Correct Policy, Good Management, University Advances
I am so happy to be able to be here once again to hand out diplomas for graduates of vocational courses and other courses of Human Resource University (HRU). I would like to take this opportune moment to give my sincere appreciation to the progress made by HRU, which started as a non-governmental organization. As of present, HRU trained 33,000 students of all levels. This achievement responds well to demand of national development, after the country scored full peace through win-win policy.
I would like to express my sincere thank and appreciation for the efforts contributed by managers, leaders, and professors. Even if there were a correct policy, were there not good management, the university would not advance. Frankly speaking, many universities and/or institutes have either closed down or suspended already. Their main problem was lack of sound management that leads to a compromise in quality education. With this progress made, I would urge HRU to continue to focus on improving tertiary level quality education under the reform efforts led by the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports.
I would take this opportune moment to express my sincere greeting to graduates, including also Buddhist monks who have made efforts to get themselves a good education. We have achieved for the country today a good bunch of human resource. A moment ago, a former school director at Prek Kampoes texted me that his daughter Sun Dina also graduated and came for diploma too. Well, Prek Kampoes is (not in Kandal province anymore but) a part of Phnom Penh.
… There are blames from some people that local diplomas are of no value. Let me advise those students who study locally and do not have chance to extend their education abroad, to translate blames by some politicians to further own efforts. We must prove it is different. Some people, even they had chance to study abroad, are not sure that they really work it. Some learnt only spoken language and were unable to write properly formal letters. It is not true that everyone would graduate from university. It is true too that not everyone makes it in local universities […]
Condolence to Killed Officer in Drug Raid
Parents would be sympathetic and concerned seeing their children behaving improperly, going for drug is one of them … I would take this occasion to express my sincere condolence over the death of a military officer who lost his life in a drug raid, which brought about an armed clash. It is a serious matter facing our country and it needs prompt quelling action. It is not a matter for Cambodia alone and Cambodia does not have this ability to produce drug. They come from other countries. I have given this job (of combating drug) to a Deputy Prime Minister. However, a state mechanism alone would not be sufficient. It requires participation of our people, Buddhist monks and every one must deny drug like our slogan “Saying No to Drug.”
We have two different aspects here today. We have parents and families that are happy because their children are here to achieve their diplomas. It is a pleasure for the whole family. As for yesterday’s drug raid, some parents, unaware of their children’s actions, were shocked to see their children’s faces on media. It is a suffering for parents. I would urge youngsters not to cause sufferings for your parents if you are not able to assist them in anyway yet. This has called indeed for common actions […]
Campaign to Save People from Need of Water
… I would take this opportune moment to express my sincere thank and appreciation for national and sub-national institutions, the armed forces, private sector, persons of charity, Cambodian Red Cross as well as political parties, especially the Cambodian People’s Party … who actively participate in delivering water to people who need them, after my order to launch campaign in the whole country. It is true that even before the Prime Minister’s order, some actions had been taken in Banteay Meanjei, Kompot and some other provinces to provide people with water for consumption. Once the order came into force, actions have taken effect to cover the whole country. Particularly, the military forces at the provincial level, division and regiment, regular force of military regions, ministry of national defense, have taken active parts to provide water for people in Battambang, Banteay Meanjei and Uddar Meanjei.
“Artificial Rain,” “More Wells,” “Watergate for Tonle Sap”
There have been comments on my Facebook and they are good ones. They are food for thought. For instance, some people suggested that we should work on producing artificial rain. I am sure if it is easy, Thailand and Vietnam, better equipped than Cambodia, could have done it already. Thai Prime Minister was concerned and told me about the state of the weather in Thailand since December … As for us, we just started to feel the effect. Thailand has taken stern measure to even fine people who would dare to take water from reservoirs for rice irrigation. It is because there has no cloud that making artificial rain is impossible.
People also suggested that we dig more water reservoirs and wells. They say it would be better than handing out water like this. Compared to 1979 or 1980, number of reservoir and well has increased a hundred times. They are investments of state, private and charity. Japan has been the leading country in providing water and digging reservoirs. I posted yesterday my reaction that we need a long-term action and for in an increasing coverage. Why did I say so? Take Svay Rieng province for example. On 26 April, when I went to Banteay Meanjei (to inaugurate the national road 56), 360 wells dried out. As of yesterday, 600 of them did.
… Our concern here is that wells in villages from where people traditionally fetch their water would dry out and how many more will? That is why I said the extension would grow larger. Should there be no rain in between, normally it is not regular or in big amount, we will have to continue to do whatever we could and wait for rainy season to come. We are now building reservoirs and drilling wells wherever possible to drag water. The concern is that the water table of the Mekong and lakes is getting lower […]
… Some have commented that we should have a water gate for Tonle Sap. Well, I will think about it. In China, they built this lancing dam (to preserve water). When they need water, they let it out. They did three times into the Mekong. I will take this suggestion as an initiative for a study. We will need to look into this issue at a more comprehensive aspect. Some remote areas reported of people’s lack of water containers or jars. We would have to buy it for them. I am calling on everyone to take action. I would also urge Buddhist monks to take part. If in any Buddhist pagodas, there are good wells where water could be fetched, Buddhist monks may want to let people have access to them … According to weather forecast, some rains would come here and there, but regular ones are not yet expected […]
Campaign Will Cease Until People Get Back to Water Self-Sufficiency
Drilling wells could be a good option as lakes and reservoirs dry out. This campaign is not similar to one to help people from flood. While flooding, there will be a point that it no longer goes up and will recede. People can come back to their villages. The area of operation shrinks smaller. As for combating drought, area of operation is getting bigger. We will have to make relentless efforts until rain comes regularly sufficient. Where people are water self-sufficient, we will move our teams to other places that people are not […]
… This calamity we never encounter. I could not recall from when I was young but starting from 1979, we never have this kind of campaign. We did to provide people with food, to evacuate people to safer ground in times of flooding, to pump water for irrigation purpose, etc. We never bring water for consumption for people. There were some small-scale actions back in 1988, 1989 in one area in Battambang. In 1994, there was another case but it was not that bad that we had to ration water. It has come now. People are in search for sources of water. We need to mobilize common forces and measures to resolve this issue. We will not leave anyone of our people die of thirst.
I am calling on those who are in need of water for consumption to contact with local authority and/or the Cambodian Red Cross in your areas. We have three kinds of water here. Firstly, drinking water produced from a refinery system. Division 70 has various water treatment systems that could produce drinking water. Secondly, we also have drinking water provided by the drinking water company. They are good for drinking. We also have the third kind that we provide for people to use in bathing. If they were to drink them, people must boil it well. I am saying this because some people could drink it without boiling when they are too thirsty […]
I am so proud and reckon with the quick reactions of the armed forces, national and sub-national officials, people, the Cambodian Red Cross, youth of the Cambodian Red Cross, scout, youth of the Cambodian People’s Party. Provincial authority happens to be the ones with the best knowledge of what is going on in their territory. They should know where drought affects and water assistance should go from where to where. We took measures even after the celebration of Phjum Ben days last year. I instructed the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Ministry of Water Resource and Meteorology to finance and take action in pumping water from closest possible water sources into reservoirs. It did help us with water to get by through to April for consumption and irrigation. They all dried up now.
RGC, People to Take Care of Forest
… In these past few days, there have been works between the Ministry of Environment and local NGO partners on issue how to protect forest. I would have a little attention here that people should not take political advantage from drought in Cambodia. It is not a matter of Cambodia combating it alone. It is an issue of the whole region. In India, there had been lethal cases already. They also took water distribution measure like what we did. As for forest, I just signed a sub-decree to transfer management … between the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Ministry of Environment on economic land concession and protected land, which formerly issued by either of them. The Ministry of Environment will return lands provided for investment to companies to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries. The Ministry of Agriculture will then return protected forests under its supervision to the Ministry of Environment. While conducting a study and find out there is forest to be placed under protection, it would go automatically into the supervision and management of the Ministry of Environment. The Ministry has also worked with the European Community, America, and people who love forests/trees. We have placed over one million hectares of our forest such as Prey Lang, Kravanh, etc. under protection […]
Now that we have similar objective – the Royal Government and people, to protect our forest, I would urge that we work together. I told Minister Say Sam Al to accept those people and approve that they are the ones to help with the forest protection. Let us invite people to do whatever necessary, giving them Buddhist robes marking as untouchable for instance, to protect them. The Royal Government will take stern action to punish those who commit forest crimes and people could act as justice police and/or provide relevant information to thwart forest crimes actions […]
Beware of Heat Wave
… I am placing an appeal to our people that the heat wave this year is unprecedentedly extreme. Temperature has reached 40 degree, or 41 or 42 degree Celsius in Cambodia. In India, it has soared to 45 degree causing some deaths. While climate change is a matter of the whole world, drought is a regional issue. It is a hot topic discussed in the United Nations and during my visit to France, President Francoise Hollande insisted that HM the King participate in the Climate Change forum. Scientists are busy indentifying crops species that would resist the heat. As the heat wave has gradually grown to be extreme, I urge our people to beware of fire – at homes or forest, while it is the time people in rural areas are looking for animals or bees. Leaving fire carelessly could catch the forest a fire […]
… Once again, I thank everyone for their efforts and appeal to expand our campaign to save people in this difficult stage. I hope that political parties who have shown their strength to compete for votes to reveal to our people their actions to serve them. The Cambodian People’s Party has already taken swift measures since before the order comes into force. It has now come to a time when we need to combine force and measure with the leadership of the Prime Minister, using both state and charitable funds, and the armed forces and the Royal Government./.
