penalties shall apply:
Any individual, or the head of a household, will be subject to a fine of 10,000 Riels (ten thousand Riels) to 50,000 Riels (fifty thousand Riels).
Any manager, director or responsible employee in a company, establishment or any other organization, will be subject to imprisonment for a period of 1 month (one month) to 6 months (six months) or will be subject to a fine of 1,000,000 Riels (one million Riels) to 4,000,000 Riels (four million Riels), or both.
Article 29 Any individual who deliberately and without legal justification prevents or prohibits statistical activities conducted by the National Institute of Statistics, Ministries, or other government institutions under the provisions of this Law, will be subject to imprisonment for a period of 7 days (seven days) to 1 month (one month)or a fine of 600,000 Riels (six hundred thousand Riels) to 1,500,000 Riels (one million five hundred thousand Riels), or both.
Chapter IX
FINAL PROVISION
Article 30 All existing provisions which are contrary to this Law shall be null and void.
