A New Bridge over Tonle Sap \u2013 A New Cambodian Achievement<\/strong><\/p>\nMy respect to Ladies and Gentlemen who are here present for this ceremony to build a new concrete bridge over the Tonle Sap river which links up the Jroy Jangva area in the east to the national road 5 of Phnom Penh side in the west. We are also putting up a steel bridge for provisional traffic circulation as well. It is a new achievement of Cambodia as a whole and of the Phnom Penh city in particular. Our country is in development day after day and it requires necessary improved and new infrastructures. We are breaking the ground today to build a new bridge in between the existing bridges at Prek Pnov and Jroy Jangva, including the one built with the Japanese assistance since 1960s [\u2026] this is time when Phnom Penh is facing with growing number of population and traffics. The bridge will definitely contribute also to development of the satellite cities in western direction of Phnom Penh. I am so pleased and taking this opportune moment to express my sincere appreciation and thanks to this Cambodian expat company for their cooperation in studying and designing architectural plan. I also thank the Ministry of Transports and Public Works for approving such a plan for the construction [\u2026]<\/p>\n
From Scratch to Annual 7% Economic Growth<\/strong><\/p>\nWe should see that the capital city of Phnom Penh, after the liberation in January 1979, started with no inhabitants. It was absolutely a difficult time. This east side of the Tonle Sap River, in 1980s, was a location where the Khmer Rouge infiltrated to plant their shelling into Phnom Penh\u2019s fuel depot at Russei Keo on the western bank. I could remind that we sent in those days, youths of Phnom Penh and civil servants in various state institutions to clear the inundated forest, where the Khmer Rouge could use as hideouts. We also sent many groups of young people from Phnom Penh to cultivate in the area. In those days, Prek Tasek was one no man\u2019s land. However, it has now become a potential development area [\u2026] Infrastructure investment that we are putting in today is necessary and it will help reduce travelling difficulties for those who live on either side of the river. We have started, and we all should notice, from scratch to make Phnom Penh now a lively and active socioeconomic city. For a country that has grown its economy at some 7% per annum, Phnom Penh has made not simple contributions. We have transformed this country from poor and low-income country to one that is on its way to higher middle-income country in 2030 and high-income country by 2050. We have overcome the most difficult time with great successes so we will be able to achieve these goals [\u2026]<\/p>\n
The 26th<\/sup> Anniversary of the Paris Peace Agreement<\/strong><\/p>\nToday, the Cambodian people in the whole country are celebrating the 26th<\/sup> anniversary of the signing of the Paris Peace Agreement. Today, we are taking a one-day holiday in commemoration of such important event. (I) have been the one who contributed in the founding of and was one of the main actors to the Paris Peace Agreement. I hope that anyone who exercised interpretations of the agreement should understand it well. The Agreement stemmed in fact from the Fere en Tardenois 2 December 1987 meeting between Preah Norodom Sihanouk and Hun Sen. It was the starting point of our negotiation for political settlement that involved later the United Nations to shape up the Paris Peace Agreement. Let us remember this [\u2026] HE Ieng Mouli, a signatory of the agreement is also here. Let me ask, when you talked about respecting the Paris Peace Agreement completely, whether the dissolution of the Khmer Rouge political and military organization was right or wrong. That we tried the Khmer Rouge leaders was right or wring? \u2026 It was because of not following the Paris Peace Agreement that we dissolved the Khmer Rouge\u2019s political and military organization [\u2026] (we have incorporated) elements of the Paris Peace Agreement into the Constitution of the Kingdom of Cambodia. It is in this understanding that such a call for signatories of the Paris Peace Agreement to meet again is outrageous and undoable too. (Should they wish to do that they may have to) create the four factions again. Here, on the other hand, we have a legal government that represented by HM the King, the Kingdom of Cambodia\u2019s head of state [\u2026]<\/p>\nInfrastructural Needs Go Before SEA Game Hosting<\/strong><\/p>\nLet me now turn back to our event today. We are here together and some had just taken selfies, embraced or kissed me. There was no need to beg for that. This has also clearly showed that Cambodia is safe because its leaders do not need a bulletproof vest. This is peace. When we have this bridge ready, we will have lesser problems with traffic flow. Previously, we did not have enough money. We contracted road construction and operation out to private companies. As we are repairing the old Jroy Jangva Bridge, we have decided to buy back this Prek Pnov bridge and road (invested by a private company) before its term ends in over thirty years of valid ownership and operation more. We did that so our people, who cannot use free of charge the Jroy Jangva Bridge at its time of reparation, to use and cross the Tonle Sap as an alternative free of charge. We also did that to the road from Siem Reap to Koh Ker, the National Road 4, the Veng Sreng road, the Sar La road, etc [\u2026]<\/p>\n
The Government of the Kingdom of Cambodia has committed to saving for infrastructural developments. You may notice that this is why I have refused to host the SEA Games before 2023. Should we host such event, we would have to bring down expenses on public investment because we needed to build up sports facilities, hostels and hotels, etc., which would cost us no less than a few hundred millions USD. With that much, we would be able to put some roads and bridges in place [\u2026] (in addition to those bridges already in place along the Mekong upstream and downstream) we are preparing for the construction of another bridge over the Mekong between Stoeng Trang of Kompong Cham province and Kroch Chhmar of Tbong Khmom province. We also have a project to build a bridge at Kratie to bridge the city of Kratie to area on the other side of the Mekong to link up with Kompong Thom province. As for Phnom Penh, we also have project to build two bridges \u2013 one between Jroy Jangva and Areykhsatr and Kdey Takoy (and Lovea Em). It is my vision though to have a bridge in every three kilometre from one another [\u2026]<\/p>\n
Prison for People Found Doing Wrong<\/strong><\/p>\n\u2026 I wish that they would not seek to bring us down in abrupt way. You may not escape from legal net. You are to receive punishment for what you had done. Implementing laws is better than using arms as instigated by a treacherous person for an armed uprising. Any armed uprising would lead to bloodshed and deaths. Implementing laws would leave no one to die but only imprisonment. Law punishes anyone person that is committing wrongdoing. Law does not allow arrest and imprisonment of innocent person [\u2026]<\/p>\n
\u2026 Countries involved in colour revolutions are now at wars because of instigations and calling for armed uprising. In the end, the strongest has the upper hand. Is that what they want? [\u2026] I would advise them not to do it. A \u201ctreacherous person\u201d had called on armed forces to rise up and said they are ready for that [\u2026] I think they are not ready yet. They have made themselves my enemies. Should they succeed, they would not only destroy me but also a legal government, because I am the Prime Minister of this legitimate government. They should not forget this point. They said they would go against only Hun Sen but how about people who voted for the Cambodian People\u2019s Party. Hun Sen represents a sovereign state and is responsible in directing the country\u2019s domestic and foreign policies [\u2026]<\/p>\n
Resolutely Defend Achievements<\/strong><\/p>\nI have said it already that we are doing everything we can to protect peaceful life and peace for the people. We may have to take away some persons if we have to. I say it again, if we have to. Well, like fighting snake, to get it you have to get to its head. To safeguard achievements scored from the Paris Peace Agreement\u2019s achievements, the win-win policy, and to defend national hard-won achievements, we are determined to defend law, nation and people resolutely. We are ready to respond to any type of situation should it arise. I have right to do so because I am now in such position permitted by law [\u2026]<\/p>\n
Hun Sen was the one who founded the armed forces of the national United Front for Salvation of Kampuchea. I have been taking care of it to see its growth from the time when we overthrew the Pol Pot\u2019s genocide regime up to the present [\u2026] I do not think you have the ability to bring me down by military means. If you try it, and should you fail, one place for you to go would be jail. Jail is for person found guilty of his\/her actions, and more so for traitors to their nation. For people\u2019s peaceful life in the whole country, we do not hesitate to take legal actions to clear out organizations and persons who violated laws. No state would allow anyone to carry out illegal actions or anti-state terrorist acts to get to power[\u2026].\/.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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