Audio Message of Samdech Techo Hun Sen Calling on Cambodian Citizens to Jointly Implement Covid-19 Health Rules and Regulations While Exercising Voting Right for the 5th Term Commune/Sangkat Council Elections [Unofficial Translation]

CNV: 03/06/2022

Dear Compatriots,

Today is the last day for the 5th term commune/Sangkat election campaign. The time followed will be the tranquility day, in addition to the circular I issued calling for a ban on drinking and sale of alcohol on election day. I would like to take this opportunity to address and appeal to my compatriots, even though Covid-19 has dwindled and absent from our country for almost a month, when you go to the polls, please, my compatriots, do not forget to bring along your alcohol (and/or gel disinfectants) to wash your hands, to put on masks and keep a good distance to avoid the risk of recurrence on election day, which can lead to re-infection.

Tomorrow is a nationwide rally day for people of voting age. I would take this opportunity to thank the Commune/Sangkat council of the fourth mandate, which will come to end of term in the next few days. It is known to all that during the transition period of Covid-19, the commune/Sangkat councils that you elected in 2017 had served/protected the people very well. Vaccination is provided through the commune/Sangkat (as well as) the village itself, which helped the country to have everyone gotten his/her vaccine. I do not forget that in the flood situations, including Phnom Penh, Kampong Speu, Pursat, Battambang and Banteay Meanchey, our commune/Sangkat had worked hard to serve the people at that time. In times that we had to lockdown some areas the local authorities had had to do a lot to serve the people. I will never forget that the provision of assistance must be made through the direct guidance and attention of our Commune/Sangkat. The story is unforgettable for the merits you have done in the past.

Some of our commune/Sangkat councils will be re-elected and some will not due to age (and/or) not running for office. However, for the past 5 years, you are really tired that I thank you all. For a large number of you may be re-elected to go on serving our people. Of course, some mistakes are inevitable in the past, but compared to the good deeds that commune/Sangkat councilors have made in the past, the advantage is far greater compared to the sporadic disadvantages.

I thank all the commune/Sangkat councilors for their good works in the past. I trust that the commune/Sangkat councils, which have not yet finished their terms continue to take care of the people in the period of the upcoming election process, especially the implementation of the circular related to abstinence from alcohol, as well as the implementation of health measures “3 Dos and 3 Don’ts.”

I thank once again the commune/Sangkat councilors/members who have made great sacrifices for the lives of our people without discrimination irrespective of political parties, especially in the phase of governing Covid-19 and giving vaccination to protect people’s lives. Thanks to the responsibility taken by members of commune/Sangkat councils, we have been able to reduce the number of deaths/infections until we reach this stage of recording no Covid-19 in almost a month now. This is an respected dedication. We have acknowledged that some of our commune/Sangkat councilors/members did not meet their wives/children for a while owing to the need to be in quarantined […] They had to stay away in other places […]

While families’ members of commune/Sangkat councilors were also facing with difficulties, the commune/Sangkat council members themselves were trying to find ways to help save the general population. This is a high spirit of devotion that I will not forget and thank the members of the commune/Sangkat council who are nearing the end of their terms, and some will usher in a new term, as some of whom will be re-elected and some of whom will not because they do not get the nomination or not re-elected. I thank the participation of CPP commune/Sangkat councilors in particular, and the commune/Sangkat councilors of the fourth term in general for their contributions to the good of our country in overcoming this crisis.

Once again, I am calling on all monks, nuns, compatriots, to pay attention to personal safety on the spread of Covid-19 on election day, and to bring with you a bottle of alcohol or gel for hand disinfection after the vote. Whenever possible, those it is no longer compulsory to wear a mask, it is safer to have it on, while trying to keep social distance as (the polls stations are) places where there will be crowd of people from various places.

I would like to thank all the compatriots who participated in performing the works during the election campaign making the country run a calm and peaceful election campaign. I thank all the political parties that participated in implementing the law on the organization of the election process and the instructions of the National Election Committee. We hope that all political parties will join together for the success of the multi-party liberal democratic process in our country on Sunday (June 5, 2022). I hope that we will all accept the election results that the people will give us.

Finally, I thank the commune/Sangkat councilors who have been working towards the end of their terms, especially in the anti-Covid-19 campaign efforts to make sure people receive treatment, testing as well as vaccination for everyone./.

ពត៌មានផ្សេងៗ