Cambodia is home to thousands of NGOs and civil society groups who provide key services and support across one of Southeast Asia's poorest countries.

But Prime Minister Hun Sen has long expressed hostility towards such groups, specifically those that defend human rights in a nation where land grabbing and corruption are rampant.

On Friday he chaired a meeting of cabinet members who passed the law, which the government claimed in a statement aims to "protect the freedom" of NGOs and associations to set up in Cambodia as well as "promoting partnership" between them and public authorities.

"The law offers freedom for NGOs" rather than restrictions, claimed government spokesman Phay Siphan, adding that it would be submitted next week to the National Assembly for approval.

But rights groups, who say they have not been consulted over the most recent draft of the law, as well as UN officials and foreign diplomats, including from the US, have expressed serious concerns over the legislation.

They believe it is the same as an aborted 2011 law, which would have given the government sweeping powers to curb the work of NGOs, including closing them down or refusing registration.

The law will "seriously undermine the ability of national and international civil society actors to carry out their work without interference," said Chak Sopheap, executive director of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights.

"We hope that the National Assembly will eventually engage in consultations with all relevant stakeholders in a truly democratic process."

The Cambodian government says it has registered around 5,000 NGOs and associations since 1993.(+++)

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