The 9.3-Km Hun Sen Avenue
I have a great pleasure to be returning to this part of the province of Preah Sihanouk once again after I was here not long ago, not far from here, to put into official use the road “Sovatepheap” which was then built at the initiative of the Buddhist Patriarch Samdech Tep Vong. I am so joyful and thankful to Chunteav Lim Chhiv Huor and her partners from Japan for making such a wonderful contribution – a road of about 9.3 kilometers at the width of 7 meters – for Cambodia. It was initially proposed by HE Cham Prasith which there were only some 200,000 US dollars as startup fund, which I called an art of sharing resources and wealth.
In similar form of contribution, in Siemreap, Oknha Sieng Nam, also MP of the Siemreap constituency has built a ten kilometer bitumen road in the district of Chi Kreng, and in Tramkak of Takeo province, HE Chan Sarun also built 35 kilometer asphalted road …
The Hun Sen Avenue is indeed a link between the Sovatepheap road of Samdech the Buddhist Patriarch Tep Vong and the city of Sihanoukville. Having seen the constructed road on behalf of the Royal Government of Cambodia, I would like to thank Lok Chumteav Lim Chiv Huor and her Japanese partners for their coordinated efforts in making sense what has been said in a report to me just now of the vision that the poor would not always be poor but because of their efforts and patience, they can change their status …
Province and City of Preah Sihanouk
As we now have a good road built along the sea corridor, I would urge our people to make good use of it so as to keep the road fully serviceable for a long time and because we now have fund for regular maintenance of roads and maintenance monitoring mechanism at the provincial and municipal levels — as we by the decree change administrative management, the Sihanoukville is no longer a city but a province which includes the former district of Kompong Seila of Koh Kong and we have the city of Sihanoukville, which is itself the district of Mittapheap, to commemorate the feat of the former King of Cambodia … to remind us of the crusade for independence in between 1954 and 1970 … that includes the blue water port and a railway … It was a long discussion until we have come to deciding that we will have the province of Sihanouk instead of Kompong Som and the city of Sihanoukville …
The province and city lie in between the provinces of Kompot and Koh Kong, which has a blue water port – but not as deep in comparison with other ports in the region … As of now huge ships have to transfer goods to smaller ships before approaching the Cambodian ports here and this is what we will have to look into solving it in the future … As far as communication in concerned, we now have linked the three provinces together, before only by engine boats, by both water and land – by national road 48 …
Three Provinces Connected Together by Sea and Roads
I wish to reiterate here that please take care of the roads we have just built … I have seen taxi-cabs making extra space for transporting more people or loading more goods, and I would take this chance to once again seek our people’s cooperation in taking care of their lives while riding motorcycles by putting on helmets …
Also in water traffic, I urge ship owners to refrain from overloading the ships as they may collide and sink … I urge law enforcement for both traffic by water and land … On the Kompot front we also have connected the two provinces both by sea and land, and from there all the way to the border with Vietnam at Prey Chaak … The major problem of road construction has now been solved, the hard part now is to look after and maintain them …
We have also make connection to this part of the country of telecommunication – radio and television and because we are making this a special economic zone, there is a need for electric production …
Lok Chunteav Lim Chhiv Huor already made suggestion of building an electric plant of 90 MW which if not all is used by the special economic zone, she propose to sell the electricity as a low price to people living around … I have encouraged always those who invest in building a special economic zone – like in Kompong Cham and Svay Rieng – to take care of electricity by themselves … with extra or surplus that can be sold to local residents.
Speed Up Electric Wiring from Vietnam
Cambodia, especially the Capital of Phnom Penh, is in short of power supply. The effort of wiring electricity from Vietnam via Takeo to Phnom Penh has bumped into a problem as the work team could not get a consensus to place the electric poles in a few people’s land … I have instructed Lok Chumteav Men Sam An, Permanent Deputy Prime Minister to look into this matter and she has a week to resolve it as we need to wire electricity to Phnom Penh …
This has indeed delayed my commitment to have extra electricity for Phnom Penh during the Khmer New Year … Also because of a slow process from part of the World Bank, I have also recommended a suspension of the project and it should be kept for other purpose, while private sector can take over this gridline links …
May I say once again that from Phnom Penh to Sihanouk province – the Royal Government has defined it as a growth pole – or one of the three economic development poles – Phnom Penh, Sihanouk and Siemreap … the Fourth pole could perhaps take shape in 2015 in the northeastern part of the country … In this pole, Koh Kong, Preah Sihanouk, and Kompot have indeed shown signs of emergence and Preah Sihanouk has taken the lead … The province of Preah Sihanouk has made its emergence with three special economic zones (SEZ) – in Prey Nub, in Stoeng Hav and in the autonomous port of Preah Sihanouk port …
World Economic Downturn
The issue of world economic downturn has brought us some big questions as the IMF economists have said the world economy this year is facing a serious fall that never exists in 60 years and billions of dollars have been sought to renew loan capacity to its 185 member states … Some countries put out stimulus packages but the one to benefit from it is the auto industry … in this case I doubt if it really helps the poor as before the money trickles down it must have shrunk … I don’t criticize them but to share my concern … As for us because the Khmer New Year is approaching I urge the competent authority to deal effectively with tax collection …
Kasit Must Revise His Term ‘Gangster’
My next schedule will be at Taken Koh Sla – the Military Development Zone for Handicapped Soldiers – and I will head off to Thailand for the ASEAN + Partners Summits … But before I go I wish to send a message to the Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Phirumya as to why in the last few days in a censure at the Thai parliament my name Hun Sen has been an issue in that debate. I knew he insulted me when he was formerly supporter of the Yellow Shirt. When he became foreign minister, MPs of Pheu Thai in the debate said Kasit should not be allowed to be foreign minister because he supported the yellow shirt protesters to occupy the airports and insulted leaders of neighboring country – it was me …
Having taken the position as foreign minister, he requested for a visit to Cambodia and though I know he insulted me, I accepted his request … In the course of our meeting I did not raise this issue but recalled that I used to see him a long time ago (since the Paris Peace Conference in 1989) and he said asking me to be his mentor, whose maturity could be sought for … I did not hold him accountable for two completely different positions he has taken when he was in opposition and is foreign minister …
In the course of censure as could be watched on TV, a speaker said Kasit insulted Samdech Hun Sen but visiting Phnom Penh. Even before crossing the borderline, he praised Samdech Hun Sen as a skilful diplomat … in a VDO shown in the above matter, Kasit said Hun Sen is a Nak Leng (gangster) and the Pheu Thai speaker requested Kasit to make a correction …
Hun Sen is the senior leader in ASEAN … In the ASEAN Summit I asked who is now the youngest leaders of ASEAN, the Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vijjajiva said, “however I am not as young as when Samdech Hun Sen started” … the best Kasit could do was to reverse his wording to “a gentleman with the heart of a Nak Leng” … Because we may meet again on April 10,11 and 12 and perhaps again on April 18, when Abhisit visits Phnom Penh, I wish to inform you in advance that Hun Sen is somewhere in between being a gentlemen and a Nak Leng – or in one way a man for real.
Please do not be mistaken, Cambodia is small and poor but Hun Sen has led this country out of ashes, holding two-third of the parliament seats from the latest general elections in addition to having served as the Prime Minister for over thirty years … so I suggest that he should make the correction in a timely manner – whether he corrects or not is up to him as it is his right – I just send him the message … I do not feel angry but a clear definition of what is said does matter most as we are neighboring countries … which deserves mutual respect …
I could not accept his version of ‘a gentlemen with the heart of a Nak Leng’ … Would he accept it if we by any chance insult his King or Prime Minister … In the course of the forthcoming visit to Phnom Penh, what if I shake hands with Abhisit but not with him? He called me a gangster, what would make him to be if he shakes my hand? He was mad with me as I gave deadline to withdraw Thai troops … after which a clash took place and Thai soldiers died …
I told Pol Saroeun, the Chief of General Staff in relation to incident that Thai soldiers again encroached Viel Intri. I also talked to field commanders at the front if they know where a fighting line has been set. There is no need to consult with me anymore … I am a true Cambodian leader by will of the people as I have not usurped power or led the country by minority at all …
There is this allegation that Thaksin stays in Cambodia … I wish to make it clear that Thaksin is a friend of mine before, now and in the future and this is Hun Sen’s virtue … but he is not in Cambodia. I have said so and all Thai commanders have all taken that what I said … Lately they have taken Preah Vihear as their political hostage but now Hun Sen has become also a part of it …
Day of the Genocidal Victims’ Respect and Justice Making
Spokesman of the Council of Ministers has issued a statement rejecting rumor that March 30 will be set as the Day of Justice Seeking Remembrance for the People of Cambodia and it would be proposed to be a national holiday …
It is proposed by Mr. Chhang Yu, Chairman of the Cambodian Documentation Center and I have instructed on HE Deputy Prime Minister Sok An’s enclosed letter that the trial is the success of partnering cooperation between Cambodia and the United Nations in bringing the Khmer Rouge leaders to trial … but it is not the first time that justice is sought after …
We sought for justice for the people since when we overthrew the regime of Pol Pot … Would this not mean that we seek justice for the people? Preventing their return – was it not a justice seeking for Cambodia? The trial in 1979 – was it also not? I think the proposed date and its meaning is a misstep …
Among many stories I wish to remind one in relation to the stage of reconciliation and integration of the former Khmer Rouge forces … our commanders have suggested on the fact that there is a concentration of the Khmer Rouge forces in Ta Sanh, Pailin, etc. It would be difficult to get back to control them if the war started again …
Some suggested that we should move some out to other places like Svay Rieng, Takeo, etc. I said those suggestion were strategically wrong as it contradicts with the three elements of the win-win policy – 1. Personal security, 2. Jobs, and 3. Property.
If we were to send them from Pailin to Svay Rieng, how can we find land in Svay Rieng for them – it is indeed strategically wrong and contradicting with point 3 of the policy. Militarily speaking if the war was to happen again, it would be in just the confined area from before like Samlot, Kamrieng, Ta Sanh, Phnom Prek, Melai, etc. But we now have achieved fully the win-win policy …
HE Serei Kosal formerly Funcinpec and now is a CPP officer … He knows a lot and I wish one day he tell us all about what he has known … When Funcinpec run for the elections, it was known that the Khmer Rouge stayed outside as a fighting forces to back them up, but when Funcinpec cooperated with CPP, Funcinpec turned to be puppet of the puppet in the eyes of the Khmer Rouge … When Funcinpec bumped into problem here, Samdech Krom Preah sent Serei Kosal and Nhek Bun Chhai to negotiate with the Khmer Rouge and their signed agreement had led to the armed clashes in Phnom Penh …
Having said all the above I would suggest that the proposed date March 30 could not be accepted, but meaningfully, we should try and attach it with the May 20 which has already been set as Day of Respect to Souls of the Dead under the Khmer Rouge Regime and Justice Making for Them …
With regard to some ill-intention propaganda of the possibility of enlarging number of leaders to be tried, and issues of financing the trial, I wish to make clear today that they are lies and I may have to reiterate that Cambodia would rather see the Tribunal fails rather to lose peace as the country falls back into war…
Banning Gambling and Cock-Fight
Some people have thanked me for closing down of gambling, which they say for them is like providing protection for their houses. Why? Firstly, people gamble and become robbers/thieves because they lose gambling, and secondly, their husbands and children are home dining together, as they no longer go gambling … Because of this development I hereby declare banning cock-fight as well …
Good Words, Bad Intention
I also have a message to HE Sam Rainsy who has written good words in the letter dated March 23 to seek my cooperation in lessening and/or setting free five of his activists who have allied with the CFF movement – a terrorist movement in Cambodia whose leader has been tried in the US. In his letter, … to joyfully greet the birthday anniversary of Samdech Prime Minister … requests Samdech to lessen or set free …
The wording has hidden his intention to mean that I am assuming myself as the King … All of the above actions could happen only by HM the King during his birthday, major national events like Khmer New Year, etc. If we were to do so according to what he said in his letter I would be the target of attack for acting the role of the HM the King …
I do not know if HE is making a mistake while wording the letter but, intentionally or unintentionally, Excellency team will attack me anyway … I would not buy that anymore …■
