The preparation of the cremation or burial ground is a tribute to those who died due to COVID-19 and a responsibility to protect the safety and health of the people’s life
Of course, a group of people said that my preparation is an insult to citizen’s lives. I want to take this opportunity to inform the citizen that I have not insulted the lives of the people. Instead, this is a tribute to the people relating to the patients’ deaths due to COVID-19. We must not lose control and may lead to the transmission of the virus to our families or others, which is why we must have prepared for that. In our traditions, we often build a coffin or a stupa for the old parents before they die. Is that an insult to parents’ or grandparents’ life? I want to explain to compatriots that most of us in our country, for the parents and grandparents, we have prepared them with coffins, the stupa, and other items ready for them when they died. Therefore, when I am preparing this, it is to be respectful and responsible for our people’s well-being and be accountable for those who have died by preparing for the proper cremation. Now, choosing the right land is not an insult to the people’s lives, as some claim. Let those claimed above, not prepare for their mother’s death, do not prepare for the death of their parents, and leave them without a coffin, it is your business, but I have a responsibility for the Cambodian people living in this country. There must be a responsibility, including the preparation of coffins to transport those who died from COVID-19 properly. Some companies have made coffins, not just in Cambodia; all over the world, they have coffins ready. Is that an insult to people’s lives? I want to raise this point, not to respond, but I want to explain to our people that this is a tribute to those who died of COVID-19 and a responsibility to protect the safety and health of the people who are still alive.
Finally, I would like to reiterate that we need to follow our compatriots’ traditions, partly preparing for the cremation of the bodies of those who died from COVID-19 and somewhat preparing the ground for burial for Muslims and indigenous people, according to their traditions. This is what I want to emphasize; we are responsible.