Selected Comments Samdech Techo Hun Sen at the Welcoming and Congratulatory Meeting with Gold Medalists Khan Jessa and Saly Ou Moeut of the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia [Unofficial Translation]

CNV: 

Waited for 64 Years to Score Four Medals

You have indeed given Cambodia hope. We have been waiting for this glamorous achievement 64 years already. Sixty years ago, we sat waiting for our heroic sportswoman Sorn Sievmei to return with a gold medal in 2014. In 2018, sixty four years now, we are sitting here to welcome and congratulate two more gold medals, and a bronze one. In sixty four years, we have just made it to four medals. I am so proud that you two – Khan Jessa and Saly Ou Moeut – have joined with Sorn Sievmei, together with supports given by relevant institutions, for such creation of history for Cambodia.

I hope that history will keep you in record for what you have done for this country. It is not just anyone has the power and authority to write history […] however, for what we have done, no one can falsify or change it. However, before a historian can do his/her job, it is you individual who will have to make efforts to create personal achievements. Today, Khan Jessa and Saly Ou Moeut create such historic achievements and historians will write them down. It has taken, I repeat, Cambodia sixty four years to (make all this happen) […] it is more than half a century. We are making efforts to stand up […]

To Score Olympic Medals

That we have just won again gold medals (after more than half a century), we have no better way of quantifying our joy and pride. For whatever we have for the first time, it brings us all a great moment and joy. For instance, that we have built the first flyover at Kbal Thnol, I went out and tell people around me with joy and pride. Some said I was overjoyed. There was nothing to be proud of. In other countries, they have more than they could remember them […] it was because that fact that it is the first flyover ever built in Cambodia that cheers us. Why countries with so many built already be proud to talk about them? […] only for the ones who actually do it will know how valuable it is. When we have more than we can count on our fingers, we would not have to brag about it […] Sorn Sievmei brought Cambodian one gold medal before and we have two more now […] it is a good thing that after sixty four years (of absence) Cambodia is now back on stage and scores medals again […]

I wish to remind foreign trainers here that the whole nation and me personally thank you for your relentless efforts to train our sportsmen for the sake of Cambodian sports development. This has indeed reflected progress in the field of sports. It is not the last and only efforts of our country. We will try to make further progress in gradual steps. In the past, it was not a common thing that our sportsmen win medals from even Southeast Asian Games. Now we are scoring medals from Asian Games and on some subjects from world competitions. We have yet to score medal from the Olympics. We need to make more efforts.

Thanking Khan Jessa’s Parents for Allowing Her to Compete for Cambodia

I am so happy that Khan Jessa, who is like a grandchild to me since she is 17 years old as my one of my grandchildren, has become our heroic sportswoman in the women’s jujitsu Newaza 49 kg category […] she is born to a parents of American Cambodian father and American Mexican mother, according to information I have here. Whatever nationality would not be a matter. According to law, a child would carry a father’s nationality. Both of their parents are American citizens and live there. However, Jessa decided to compete for Cambodia. That is a great fortune for the country. Through Jessa, please allow me to thank your parents who have allowed you to take this competition on Cambodian behalf […] it is quite fortunate for Cambodia that your parents encouraged you to take this competition for the honor of Cambodia. I hope you will continue to compete on Cambodia’s behalf and we are also having more competitions in SEA Games 2023 (that Cambodia is going to host). You will still be of a good age to take part […]

Thank You – Saly Ou Moeut

Saly Ou Moeut, a jet skier, he is from Boeung Seh, a place not far from where I used to live. According to his personal information, he also used to live at Po Pel, also not far from my place. He also went to Bun Rany Hun Sen Secondary School in Meh Mot. We have been neighbors. With great affection of Jet Ski, he has taken a turn in his life to score such a proud achievement for the country. This has indeed contributed to elevating pride of our nation. Honors that you two – Khan Jessa and Saly Ou Moeut – brings for Cambodia today are not for you two personally, but those of our nation […] we have welcomed you and honored you with escorts in honor (from the airport) because you have carried along with you the country’s fame and honor. That is what the country has to do to repay you. It is a whole nation’s achievement that every one of us must be proud of.

Political Parties Should Congratulate Sportsmen/Women

[…] it is my wish that political parties should also congratulate Cambodian gold medalists who competed and won such fames for our nation. In the recent past and memory, no political parties in opposition congratulate them. They would see doing that as hailing successes of the Hun Sen’s government. That was not a matter for me (or CPP) alone. It is a common issue for the whole country. HM the King also sent his greeting and congratulation upon receiving the news. HM the Queen Mother also has a great joy learning about your achievements. I hope the whole country will honor you for the fame you have created for Cambodia […]

Our Ancestors Built Angkor Wat

… That we are born in a poor country, some have looked down on who we are. However, I must warn you, it is not sure that their brain power is no match to us […] Sometimes I am tired of being insulted by rich countries. I wish to send them a message that to me you are just lucky fellows who are born in countries that are already rich. However, it would not be certain that your brain work better than ours. Our ancestors built Angkor Wat from more than a thousand years ago. Some of the countries/races were not even there yet. We are not taking too much pride in our hands but we wish not to be bullied by anyone […] as far as medals scoring is concerned, I would summarize that at the beginning of the fifth legislative term of the National Assembly, Sorn Sievmei had brought the country one gold medal. Closer to end of the term, which is two days away, Cambodia has two more. Could we call this an achievement that comes out of our joined efforts under the Royal Government of the fifth term of the National Assembly? […]

Prime Minister of the Sixth Legislative NA on 6th September

Towards ending the fifth legislative term of the National Assembly, everyone knows that Hun Sen is going to be the Prime Minister for the following term. I am now a Prime Minister designate or Prime Minister elect to compose the new Royal Government. On the coming 6th September, I will be the Prime Minister. We are going to end the fifth legislative term and change to the sixth term, as some have predicted (about change). As of now, new or old, we are working on packaging a new budget. We will continue to journey together without interruption […]

Taking this opportune moment, please allow me to express my sincere appreciation and thankfulness to trainers concerned, who have made their relentless efforts to train our sportsmen/women by every ways s/he know of […] thanks also go to those who have given their supports to every sports and/or sportsmen/women. I also thank the Cambodian Royal Ambassador Hor Nam Bora to Indonesia, Jakarta, for doing what our diplomats, as diplomats in other countries would, do to assist and encourage our sportsmen/women, according to information I received at my end […]

Hate Not US, Just Those Who Bully Cambodia

… Some have had their bad mouth saying that (Jessa) is a Cambodian-American and that she has won a gold medal, would Hun Sen welcome/congratulate her? I wish to make it clear here. I never hate the US. I only detest those who bully, acted in aggression on/against Cambodia […] I detest anyone sending their troops to invade, and even to bring Cambodia down. I never have bad feeling for the US people […] in 1970, Richard Nixon ordered bombardments on Cambodia and destroyed it. Could we say that Nixon was good to us? […] I also had my son studied in the US. He was the first Cambodian to have learnt and trained in (the United States Military Academy at) West Point. The US also helped my one other son to finish his study in the National Defense University (NDU). It was not my request. The US offered it. Hun Many got his master degree in political science in Australia and had a scholarship to go to NDU […]

Befriend With Whoever Wish To Be

I have never hated the US. I dislike some specified Americans who look down on, hate, and insult Cambodians. Even if we do not hate those people, they would also hate us. That would require us to reciprocate in kind. They caused us trouble, how could we stay idle. If they wish to be friend with us, so do we […] I also have a grandchild who became a US citizen by birth. It seems the citizenship has now been given up, though […] otherwise he would have to go on military obligation, and/or subjected to paying tax, etc […]./

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