Monday, March 9, 2009

Comments at the Inauguration of the Hun Sen - Anlong Chrey College in the Commune of Prambei Mum, Thpong District, Kompong Speu province

14 February 08



I wish to take this solemn occasion to express my sincere appreciation and praise for the efforts made by teachers, students and their supervisors in making these achievements possible. If we talk about the district of Thpong, it is quite appropriate to say it is the newest or youngest district in the province of Kompong Speu. Though we have the chance to put into official use these marvelous buildings but I am so sorry that we have been late to build up this college compared to those in other districts of the same province. However as is said very often late is better than never.



According to HE Kang Heang's address, the creation of this college goes back to the year 1982 when it was first built as a junior college with helps from the people and community of Prambei Mum but also Veal Pun on the area of six hectares, which has been maintained so far. By 1995, those buildings became rickety and they were being repaired and a new three classroom building was built with help of Samdech Preah Norodom Sihanouk and Her Majesty the Queen Mother. I would take this solemn occasion to express sincere thanks to Samdech Ov (Father) and Samdech Me (Mother) for their sympathetic understanding their children difficulties and efforts to build up this school building.



I also thank HE Say Chhum, former Governor of Kompong Speu and currently the lawmaker of Kompong Speu constituency for his endless effort as the CPP work team assigned to the province in creating all favorable conditions for such a development in this sector of educational infrastructure. He told me he has had half of the plan covered and I told him I will cover the rest to make up for negligence toward the people in Thpong district.



According to the report filed by HE Say Chhum and HE Hem Khan, also member of the parliament, in the whole province of Kompong Speu, we have 302 primary schools over 87 communes, 59 junior colleges throughout eight districts, and between one and three senior colleges in each district. To closely look at the figures given by HE Hem Khan, there were no kindergarten before 1979 but now we have 77 up to 2008. These are great achievements among countless others that I would like to take this opportune moment to mention that the Hun Sen - Anlong Chrei College contributes largely to lessening hardships among students who before after leaving this school had to go to the College in the district of Udong, which is 40 kilometers away, for further education.



In addition to this, the Hun Sen - Anlong Chrei College also helps reducing traveling for education for students from other parts of the district as well. Take for instance those who had to go from Amleang to Udong in the distance of 53 kilometers will have to travel 13 kilometers less to study here. It is going to be 16 kilometers less for those traveling from the Junior College of Toek Phos, 13 kilometers less for those traveling from the Junior College of Khmao Peam, and 16 kilometers less for those traveling from the Junior College of Kraing Sramar in the district of Samaki Mean Chey of Kompong Chhnang province. This has indeed been a significant effort aimed at creating a favorable environment for human resource training, a prioritized area contributing for the country's development.



To develop a country, we need people with good health and good education take for instance Singapore and Hong Kong, they do not have even drinking water but they have made themselves rich because of mighty human resources. Cambodia has been named the golden land, with wide ranging of resources like diamond, precious stones, wood and fish, but we have been poor. It is in this remark that we must continue to build up correct policy plus activities that are focusing on capacity building and wellbeing of our people.



Just to mention for your knowledge that my late mother and my father have had so many achievements made in this province. My late mother contributed a lot in building wells and pagodas in Kompong Speu, especially in the Pagoda of Kdey Lovea, which I will have to continue her efforts. My father has been contributing a lot also, especially in the pagodas of Ampil Voan and of Samraong.



I came across Gen. Keo Pung (who led the defection from the Khmer Rouge in the area) and to be frank if he did not took up the defection perhaps we could not secure this school building here. The win-win policy has brought us this situation which not only creates a favorable condition for national reconciliation but also reconstruction. Cambodia has not got any secession as before. Talking about this, one may ask who could enter the area under the control of Keo Pung of Oral, where Mr. Khieu Samphan, Uch Ven, Tiv Ol, etc, took as hiding place.



I am so glad that we have been able to get together while it is so sad that in some countries revenges have taken places. Particularly the situation in Kenya has spiraled into armed clashes between tribes who on the one side support the Government and the other supports the opposition. It is so fortunate that Cambodia grabs in hand the diamond opportunity and what the Royal Government as well as the generous beings would like the Cambodian people to have is achievements in the form of infrastructure because this will have a better and long lasting effect.



Take for instance, at the household level, the best parents could offer to their children is education. Knowledge could not be stolen or harmed in any way. We know that it could be otherwise if those offerings would be in the form of cash or gold, etc. I do not think I have any political messages except this issue of remark that the Royal Government is going to propose the law that allows foreigners to purchase land in Cambodia. I also do not know from where this remark is made or if it is created so as to insult the Royal Government before the elections. We never have thought or even dreamed of doing that.



I think they attack the Royal Government but it is in vain that they come up with this argument because no matter who becomes the Prime Minister, one never will do that. I just want to clarify that this is not real and they should know that we have been here to protect this country when they were not. We also know how to be truly patriotic and do not pay lip service./.

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