លោកកាំង​ តុងងី ប្រធាន​ទំនាក់ទំនង​សមាគម​គ្រឹះស្ថានមីក្រូហិរញ្ញវត្ថុ​កម្ពុជា​បាន​ថ្លែង​​ថា តាមរយៈសារាចរណ៍របស់ធនាគារជាតិដែលចេញកាលពីខែមីនាកន្លងទៅ បានអនុញ្ញាតឲ្យគ្រឹះស្ថានមីក្រូហិរញ្ញវត្ថុទាំងអស់រៀបចំឥណទានជូនអតិថិជនដែលប៉ះពាល់ជីវភាពដោយសារជម្ងឺកូវីដ ១៩ ដល់ត្រឹមចុងឆ្នាំ២០២០ ក៏ប៉ុន្តែមកទល់ពេលនេះឃើញថាអតិថិជនមួយចំនួននៅតែមានការលំបាកផ្នែកជីវភាព ជាពិសេសអតិថិជនក្នុងវិស័យទេសចរណ៍ សណ្ឋាគារ និងបដិសណ្ឋារកិច្ច។

លោកបានបន្តថា «យើងបានជជែកគ្នាក្នុងចំណោមសមាជិកយើងក៏ដូចជាជាមួយសមាគមធនាគារជាតិនៅកម្ពុជា និងធនាគារជាតិនៃកម្ពុជា យើងបានស្នើរសុំឲ្យផ្ដល់លក្ខខណ្ឌផ្លូវច្បាប់បន្ថែមទៀតដើម្បីយើងអាចបន្តរៀបចំឥណទានឡើងវិញដល់អតិថិជន អីចឹងខាងធនាគារជាតិនៃកម្ពុជា បានអនុម័តយល់ព្រមក្នុងការឲ្យគ្រឹះស្ថានហិរញ្ញវត្ថុទាំងអស់នៅកម្ពុជា រួមទាំងមីក្រូហិរញ្ញវត្ថុក៏ដូចជាធនាគារ នឹងអាចបន្តរៀបចំឥណទានឡើងវិញដល់អតិថិជនដែលរងផលប៉ះពាល់ដោយសារកូវីដ ១៩រហូតដល់ពាក់កណ្ដាលឆ្នាំ២០២១»។​

លោកស្រីជា សិរី អគ្គនាយិការធនាគារជាតិនៃកម្ពុជា មិនអាចស្នើរសុំការបកស្រាយបានទេក្នុងសប្តាហ៏នេះ។

បើតាមទិន្នន័យដែលផ្ដល់ដោយ​សមាគម​គ្រឹះស្ថានមីក្រូហិរញ្ញវត្ថុ​កម្ពុជា មាន​អតិថិជន​ជាង​២៧ម៉ឺននាក់ ហើយ​ដែល​គ្រឹះស្ថាន​មីក្រូហិរញ្ញវត្ថុ​ បានអនុម័ត​រៀប​ចំ​ឥណទាន​ឡើង​វិញ​ជូនក្នុងរយៈពេល៨ខែ ដោយគិត​ចាប់​ពី​ខែ​មិនា ​​​រហូត​ដល់​ដំណាច់​ខែ​វិច្ឆិកា ឆ្នាំ២០២០នេះ​។​

លោកកាំង តុងងី បានបន្ថែមថាកម្ចីដែលបានអនុគ្រោះសរុបគឺមានទំហំប្រហែល១៣០០លានដុល្លារអាមេរិក ដោយទិន្នន័យនេះ មិនបានរាប់បញ្ចូលកម្ចីដែលអនុគ្រោះដោយធនាគារនោះទេ គឺរាប់បញ្ចូលតែទិន្នន័យរបស់គ្រឹះស្ថានមីក្រូហិរញ្ញវត្ថុ ក្រុមហ៊ុនភតិសន្យា និងគ្រឹះស្ថានឥណទានជនបទតែប៉ុណ្ណោះ។

កាលពីខែមិនា ឆ្នាំ២០២០កន្លងទៅ ធនាគារជាតិនៃកម្ពុជាបានចេញសារាចរណ៍ឲ្យគ្រឹះស្ថានមីក្រូហិរញ្ញវត្ថុយកចិត្តទុកដាក់លើអតិថិជនដែលប៉ះពាល់ជាក់ស្ដែងដោយសារជម្ងឺកូវីដ ១៩ និងរៀបចំឥណទានឡើងវិញជូនអតិថិជនក្នុងវិស័យអាទិភាពដូចជា វិស័យកាត់ដេរ សំណង់ ទេសចរណ៍ បដិសណ្ឋាកិច្ច ការដឹកជញ្ជូននិងឡូជីស្ទិក។​ 

លោកសុខ វឿន អគ្គនាយកប្រតិបត្តិគ្រឹះស្ថានមីក្រូហិរញ្ញវត្ថុអិលអូអិលស៊ី (LOLC)បានឲ្យដឹងថាគ្រឹះស្ថានរបស់លោកបានរៀបចំឥណទានឡើងវិញជូនអតិថិជនប្រមាណ៥ម៉ឺននាក់ហើយ ដោយក្នុងនោះអតិថិជនមួយភាគធំ ស្ថិតក្នុងវិស័យវិស័យទេសចរណ៍ សណ្ឋាគារ ផ្ទះសំណាក់ និងការងារក្រៅប្រព័ន្ធដូចជាអ្នករត់ម៉ូតូឌុប កង់បី តាក់ស៊ីជាដើម។

លោកបានអះអាងថាគិតត្រឹមខែធ្នូ ឆ្នាំ២០២០នេះ អតិថិជនភាគច្រើនបានត្រលប់មកបង់កម្ចីតាមធម្មតាវិញ ប៉ុន្តែក៏មានអតិថិជនថ្មីមួយចំនួនតូចដែលគាត់ទើបតែស្នើរសុំរៀបចំឥណទានឡើងវិញ។

លោកលើកឡើងថា «យើងនៅតែបន្តរៀបចំឥណទានឡើងវិញតាមការណែនាំរបស់ធនាគារជាតិ យើងអាចបន្តដល់ខែមិថុនា ឆ្នាំ២០២១ ប្រសិនណាបើវាពិតជារងការប៉ះពាល់មែន»។

អ្នកស្រី សេង សុខណា វ័យ៣៣ឆ្នាំ បានឲ្យដឹងថា អ្នកស្រីបានស្នើសុំពន្យាការបង់កម្ចីទៅគ្រឹះស្ថានមីក្រូហិរញ្ញវត្ថុអម្រឹតកាលពីខែមេសា ដោយសារ ស្វាមីអ្នកស្រីដែលធ្វើការនៅឯប្រទេសថៃ ពុំអាចរកចំណូលបានគ្រប់គ្រាន់ដើម្បីផ្គត់ផ្គង់គ្រួសារ។​

អ្នកស្រីបាននិយាយថា «គេពន្យាឲ្យខ្ញុំ៣ខែ ព្រោះអី កូវីដអីចឹង ខ្ញុំសុំឡើងតែការទៅគាត់ ក៏ព្រមសំណើខ្ញុំ ចឹងគាត់ក៏ឲ្យទៅ។​ នេះដល់ពេលឥឡូវ គេឲ្យឡើងទាំងដើម ទាំងការវិញទៅ ប្រហែលឡើងយឺតទៀតហើយ ព្រោះអី (ប្ដីខ្ញុំ) រកលុយនៅថៃអត់សូវបាន ណាមួយអត់សូវមានការងារធ្វើ​»។

អ្នកស្រីបានបន្តថា​ «ខ្ញុំសុំគាត់ដល់៦ខែ តែគេថាថ្នាក់លើឲ្យបានតែ៣ខែទេ អីចឹងខ្ញុំក៏ថា៣ខែ ក៏៣ទៅ។ ពេលគាត់ពន្យាអីចឹង ខ្ញុំក៏រាងធូរដែរ កាលហ្នឹងខ្ញុំនៅពោះធំផង»។

អ្នកស្រីម៉ន សុខយឿន វ័យ៤៩ឆ្នាំ ជាអាជីវករមួយរូបបានយកកម្ចីពីគ្រឹះស្ថានមីក្រូហិរញ្ញវត្ថុអម្រឹតក្នុងទំហំ៧ពាន់ដុល្លារអាមេរិក។

អ្នកស្រីបានឲ្យដឹងថាអ្នកស្រីមិនបានស្នើសុំរៀបចំឥណទានឡើងវិញឡើយ បើទោះបីជាការលក់ដូររបស់អ្នកស្រីមានការប៉ះពាល់ក្នុងអំឡុងពេលកូវីដក៏ដោយ។

អ្នកស្រីមានប្រសាសន៍ថា «ខ្ញុំអត់បានសុំពន្យាអីទេ ខ្ញុំគិតថាបើពន្យាទៅនៅតែជំពាក់គេដដែលអីចឹងយើងមានលទ្ធភាពទៅរួច ចេះតែទៅៗ គ្រាន់តែថាសុំពន្យាថ្ងៃបង់»។

អ្នកស្រីបន្តថា​ «ជួនកាលខ្ញុំតេសុំគាត់ បើខ្ញុំអាចសង្ឃឹមថាបានពីនេះ ពីនោះ កូនឲ្យខ្លះអ៊ីចឹងទៅ ខ្ញុំសុំគាត់យឺត៤ ៥ថ្ងៃ ទៅមួយអាទិត្យ ដល់ថ្ងៃយើងរកបង្គ្រប់ឲ្យគាត់ទៅ»។

អ្នកស្រីម៉ន សុខយឿន ក៏បានសម្ដែងការព្រួយបារម្ភពីស្ថានភាពជម្ងឺកូវីដ ១៩ ដែលធ្វើឲ្យប៉ះពាល់ដល់ការរកស៊ីរបស់អ្នកស្រីជាបន្តបន្ទាប់។​

តំណាងគ្រឹះស្ថានមីក្រូហិរញ្ញវត្ថុអម្រឹត បាននិយាយថាគាត់រវល់ហើយមិនអាចឆ្លើយតបបានជាមួយ Newsroom Cambodia។

In “Worked to Debt,” rights group Licadho, labor NGO Central and the Cambodian Alliance of Trade Unions said there was “a mounting human rights crisis” as heavy microfinance debt and coronavirus-induced unemployment combined to deprive families of their livelihoods and land. They face “a choice between homelessness, hunger, land loss or deepening debt,” they said.

Following three weeks of trading criticisms, Licadho and the Cambodia Microfinance Association this week both called for further studies to clarify the issue.

The association’s head of communications, Kaing Tongngy, said the industry had experts that could verify and further investigate the allegations in the NGO report, and microlenders wanted to participate in the civil society research.

“The Cambodia Microfinance Association contacted them saying that we wanted to join,” Tongngy said. “We did not want to interfere in their integrity and independence in their work, but still they did not want us to join with them in their research.”

If the NGOs — which interviewed 162 union members for the report — wanted to expand their research to be a genuine national survey, the association could assist and take the results to its members, he said.

“We know that studying a sector for the whole country requires spending a lot of resources and [a large] budget,” Tongngy said.

He said that according to follow-up interviews conducted by the association, the report’s allegations conflated microfinance debt with loans from illegal moneylenders.

“When they interviewed the experiences of migrants, their stories were attributed to microfinance debt,” he said. “But the borrowers are not borrowing from microfinance — most of the debt, more than 80 percent, is private debt.”

Informal lending was “completely against the law,” and “the whole MFI sector is against this informal debt because of the high interest rates and lack of protection mechanisms,” he added.

Licadho’s monitoring manager, Am Sam Ath, defended the report’s methodology, including criticisms about how it had protected the identities of interviewees, and said it was best for independent researchers to also contribute to the debate.

“The microfinance associations and NGOs have their own studies that maintain independence and integrity,” he said. “So if there were independent researchers working on all this research, it would be good.”

The NGOs’ aim was to ensure ethical lending and protect the rights of the borrower, Sam Ath added.

“It would not seem to affect microfinance institutions [negatively] but rather help them because if we find [problems] they will be able to look into them extensively,” he said.

On July 15, the microfinance association requested an immediate correction to the “Worked to Debt” report as well two previous reports, claiming inaccuracies in their case studies. The NGOs published an open letter standing by their research the following day.

Drawing on a recent report by local rights group Licadho, Human Rights Watch said the country’s microfinance borrowers held an average loan of $3,804. The figure is twice the average annual national income.

Local NGOs have highlighted the mounting struggles among the country’s more than 2 million microloan borrowers, with the economy having lost more than 150,000 jobs in the garments sector alone amid the global coronavirus outbreak. Credit Bureau Cambodia’s report for the first quarter of this year shows the nonperforming loan rate for consumer credit growing 62 percent quarter-on-quarter.

“Many Cambodians fear losing their land more than catching the coronavirus because they can’t pay back their loans and the government has done little to help them,” said Human Rights Watch’s deputy Asia director, Phil Robertson.

Indebted families risk having to sell land and housing they depend on to survive, the group said in a statement.

“The government’s response has been insufficient to protect borrowers and violates their rights to an adequate standard of living, notably access to adequate housing,” it said, citing the government’s obligations under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. “The micro-loan providers are likewise failing in their human rights responsibilities to borrowers.”

Kaing Tongngy, head of communications at the Cambodia Microfinance Association, said lenders acknowledged Human Rights Watch’s concerns and they had already helped 230,000 borrowers by deferring repayments for three to six months on loans worth $1.1 billion.

“For customers facing real impacts, it will be very helpful for them to have enough time to hold on until they can stand again in their business,” Tongngy said.

Ath Thorn, president of the Cambodian Labor Confederation, however, said that despite deferring payments, interests continued to accrue for many borrowers.

“If it doesn’t need to be paid for three months, but interest still accrues for those three months, it is not good. I don’t support that,” Thorn said. “Doing it this way means the banks still hold [borrowers] by the throat. It’s not difficult for the banks. They’ve earned plenty of profit in the past.”

According to a World Bank report, there has been an “explosion” in microloan sizes in recent years, growing more than tenfold in five years to 2019. The loans have been increasingly directed to consumption rather than productive investments, it says.

“Risks are increasing for MFIs and for the Cambodian economy in general,” the World Bank report says.

The bank’s statement follows the release of “Worked to Debt: Over-Indebtedness in Cambodia’s Garment Sector,” a joint report that said tens of thousands of workers were suffering because of microfinance loans.

The joint report was written by the Cambodian Alliance of Trade Unions, labor group Central, and human rights NGO Licadho.

The report went beyond mere inaccuracies, the bank said, with defamatory claims intended to tarnish the image of banks and microfinance institutions. Acleda has asked authorities to investigate, and to take legal action in case of reputational damage.

“Please take legal action against any person or group that causes disruption, impairs national economic stability, and loses the trust and safety of depositors in the sector of banks and finance as a whole,” the statement said.

Attempts to contact In Channy, CEO of Acleda Bank, went unanswered.

Am Sam Ath, deputy director for human rights at Licadho, said the group interviewed 162 workers at three fully or partially suspended factories in Kampong Chhnang province and Phnom Penh.

“As a result, 158 people said they were in debt to a bank and were afraid they would be unable to repay their loans,” he said.

The longer workers go without pay, the more fragile their financial situations become, he said.

“Workers are fearful about their future,” he said. “They are thinking, firstly, can I sell some land to get money and repay my loan; secondly, can I eat less; and thirdly, can I borrow the money from somewhere. This is their concern.”

Among its points of contention, Acleda denounced the report because its authors spoke to only several dozen of the industry’s 800,000 workers.

But Khun Tharo, a program coordinator for Central, said the study never claimed to represent the industry as whole, much less the country’s estimated 2.6 million MFI clients. Still, of the 162 workers they spoke with, 158 said loan payment conditions represented a significant burden.

“We had no intention of harming the reputation of Acleda or any microfinance institution in Cambodia,” he said. “But this study shows the real challenges that workers face when they lose their income and cannot afford to repay the bank.”