Selected Comments Samdech Techo Hun Sen at the Graduation and Diploma Presenting Ceremony of the Royal University of Phnom Penh [Unofficial Translation]

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Microfinance Loans for Education

Yesterday, in this mutual recognition of tourism guides among countries in ASEAN, I brought up this issue about loans from banks and/or microfinance for students who wish to continue their studies but do not have the financial resource ability. I think it is now time to urge banks and/or microfinance to offer low-interest loans to students for education purpose. State can never provide them with such loans. I hope that our students will seek to continue their studies and the banks and/or microfinance will make their contributions to help student with financial inability to realize their aims and not to abandon their studies […]

Students with School Fees Due Should Be Allowed to Continue Classes

Every school/university also should think of a possibility to offer chance for students to continue their studies even when they cannot pay. Can we do that? Example, there could be some incidences that you may need to consider taking up that position. Students may have some incidences such as loss of either or both of their parents, etc. that they are not able to pay their school fees. In such condition, I think the school/university should allow them to continue their studies on loans. Repayment can be done on a gradual basis. That should help prevent some from dropping off their studies […]

Students to Have Three-Day Break from Schools for Elections

As the elections draw closer, I wish to take this opportune moment to inform the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports, as well as universities/tertiary education foundations to figure out giving students a three-day break in order to allow them fulfill their voting rights. I have met with and requested to garments associations, and they already agreed, to allow workers a three-day break from work on 28, 29 and 30 June with full pay for them to go to vote […] it will be a Saturday, a holiday, on 28 June, and voting day will take place also on 29 June, a Sunday. On Monday, a working day, students/workers are to return and take a rest after exercising their voting rights […]

Who Are the Ones That Destroy Democracy?

It is hard to understand when this elections with twenty political parties to contest has been branded a process that destroys democracy. We may ask them who the real ones are to destroy democracy. The ones who destroy elections are the ones to destroy democracy or support democracy? We may ask some foreigners who support a small number of people, losing their rights to participate in the elections because of the treacherous mistakes they committed, if they support the twenty political parties who will contest in the elections or the one that destroy democracy? […] it is not a simple thing to have twenty political parties contesting in the elections. In 2008, there were only 12 or 13 parties. In 2013, there were only eight parties, and this time we have 20 political parties. The question to ask here is whether the ones that organize, take part in, and field their candidates for the elections are the ones that destroy democracy or the ones that call for a boycott are?

Calling on People Not to Vote Destroys Liberal Pluralism and Democracy

A small group of people and some foreigners have prejudiced and called on people to exercise no voting rights. Calling on people not to vote is in fact an act with a nature of rights and pluralism and liberal democracy. I would agree with them otherwise if the elections are to take place with only one political party. On the contrary, doing such thing is against the Constitution which has two irrevocable points – constitutional monarchy, and pluralism and liberal democracy. If there were only one party to contest, it would be unconstitutional. Now that there are up to twenty political parties to contest in the elections, why would they say we are the ones to destroy democracy? […]

A Democratic Process of No Backtrack

(That some are in prison) should not bring other people to join them (in legal issues). They call other political parties all sorts of names […] and some political parties have stepped out and fought back. I wish Cambodian overseas can see this clearly. We do not obstruct anyone from exercising their rights, but those people also should not obstruct rights of others too. A democratic process in Cambodia will not backtrack […] the Constitution defines there must be many parties to contest. If we have only one party, it would be unconstitutional and contrary to pluralism and liberal democracy […] if they pursue with that stand, they are making themselves enemies to twenty political parties. They might have thought to insult me alone but their actions put themselves in awry position with 19 other political parties […]

State Subsidized 83 Million USD to Curb Oil Price

Let me take this chance from this event today to inform concerned state and private institutions about issue relating to oil price that at first I said I would break it out on 28 June since actual implementation will start on 1 July 2018. Since state and private institutions have had to make some preparations for implementation, I need to make it known today. In the last five months, the state has subsidized a sum of close to 83 million USD to curb oil price […] the state will contribute a reduction of two cents per liters […] oil companies will also take their cuts of two cents too. Together, effective on 1 July, oil price will be four cents (USD) or 160 Riel less expensive […]

Talk About Your Candidates, Do Not Insult Others

I have a few words to say to one person. I try to trace it back on Facebook but it had been removed. The person has said that his political party’s candidate and the candidate of the ruling party have seven different points. I wish to bring it to his attention that I sent the candidate of his party for a study in Germany. In 2011, that candidate also thanked me for sending him over for a study in Germany after liberating him from Pol Pot’s (regime) […] they may talk good about their candidates. They should not insult others. I never insult anyone […] I think politicians should follow a style of goods advertisement. They would talk good about their products and they refrain from insult others […] I have no wish of trading words with anyone but all political parties should just keep it to talking good of their candidates. When you insult others, for instance the ruling party, they would have to defend themselves. That would be normal […]

Listening to Geopolitical Readings, Watching World Cup

Only the ones follow Facebook would understand what I am talking about […] I listened to presentation of Jean Francoise Tan (of RFI) about new geopolitics, and this aspect relating to Cambodia and cold war […] He wrote and he reads it, and posted it in a Facebook account. I do not have time to read so I opted to listen […] it is quite educational. He compiles many books on China, and various other topics from articles he wrote for RFI. I appreciate his works relating to geopolitical studies. He sends me books and I have not had time yet to read […] it is easy to listen to what he is reading and storing in Facebook. He never present himself as a Ph.D. or ay thing […] it was a good thing that I could listen to his reading while following World Cup football competitions […]./.

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