… Tbong Khmum is a place where I used to spent most of my time in time during the struggleand I also had been wounded here a couple of times. This place is not far from a place where I got married under the Pol Pot time – Chrab. We also have a song narrating about life of a woman who was separated from her husband. So this place recorded many special memories for me. This road in front of us I used to travel to and from Roka Khnor many times. After the liberation on January 07, 1979, I have kept aside my busy schedule to make my presence here one after another since 1986 to grow and tap rubber. It also takes me by surprise to see that a beautiful pagoda of about 123 years old has been renovated where I am invited for the inauguration of its temple today.
… Rubber from the Chub plantation contributes to development in the area. The Chub Rubber Plantation has got a good potential and a long history. In the beginning we divided rubber plantation into four rubber companies, and it was then called the Seven January Rubber Company. What I wish to pick out and tell you all today is that within similar size of rubber plants, the company is able to set a part of its income to invest in another rubber plantation in Tumring of Sandan district in Kompong Thom province. The rubber plantation area is increasing to close to 20,000 hectares. The Chub Company also made financial obligation and addition into the national budget, while making efforts in building infrastructure, which includes housing and hospitals for workers as well as replanting of new rubbers.
… In the past years, price of rubber has gone down making some countries abandoning the cultivation and production of rubber. Unemployment rose in those countries. In Cambodia we do not stop tapping rubber but try to retain our operation. It is very appreciative that our people accepted to be paid less in face of dumping price of rubber making our rubber production continues. I wish to take this opportunity to express my appreciation to various rubber companies, especially workers of the Chub Rubber Company and the Boards of Trustee in all Rubber Companies in overcoming difficulties in times of price falls. Some politicians have claimed that if they were to be elected, they would take all rubber plants and give them to our people. I ask what they really want out of this. How could one work out the size of rubber plant with 13 million of Cambodians. Rubber plant is the state property and its income is for the state budget.
… I wish to share with our people some of the mistakes we have committed in the past. First, we were slow to introduce land reform policy and I am taking full responsibility for that. Second, we were slow to introduce fishing lots reform and I am taking full responsibility for this one too. Some people are afraid of their achievements are forgotten but they forget to mention about their bad actions. I never dream to be a Prime Minister may about five percent of my dream only. Most of my dreams, as anyone may have dreams, have been a review of life in the pagoda. As for the rubber plantation that I am tapping today, in fact the achievements are of all our workers and management members of the rubber companies.
… I also am grateful to Japan once again for the generous offer to build us the Kizuna Bridge and various other bridges on the national road 7. Japan has been a good friend of Cambodia and various bridges, the Kizuna included, were decided and implemented through various Prime Ministers of Japan. As Cambodians we should not claim the bridge to be this or that person’s achievement, but thank the Japanese people and Government for it, while the Cambodian Royal Government shared a sum of counterpart fund. If someone claims it his/her effort, I would leave it for them and may be they should leave bad ones for Hun Sen. I may warn that all achievements should be shared among our people, and should not be made personal by any leaders…
Samdech Hun Sen offered Riel 20 million and one sewing machine to the Pagoda of Purthiraingsei, Riel 5 million each to the pagodas of Phat, Chan Reasmey, Preah Ang, Chambak, Tuol Kompot and Kandal, Riels five million each to the mosques of Boeung Pruol, Choeuteal Taub and Toeuk Chenh, Riel ten million to Muslims in the district of Tbong Khmum for finishing a school building, a school building of five classrooms to the Junior College of Hun Sen-Tropeang Russei, a school building of five classrooms to the Junior College of Hun Sen-Khnar, a school building of five classrooms each to the Primary School of Tropeang Russei, Hun Sen-Kbal O and Hun Sen-Peam Chi Leang, two school buildings with ten classrooms to the Primary Schools of Kbal Boeung Seh and Hun Sen-Veal Khmum, a school building of five classrooms to the Primary School of Damnak Cha, 25 tons of rice for labour to the people of Chi Korl commune, 61 tons of rice for labour to the people in the Roka Por Pram, a Bailey Bridge over the Anhchanh canal to the district of Dambe.
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