… I am glad to return to the province of Kompot once again and I wish to express my sincere thanks and appreciation to our Buddhist followers and people in the whole province. Venerable head monk and I have become real teacher and student respectively from our relations in the past 24 years as I was one of the main contributors in realizing these achievements that we are inaugurating today. Taking this opportunity I wish to express my sincere appreciation to the venerable head monk, who is also the head monk of the whole province, for his wisdom and intelligent leadership in harnessing contributions from all sources, after the fall of the genocide, for the sake of Buddhist development in the area. Usually I came to the 07 January events held in the pagoda in 1983 and 1984 and today I have come again to prove that I would not disappear. In the second term in office, counting from the flood time in 2000, I have come to Kompot fourteen times already and in 2003 alone I have come five times, one of which I came across HE Chhim Chuon and I offered roads and schools to be built in Taken Koh Sla.
… Because Cambodia has got so many streams and valleys, we have built, on the national road 56 in Pursat, 126 Bailey bridges of 2000 metres, and another 1700 metres of Bailey bridges in Preah Vihear province. As for the name of the pagoda, “Chum Kreal” confers to a place where sarus cranes stay together and as of present we have seen herons staying here. So the pagoda has become a peaceful place for not only human beings but also cranes and herons. We could achieve this because we have realized peace and secure the non-return of the genocide and not only our people but also birds benefit from this realization. In the Royal Government’s policy to reduce and destroy weapons in exchange for development, we have put an end to many sorts of weapon used in hunting down animals and birds and as far as I know HE Senior Minister Sar Kheng, Minister of Interior, will preside over a weapon demolition event in Kompot… Again achievements scored in the pagoda of Chum Kreal symbolize our people’s beliefs in Buddhism, and development made in Buddhism would be contributing to the secular management as well. If more people are committing sins, the Royal Government would in fact be in a state of difficult situation in dealing with problems. Thanks to the Buddhist teaching, and those of Islam and Christianity, our people have been educated to refrain from committing sins.
… The venerable monk asked me about my health. I responded that I am fine but I am rather tired as I have so far conducted 72 visits to our rural provinces already and I have eleven more to finish before we all come to the election campaign. When the time has come I will be keeping silent, and the people only see me going to visit canals, hydrological infrastructures in rural areas. I never compare myself as a prime minister to get tired more than other prime ministers, but I always say that my tiredness as a prime minister is not comparable to that of our people who are in need of assistance at all. Just now HE Put Chandararith reported on efforts made in preparation for agricultural production and the coming election. In this regard I wish to appeal to our compatriots and all political parties that election is indeed the implementation of democracy, liberal and multi-party system. We have to guarantee an election that is going to be free, fair, transparent, and non-violent and non-intimidating. The National Election Committee (NEC) is indeed bestowed with the tasks to oversee the conduct of election according to the law written for an election, but the Royal Government and institutions under its mandate have an obligation to provide its service to NEC and it is the Royal Government’s success if the election is conducted smoothly with all the criteria mentioned above.
… I appeal to all of my supporters and all political parties to place the national interests above those of each party. Political parties have to make efforts in order to win the election by law and at the decision made by people. If I were not to be re-elected for another term of office I would not be disappointed because the elections held at the time when Hun Sen was in power were safe, free, fair, non-violent and non-intimidating. I would walk out of my position without any remorse at all. With Samdech Chea Sim and Samdech Heng Samrin, I have made contributions for the removal of the Pol Pot genocide, the prevention of its return to power, the land and economic reforms in the past 24 years. The Paris Peace Agreement was achieved also because I was one of the negotiators and I was delegated power by Samdech Chea Sim and Samdech Heng Samrin for making decision on all related matters. I have, at the agreement from Samdech Chea Sim and Samdech Heng Samrin, initiated the win-win policy which later brought about an integration or pacification of the whole Cambodian territory. In August 1997, I issued an eight-point order in the Khan Prey Nub of Sihanoukville aimed at creating a neutral and peaceful environment for the election in 1998 that was commented later as “a miracle on the Mekong.” Since then I have introduced a jump-start in our economy, and it is here to continue.
… I wish to make clear that even if I were to win an election fraught with turbulence, violence and killings, I would not be happy to be a Prime Minister but if I were to lose I would transfer my power to my successor in honour and dignity, and I would be satisfied by the 24 years of my service for the Cambodian people and a successful election that is judged to be the safe and free one. I would retreat and stay as a member of parliament. On the contrary if we otherwise have a bad election, I would not be a proud Prime Minister as I was in the last one at all. That is why I appeal to all my supporters to exercise patience to a maximum and not to fall into other politicians’ traps. We have to further strengthen neutralization of armed forces and civil administration and I wish that law and regulations regarding the election have to be respected. Our people are free to choose whomever they like.
Samdech Hun Sen offered on that occasion a set of two computers, one printer to the pagoda of Chum Kreal, five million Riel to the pagoda of Kompong Kri, ten million Riel to the pagoda of Prey Kroeul, a set of electrical amplification and generator to the mosque Kompong Kandal, three million Riel to the pagoda of Prey Thnang, a school building of five classrooms to the Primary School of Chum Kreal, a school building of six classrooms to the Primary School of Ang Kroeusna, a school building of six classrooms to the Junior College of Hun Sen-Trasek Kaong, and 38 tons of rice for labour to 961 families in the commune of Chum Kreal…
EndItem.
