Garment sector figures disputed
Government officials and union groups on August 23 cast doubts on the findings issued by the industry body for the nation’s garment and footwear manufacturers, challenging its claim that mounting investor concerns had forced dozens of local factories out of business and resulted in a sharp decline in garment and footwear orders. Ly Tek Heng, operation manager at the Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia, said on August 22 that 70 garment factories had shut down so far this year with only 20 new factories opening – a sign he said that political uncertainty, labour unrest and a lack of competitiveness were eroding the Kingdom’s $6 billion garment industry. on August 23, GMAC secretary-general Ken Loo stood by those numbers, saying the findings were based on membership rates and that a representative survey showed that garment and footwear orders had declined by 20 to 30 per cent.
