While nearly 98 per cent of Cambodia’s youth agree that corruption is a key hindrance in the development of the nation, only 2 per cent know “a lot” about the government rules and regulations that prevent it – with less than 40 per cent familiar with the concept of democracy or the National Assembly.
And while 27 per cent of youths reported paying a bribe to receive medical treatment, 48 per cent agreed with the statement that such corrupt payments are a necessary part of providing for themselves and their families.
Those figures – released yesterday in a study by Transparency International Cambodia, and taken from a survey of 1,200 youths aged 15 to 30 – show that while youths are concerned about corruption, they also engage in it at an overwhelming rate.