Samdech Hun Sen and Madame took part in the inauguration of the Buddhist temple in the pagoda of Tunluab of Kompong Chhnang province where Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo made the following comments:
I would like to take this opportune moment to express my sincere thanks for Samdech Tjaova Kong Sam Ol and HE Uk Rabun, Secretary of Economy and Finance, who together lead the CPP working team in this province for their efforts in making this achievement possible.
The Good Work of Samdech Tjaova Kong (Sam Ol)
In the past we have the good work of Samdech Tjava Pen and as of the present we have Samdech Tjava Pen Sam Ol who I hope will take a good care for HM the King. As we have to protect the Constitutional Monarchy, aside from good management of the Royal Palace we depend very much on the role of Tjaova Kong. I have received already the report about the traveling from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh of Samdech Ov (the Heroic King Father) and Samdech Me (the Heroic Queen Mother).
Religious Belief – Revival
I would take this opportune moment to convey my sincere appreciation to the Buddhist parishioners of the pagoda of Tunluab for pooling together their efforts in making this marvelous achievement possible. As we all know that the period of three years, eight months and twenty days (the period that the Pol Pot regime was in power), in Cambodia there were no religions as they were all prohibited. Only after gaining the victory on January 7, 1979 that all religions in Cambodia, not only the people, are liberated.
The National United Front for the Liberation of Kampuchea (NUFLK) and the Cambodian People’s Party in its leadership of the former State of Cambodia gave those religions – Buddhism, Islam, Christianity – their revival. Some countries have a strict policy vis-1a-vis the religions and their practices, while preferential treatment has been observed on one religion but not on others.
In Cambodia, HM the Kings of all generations until the last King before the Sangkum Reastr Niyum, Samdech Preah Norodom Sihanouk, and thereafter the State of Cambodia, the National United Front for the Development of Cambodia (formerly the NUFLK) have made all efforts for the revival of the religions, irrespective of their principles and though we have Buddhism as the religion of the State. Harmonization of religions allows us to have development and to value mutual understanding and forgiveness.
CPP and the Religion Issue
It cannot be guaranteed here as to whether other leaders would keep this religious harmony intact if the CPP were to leave the power. It would de a new dimension of problem that I could not give you any guarantee at all. However, as long as the Cambodian People’s Party stays in power, and I would continue to be the Prime Minister, there won’t be a disruption to the existing pattern of how religious affairs are being handled here. We will maintain what everyone wants in terms of peace, security, political stability and development in all fields, whereas religion would be a field that will enjoy guarantee.
HM the King Norodom Sahamoni pays special attention to religions. In the forthcoming anniversary of HM’s birthday, together with the Buddhist religious ritual, there will also be the ritual from the Islam religion as well.
Bad Karma for Pol Pot
I watched a documentary film on the mysterious life of Pol Pot on Apsara TV and some has had direct links to me in between 1997 and 1998. The killing of Son Sen stemmed from the fact that Pol Pot suspected him. He is a man of suspicion. I made use of his endless suspicion. Salot Sar or Pol Pot talked about catching three couriers with regard to Son Sen and his connection Mr. Chhan and Sun Chhum. The two had their connections with then coalition partners were and were appointed by the Royal Government.
It was I who organized the sending of letters addressing openly to “Uncle” in Anlong Veng (then Pol Pot and Son Sen stronghold) but with no specific reference to which uncle. Now we heard on the film Pol Pot said he got them and he suspected that Son Sen betrayed him. He ordered the killing on the ground that if they were to destroy him, he has the right to self defense. The letters were actually mine. It was because of the letters that the Khmer Rouge fell politically and militarily and the war in Cambodia ended. After their fall we have more opportunity and potential for unifying the country, achieving peace, upgrading infrastructure and speeding development throughout the country.
Infrastructural Development – Roads
There was a piece of news I got from the Bayon Radio that traveling from Siem Reap to Anlong Veng normally took a long time and high price. But we now have a road under construction from the border to Anlong Veng, whereas as the road from Anlong Veng to Siem Reap is under asphalting. In the coming week I will inaugurate the NR 3 from Tropeang Ropeo to the town of Kompot province and launch the construction of the NR 42 after we put into official use the NR 7 segment between Kratie and Stoeung Treng and the border with Laos. We have more roads under construction.
Rain for Rice Cultivation and Money in Treasure
I would like to take this opportune moment to speak to our people in relation to the arrival of early rain in the last few days. Early rain is good and we can start working on rainy season rice cultivation, where as it is also favorable for farming of cash crop too. What has become a problem for us is that we have some dry season rice are soaked with and harvested in water. I would urge the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces who station close to any rice field like this to give their hands – especially in the provinces of Kompong Chhnang, Kandal, Prey Veng, Takeo, etc. I have said in 1994 that harvesting rice in water is better than having nothing to harvest. It is indeed important that we all have rice to harvest in this case.
Today is the day of my life as the Prime Minister that Cambodia has in its national treasury the amount of 1 trillion Riels compared to 2003 of the same period that we have less. We still have between 2 and 3 billion Riels, after all pay rolls made, which is more than what I have expected – about 900 billion Riels. From now to the elections, we may have an extra 100 billion over the 1 trillion Riels recorded.
Some Notes on the Coming Elections
As I hail the maintenance of the social achievement, it is indeed important to keep safety and public order as we have the elections coming and also for the period after the elections thereon. Political parties have registered their parties and candidates. Some have processed quickly and some seem to be slow. The local authorities at all levels facilitate the filling out of forms and procedures for political parties. Some have complained that their candidate registration has been slow … some might have put the blame on the local authority so as to cover their technical shortcomings.
However, as the Prime Minister of the Royal Government of Cambodia, I urge the authorities to fulfill their functions properly and with responsibility in filling out form and procedure for all people’s deputy candidates. We need to win but in just and fair manner. We need to provide security for all political parties in their campaigns, in hanging up signs of parties. I would beg parties to make their signs firm enough to withstand the wind or they would fall down, and the blame would come straight to CPP. I also urge that before putting up those signs, request has to be made to owner of the house or land.
More Sam Rainsy’s Steering Committee Step Out
I would today like to address some dignitaries of the Sam Rainsy Party, who defect in their capacities as members of the parliament, members of the directing committee – take for instance HE Kim U Chan Samit, Deputy of SRP in Prey Veng province and representing SRP in the districts of Pea Raing, Sithor Kandal and Peam Chor. I have proposed to HM the King to appoint him the advisor to the Royal Government. He is no longer leader of the SRP in the above province and districts.
It is indeed a fuss for HE Sam Rainsy in preparing list of candidates but this is something that is difficult to prevent. Sometimes, in the course of the electoral campaign, some members of the parliaments would continue to change sides and CPP will go on welcoming them until the elections and in the post election period. Lok Jumteav Mean Sino, deputy head and leader of the working team of SRP in the province of Kompong Chhnang has now become a member of the Council of Ministers’ observation commission on social, cultural affairs. Also reported to our side is HE Koen Mao, formerly members of the Steering Committee and Head of the Khmer National Youth Movement … has now become an advisor to the Royal Government. HE Pa Sokhom or Lun Nhem of the SRP in Kompong Chhnang’s Party Head has also become an advisor of the Royal Government …
What happens here is different from before that defectors form new parties. This time they do not but join with the CPP. I would appeal to CPP of all levels to continue to provide warm feeling and open arm as CPP is now playing the role of a center for national unity. CPP must not in anyway be accused of “buying” human resources from so and so parties because of two main reasons – first, I have the need for the construction of roads, bridges, schools, pagodas and hospitals that I do now have the resources to “buy” like that, and second, these people are not in any way goods for that purpose. People have rights to change parties as they wish and this is democracy. We would not accept here any form of dictatorship./.
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