Selected Comments Samdech Techo Hun Sen,​ at the Event to Launch the National Strategic Development Plan (NSDP) for 2019 through to 2023 [Unofficial Translation]

CNV:

Busy Schedules in October and November

October and November have been ones of heavy work schedules. I conducted official visits to many countries in Europe and Asia, and lately three days in Bangkok, Thailand […] yesterday I was in Siem Reap and today I am here in Phnom Penh. From tomorrow, I will have a short break. I will work on paper as usual. The day after tomorrow will be our National (Independence) Day followed by water festival. I will preside over the groundbreaking ceremony to build roads in the city of Preah Sihanouk. After that, I will travel to South Korea for the ASEAN-RoK Summit […]

Every-Level Authorities Take Care of Boat Rowers

Before ending this speech, please allow me to share some issues because I am not going to have more time to speak before things happen. Firstly, 9 November is our national day. After that, we will have three-day (traditional) holiday of water festival, in which there will be boat racing, eating Ambok (flattened rice), praying the moon, and lantern floating festivities. I am calling on authorities taking high responsibility in sending the racing boats and taking care of their rowing teams to Phnom Penh. We must also take extra precaution concerning our rowing teams staying in Phnom Penh – both men and women. We must be concerned as every year there have been issues relating to HIV/AIDS during this particular time. The Ministry of Health has every year taken actions to distribute (condoms) and/or to raise awareness (on HIV/AIDS). I am calling on our boat racing rowing teams, who will be in Phnom Penh, to go back home free from such diseases […]

Be Conscientious about Leaving Trashes/Litters

[..] About trash. I know that Phnom Penh mayor has in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment and the Union Youth Federations of Cambodia to deploy in several locations their litters/trashes (collecting and awareness raising) efforts […] a four-day period of holiday would bring about tremendous amount of litters. We must seek every means to deal seriously with it during such festivities. I hope that we are going to do a better job this year, regarding promising participations from many stakeholders. I am calling on our people who will spend their festival times in Phnom Penh or in other sites refrain from leaving litters around. Please place them in bins provided. We must work together to become people of a country that is aware of hygiene and sanitation.

Actions Taking only on Nine Convicted Persons

I have heard that parents whose children are working in Phnom Penh are worried about them. They are concerned about (possible) clashes. Let me assure you that there is not going to be any fighting. Would there be actions, they will be on the nine convicted persons only […] would they come? It is unlikely. (I heard) they have rescheduled their flying dates […] let me reiterate that actions taking will be on the nine persons convicted by court. Let me thank Indonesia, Malaysia, especially the Kingdom of Thailand, especially Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha for his statement yesterday […] this is a crucial part contributing to maintaining stability of the country […] they have been very powerful on social media like Facebook […] they said they will come in millions to arrest Hun Sen on 9 November (2019) […]. Some are now hiding in the mountain of Krovanh […] I urged them to come out […] to enjoy the water festival. As long as you do not cause any trouble, no one will do anything to you.

Democracy, Human Rights, and Then Overthrow – Millions Died

On this front, (they) have stepped over the line of freedom of expression. (They) insulted HM the King, demanded HM to abdicate, and threated to arrest Prime Minister […] (your freedom of expression) has overstepped the red line already. Whoever joined this campaign will face with legal actions […] I hope our foreign friends understand (that it is necessary that) we have to keep situation under control […] it has been too much sufferings to bear for our country and people because of rhetoric about democracy and human rights, and then overthrow – causing loss of millions of lives. We cannot just believe words pronouncing about democracy and democracy. The true human rights are to live, to be free from threats of death and/or injuries by war.

Democracy through Elections, No Power Seizing

We have spent so much flesh and blood to achieve and guarantee for the first time, if not 500 years, at least 100 years after the French colony, unified land and water in our history […] at whatever price it may be, we will not fail to take actions. We will not leave our people to die, to suffer from wounds and family separation as in the past because of what some had done on us […] we respect process of democracy. We will give way and right to whoever wins the elections democratically but not through seizing of power (like they) declared to come arrest Hun Sen on 9 (November) […] they have overestimated their force. If they were that strong, Hun Sen would not be able to work during the ASEAN Summit. No country talked about problem in Cambodia in ASEAN, ASEAN plus, and East Asia forums […] it is Cambodia’s internal affairs […] I am calling those in collusion to report themselves […]

Making Sure People Live in Peace

I am seeking understanding from our foreign friends that Cambodia has no other choices but to defend people’s life and to make sure they live in peace and they will not be harmed by a small group of people, who acted as if they were more powerful than Samdech Preah Norodom Sihanouk […]. Some said the person would come by plane, by ship, or even elephant […] now that he has changed his flight schedule to leave Charles de Gaulle Airport on 9 November to Bangkok, what has come out of this? Would his/her supporters believe him/her? […] when the Paris Peace Conference started in August 1989, I came back (to Cambodia) to organize withdrawal of Vietnamese (voluntary) troops […] the Khmer Rouge then declared as soon as the Vietnamese troops is out, they would toss the Hun Sen government as paper […] did you see if the government got tossed? Now that they wanted to arrest Hun Sen, how could that be so easy? […]

Please Join People for Water Festival

The issue will not be over on 9 November. There will be more episodes. As long as they do not stop, we will not rest. Their supporters will face tough law enforcement […] their leaders are barking from outside. Those of you (supporting them) are facing with legal action inside […] I think you (who believed their pray) should join our people instead for water festival […]. You can join people to celebrate festivity of filling your mouths with Ambok (crushed newly harvested rice) on 9 November with the motto to take care of nation, religion and King […] we will see who will arrest whom, should s/he come […]

Shortage of Electricity Again

Secondly, I am taking this moment to inform you in advance that we may face with shortage of electricity again. The Mekong floodwater came two meters above warning level in Stoeung Treng, two meters in Kratie, and over one meter in Kompong Cham. However, for Kandal, Phnom Penh and Prey Veng, floodwater came lower than the level we expected […] once it receded, there was no second time flooding too […] we now will have boat race event in water that is below four meters (in Phnom Penh). Our concern here is that we are facing shortage of water in the reservoir to run turbines in our hydropower plants […] we have now sought to augment electricity production from many sources – those run by coal, solar, including import from neighboring countries. […] Lao Prime Minister ensured me that though water at Don Sahong hydropower is not powerful enough to run turbines he would find the 200 megawatts needed from other sources for us. We may continue to buy electricity from Vietnam and Laos.

Producing Electricity from Water, Solar, Coal, Gas and Fuel

I have informed our people already about the power (generators – 200 megawatts one from Germany and another from Finland that) we have bought […] with 400 megawatts as auxiliary sources to provide alternative electricity to Phnom Penh in time of need. I am suggesting to Minister of Energy and Mines, HE Suy Sem, to increase working shift around the clock to get the project done before schedule […] I am calling on private business operators with private generators to use their machines temporarily when the electricity is temporarily out. From May (next year), we would have no more problem […] we must look at the issue from now […] we are combining efforts to produce electricity using power of water, solar, coal, gas and fossil fuel […]

Non-Interference of Internal Affairs

Let me reiterate please do not feel concerned about security in Phnom Penh. There will be no unrest and Hun Sen is not an easy man to arrest. The Royal Government has laws that allow arrests of people who commit wrongdoings (against law) […] what happened last night was that in Indonesia and Malaysia, holder of US passports have been invited to leave their countries. Those countries cooperate with Cambodia – an ASEAN member state (adhering to principle of) non-interference in internal affairs. I also learnt that there are other countries – not in the region, and I do not have to disclose, forbid them from entering too […]./.

ពត៌មានផ្សេងៗ