Keynote Address at the 2011 Cambodia Outlook Conference

Keynote Address at the 2011 Cambodia Outlook Conference: A Partnership of CDRI and ANZ Royal Bank «Driving High Growth and Sustainable Development for Cambodia – Opportunities and Challenges»

16 March 2011, Phnom Penh HotelPhnom Penh, Cambodia

Excellencies, Distinguished Guests,Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is for the fifth time that I have delivered the opening keynote address to the 2011 Cambodia Outlook Conference on “Driving High Growth and Sustainable Development for Cambodia – Opportunities and Challenges”. I would like to congratulate CDRI and ANZ Royal Bank on their initiative in hosting this important annual conference, which brings together officials from the Royal Government of Cambodia, the private sector, the research community, civil society and international development partners to consider Cambodia’s achievements and the challenges we face, and to seek good approaches we can work on together for the benefits of our nation.

I would like to take this opportunity to convey to the People of Japan, particularly the victims and members of bereaved families, my deepest sympathy and condolences for the loss of lives and colossal damages caused by the most powerful earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan in the afternoon of 11 March.

Today’s conference and its theme, Driving High Growth and Sustainable Development for Cambodia – Opportunities and Challenges, are both timely and relevant. We have recently gone through and mitigated the negative impacts of the global financial crisis and economic downturn of 2008-9 and are moving confidentially but carefully forward. We survived well for some important reasons - the stability and quality of our macro-economic management and the early policy responses of the Royal Government with the support of our international development partners; good governance and stability of our financial institutions; our economic and geo-political location in the East Asian region, the dynamism of our private sector, and the industry and resilience pf the Cambodian people.

However our experience of the crisis taught us some very important lessons that now drive government priorities.

Firstly we learnt that the economic growth of the prior decade would not be sustainable and inclusive without economic reforms.

Secondly, we understood better the need for a focused growth strategy and industrial policy to increase competitiveness and diversify the economy Cambodia if sustainable inclusive growth is to be achieved.

Thirdly, we now see more clearly than ever that Cambodia is well positioned to benefit from three important opportunities - harnessing the benefits of regional integration in our dynamic East Asian region; the management of our considerable natural resources in a sustainable way; and investment in the future through agriculture, infrastructure, education, and higher savings.

I am pleased to see that the priorities arising from these lessons are well reflected in the agenda of today’s conference and I welcome your specific ideas and suggestions of how we best respond to the opportunities and challenges they present.

The Cambodia economy is performing well. Growth for 2010 has recently been revised upward from 5.5% to 5.9% of GDP.

The future outlook for Cambodia is positive – the economy is projected to grow between 6% to 7% annually over the medium term. It is expected that Cambodia will benefit from future global investment and credit flows which will favours Asia due to the weakening of demand in the other parts of the world. The growth of the traditional US and EU markets could remain below its earlier trend at least for some time. With the growing regional cooperation and integration and faster growth of the Asian economies, Asian markets could offer more prospects of export and income growth to Cambodia. Thus, we have to diversify Cambodia’s economic structure to focus not only on serving the US and EU markets, but also Asian market.

International price for both oil and non-oil commodities rose considerably in 2010, partly in response to strong global demand and the situation in the Middle Est, but also due to supply shocks for selected commodities. Despite that, in 2010, Cambodia’s inflation has maintained an annual average at around 4%. If compared to December 2009, inflation in December 2003 was only 3%. In the coming years, we need to carefully watch the inflation as rapid rise of regional inflationary pressures coupled with the hike in food and oil prices could have an adverse spillover into our domestic economy disturbing macroeconomic stability.

Real sectors of Cambodian economy are on the strong path of recovery. Agriculture, which has maintained sound growth even during the crisis, in 2010 grew at around 4%. Asia's demand for agricultural products is set to grow rapidly. This would result with the prevailing high prices of food and persisting food security concerns. Price of raw materials for industrial use (like rubber) also expected to increase along with the increased trend of oil prices. The changing economic environment and its implications for food supply will likely also increase demand for agricultural products. Taking all this factors into account, the agricultural sector projected to maintain good performance in 2011 and in medium term. Agricultural product exports, including rice exports, expected to increase owing to high priority has been given to this sector by the Royal Government.

Industry grew by 13.5% in 2010 as compared to negative growth of -9.5% in 2009. Main subsector which underpins the growth in the industry sector is the garment exports, which increased by 15.2% in 2010. Industry sector expected to grow robustly in 2011 as the textile exports projected to rise further as the result of the EU’s “Everything But Arms” initiatives, where Cambodian garment exports, as from 1st of January 2011, will be subject to 0% of customs duties (compared to 12% previously).

The services sector expanded in 2010, supported by good performance in the tourism sector. Tourists' arrival into Cambodia increased by 16% in 2010 and reached around 2.5 million. Visit to Angkor (main tourist destination) increased by 26% to 1.15 million. In 2011, service projected to grow at around 5.7%.

Cambodia has already established a firm base in cultural tourism; the diversification can be based on clustering other tourism attraction such as leisure and eco-tourisms with cultural tourism. The government plans to develop a comprehensive tourism policy to transform the tourism industry to a high value added sector with linkages to the domestic economy.

As I said earlier, today’s conference agenda reflects some of the key challenges and opportunities Cambodia faces in ensuring a positive enabling environment to achieve our goals of high inclusive growth and sustainable development, and how we build on successes and remove constraints to position Cambodia to better achieve our goals. Let me deal first with the enabling environment to achieve our shared goals.

The maintenance and deepening of a positive enabling environment for business, as the driver of growth, employment and economic diversification is critical to our future success. We have provided business with political stability and responsible economic management it requires to thrive. We remain one of the most open economies in the world. The government’s Rice Production and Export Promotion Policy provides opportunities for rice producers, millers and exporters and will be a useful model for other crops and for the development of agribusiness.

Our strategic location in an increasingly integrated Grater Mekong Sub-region, in ASEAN and in our proximity to China, the world’s second largest economic power and the world’s largest market for agricultural surpluses is a major asset in private sector development and investment. We have an abundance of good arable land but this will only be effectively utilised if we better manage economic and social land concessions to ensure they contribute to productive land use that benefits investors, the private sector and local communities.

We have competitive low labour costs but we need to ensure that we make a more strategic investment in vocational education and training in to meet real labour market needs, through collaboration between the government and its development partners, and through creative public-private partnerships. We have provided the private sector with useful consultative mechanisms and direct access to government through the Government Private Sector Forum and its Working Groups, but we also need to more often get together the best thinkers, the most strategic planners, and the most entrepreneurial business people in focused ‘think tank’ processes to target our industry policy and private sector development support more effectively.

We need to ensure that the message that Cambodia is a safe travel destination with rich cultural assets and diverse tourism experiences is better broadcast regionally and internationally. We must keep up the pace of infrastructure and human capacity development, and mobilise more savings for domestic consumption and investment, to drive economic productivity and diversification in the transition to a new set of comparative advantages in the medium term.

The revised National Strategic Development Plan (NSDP) 2009-13 provides a supportive policy, legal and regulatory framework to achieve these objectives, with its focus governance, private sector development, human development, and agriculture. The passing of anti-corruption legislation and the establishment of the Anti-Corruption Commission send a clear message to the nation, to investors and to the international community that we take anti-corruption measures seriously. However we also need to work harder, in cooperation with the private sector, to continue to government and business governance and practice to a higher international standard, strengthening institutions and building the capacity of government officials to build a healthy and dynamic but well-regulated environment for business.

Success in dealing with the related challenges of vocational education and training, tertiary education, human resource development and labour market responsiveness, in response to the country’s growing need for a skilled and educated workforce, will also be fundamental to our success. The government’s new Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) initiative, supported by a grant of USD 24.5 million grant from the Asian Development Bank will deliver vocational and skills training to ensure continuing improvement in national productivity, to promote the creation of jobs in the formal and non-formal sectors, to increase agricultural productivity by creating jobs in rural areas. It will establish technical vocational education and training (TVET) networks to assist both men and women, especially the poor, disabled and vulnerable, to respond to labor market needs. We will provide an expanded and more integrated training system that is endorsed by industry and better aligned with the skill requirements of the formal and informal economies, focusing initially on three industrial sectors - mechanics, construction and business services and information and communication technology.

As part of our commitment to a more pro-active human resource policy we are also now working with our development partners, and the private sector to enhance the quality and relevance of tertiary education to meet our nation’s needs. In response to out changing economic and demographic circumstances we need to rationalise the tertiary education sector to ensure that it delivers quality education for young Cambodians through both state and private universities, so that so that their graduates will be competitive in the domestic and international labor markets. This will require a significant investment in both the physical infrastructure and quality of academic leadership and management in our tertiary institutions, and in ensuring that tertiary education offers a more appropriate balance of physical and social sciences education on the one hand, and business and management on the other.

I believe these human development strategies will help deliver the skills and job opportunities to the younger generation of Cambodians that they deserve.

As an open, export-oriented market economy, building on our past success in trade and investment will be a strength for us as we move forward. Cambodia’s trade with China, South Korea and Vietnam all increased significantly in 2010, along with a recovery in garment exports to Europe and North America. The government’s rice policy reflects our high potential in agricultural production and the needs to continue promoting and attracting investors to invest in the agricultural sector, in the production of both rice, and other high demand export crops in our region such as cassava, soy beans and rubber, and in broader agribusiness and food processing. However we also need to focus our efforts, through more strategic industry policy, on the creation of new industrial sectors such as vehicle assembly and electrical appliances and other light industry, and further reforms to improve trade facilitation and the investment climate.

Underpinning the push for trade-based growth and economic diversification will be the continuation of the significant progress we have made on infrastructure development, along with associated improvements in both the hard and soft infrastructure that promotes a better logistics environment for the smooth movement of people and goods within Cambodia and across our borders. The progress we have made in the construction and rehabilitation of roads, railways, ports, and irrigation systems must continue, with cost-effective and environmentally responsible energy generation now also a priority. A $141 million project to repair 650 km (400 miles) of railway linking Cambodia's capital, Phnom Penh, to its borders with Thailand and Vietnam is now in train. Cambodia’s entire railway system is being rebuilt and expanded.

We must ensure that, along with this ‘hard’ infrastructure, we make further progress in the ‘soft’ infrastructure, the regulatory reform and capacity building of government agencies and officials responsible for the smooth, transparent and cost-effective movement of goods and people across our borders. This is now more an imperative that ever with the increasing pace of GMS, ASEAN and East Asian connectivity and integration.

Energy generation infrastructure to widen national access to reliable and affordable electricity is also now an imperative to help drive economic development, particularly in rural areas. While the benefits of exploitation of off-shore oil and gas resources, and their potential use in energy generation, may be a long-term opportunity, in the short term we will focus on significantly enhancing our hydro-power generation capacity and managing associated environmental impacts.

These are just some of the key opportunities and challenges that we face together in doing all we can to ensure a future of high inclusive growth, sustainable development for Cambodia.

I am advised that at tomorrow’s meeting of CDRI’s Board of Directors, the current Chair of the Board, His Excellency Dr Hang Chuon Naron, will step down as Chair, after serving two terms for 6 years allowable under the Anukret establishing CDRI concludes. I would like to express my sincere gratitude and congratulations to His Excellency Dr Naron for the very significant contribution he has made to the growth and development of CDRI over the past 6 years, and for the role model he has played for CDRI staff. I am confident that, even though he is stepping down, he will continue to work in close collaboration with CDRI in the years to come. I am also pleased to note that H.E. Dr. Sok Siphana, wil be nominated as Chair of the CDRI Board to replace H.E. Dr Hang Chuon Naron. I wish Dr Siphana every success in working with the CDRI Board, management and staff in taking CDRI forward.

May I conclude my opening keynote address here. I wish the conference a success in exchanging views and dialogue on the future of Cambodia. Once again, I congratulate the organising partners of the 2011 Cambodia Outlook Conference, ANZ Royal Bank and CDRI, and look forward to receiving good policy recommendations and ideas for action generated by the conference. I am now declaring the 2011 Cambodia Outlook Conference open. Thank you for your attention!

Keynote Address at the Closing of the 32nd Stocktaking Conference and 9th Joint Review Conference of Health Sector Achievements

Phnom Penh, March 15th, 2011

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen
Distinguished national and international guests,

It is my pleasure and honor to be in the closing of the 32nd stocktaking conference and 9th joint review conference of health sector achievements. I believe the conference is a great opportunity for all of us to reassess the current progress and identify challenges in the upcoming years. According to the report read by H.E. Mam Bunheng, Minister of Health, the conference has reviewed in detail the achievements of the Ministry in 2010. The conference has also introduced initiatives and new methodologies to further smooth out work implementation and achieve success in the sector.

Taking this opportunity, on behalf of the Royal Government and myself personally, I highly praise all levels of officials, doctors, medical practitioners, nurses and all staff who are working in the Ministry of Health, hospitals, health centers and health posts for the tireless effort in providing professional health care services to all patients. This progress not only is the prerequisite for better living standard and poverty reduction, but it also boosts public confidence on our health sector and image of the country. In this connection, I highly value cooperation and assistance provided by development partners and agencies, national and international organizations, private sector and all related institutions for increasing efficiency and effectiveness of the health sector. I would also like to request all health officials, related institutions, development partners and agencies, private sector and professional bodies to continue the contribution and effort to jointly realize the vision of our health sector, especially in the areas of rehabilitation and expansion of physical infrastructure, institutional capacity development and human resource development that are key foundation for expanding health service coverage and responding timely to the needs of the people.

The Royal Government has been attentive to the implementation of the strategic plan for health sector 2008 – 2015 that involves the strengthening, expansion and quality improvement of health services, behavioral change of health service providers, capacity and skill enhancement, improvement in the management and supply of drug and medical equipment, tightening of regulation on drug and health clinics, and the strengthening of health information system especially financing service and governance.

Moreover, the Royal Government also prioritizes the prevention and treatment programs, maternal and infant health program, and fee exemption for the poor. Through this, the Royal Government continues supporting the health equity fund to ensure the poor’s access to public health services. In this spirit, the Royal Government has gradually increased annual expenditure on the health sector, especially on the construction and expansion of referral hospitals, provincial and municipal hospitals, and village health posts across the country to move health services closer to households. The Royal Government believes this is an effective measure to provide timely health services to improve social welfare and accelerate poverty reduction.

In this spirit, the Royal Government has done its part to constantly increase the number of doctors, medical practitioners, midwives and nurses though training programs, capacity strengthening programs, and national and international internship programs. Along with this, we also pay attention to the allocation of doctors, medical practitioners and nurses in rural areas. We continuously strengthen the professionalism of doctors, medical practitioners and health officials to ensure the quality of health services. In this sense, I would like to appeal to health officials, doctors, medical practitioners and all health service providers who are responsible for the provision of health care services to adjust your behavior to the code of professional conduct in the health sector when you interact with the people and patients by upholding the technical and humanitarian principles and have to adhere to virtues, morality and high sense of self awareness and must always remember that “ doctors are saviors of patients”. All doctors and health personnel must not just consider patients as your customers; in contrast you have to consider patients as victims who necessarily need to receive saving, treatments and healthcare services, and provide them with best cares in order to make them have hopes in lives and trust and confidence in the service of our public heath.

In addition, the Royal Government has also thoroughly increased investigations on the provision of health services in private sectors, in particular on doctors’ consultations and treatments and pharmaciticual businesses by encouraing all hospitals, clinics and private medical centers to respect the principles of laws in order to ensure the quality of services and health of people as well as encouranging those health practicioners in private sector to strengthen and expand cooperation with other state institutions, development partners, national and international organizations and other donors, aimed to improve the public health of our people. In parallel, the Royal Government has been encouraging all stakeholders to continue improving and expanding their capacity to make a progress towards establishment of a system for insuring health, education and more-indepth information dissemination of health and hygience more extensively. I believe by doing so all those tasks would not only become effective social saftey nets but also can ensure sustainbility of health sector developoment of Cambodia.

Though we already have made many achievements and progresses, we are still facing a number of confronting problems that we need to work together to address in order to achieve the Millinieum Developoment Goals 2015, in particular the issues on child and maternal motarlity rates during laboring that are still high and women fertility. Along with this, the rapid increase in numbers of people in urban and rural areas, lack of research study and dissemnation of new disocveries of health problems, lack coordinating mechanisms of instistutions responsible for the healtcares of familiy and businesses enterprises, incomplete process of insurance, limited capacity of institutions in technology for communication and performing tasks systematically, and ourtbust of contagious diseases as such are all a concern that we have to persistenly face and address in 2011 and in years ahead.

In addtion, even in the past we have invested a lot in technology for use in medical and information technology sectors, and promoting the capacity of institutions to address confronting problems above, in particular for good diagnosis work and effective health treatments, all these tasks have not yet shown their effectiveness. Hence, at this phase we need to select additional investment projects in this area in order for medical technology and health information technology system to effectively contirbute to patients’ follow-up cares, analsyses, and disease treatments in a timely response to the need of our people in all places in the country. At the same time, we all have to actively continue encouraing and implementing key measures and policies along with further promoting partnerships and more in-depth reforms of health sector aimed to build more preferential environments for investment projects of private sector in construction of physcial infrastructure that will create a key mechanism for the development of health sector of Cambodia more quickly.

In this spirit, I would like to instruct the Ministry of Health and relevant institutions/authorities at all levels to continue working hard through effectivee uses of all means and resources in the right directions. That includes the Ministry of Health and all relevant partners need to mobilize new initiatives and good recommendations from this forum as input materials in order to ensure rights directions in prepartion and planning of activities for the positive results of continued implemenations of health tasks in this 2011 and years. Along with this, the Ministry of Health needs to establish mechanisms for patients’ follow-ups and diagnoses that can be trusted, and throughly implement those mechanisms to ensure quality and effecitiveness of the public health provisions to our people by complying with the standards and career code of ethics for doctors, dentists, pharmacists, doctors of medicines, midwives, male and femal nurses, officials, personnel, workers and all practicising agencies in the entire health sector.

Moreover, do not over overlook the outflowing trends of Cambodian people seeking healthcaer services outside the country. This factor not only make us lose the reveune of health sector, contributing to gross domestic products, through spending on the imports of health serivces from outside the country but also impacting general trust of our people on health sector that we have worked hard building and developing from scratch. In this sense, the Ministry of Health need to firmly increase attention on quality and effectiveness of public health provision to our people by adhering to the spiririts of high responsibility and caring on performing duties of each individual, for the the cause of welfare development for our people and society.

In this spirit, the Ministry of Health has to make its continued effort to encourage hospitalls, health centers, health posts and health service providing institutions, especially clinics and private poly-clinics to upgrade their medical equipments and facilities and medical professional in desease diagnosis and analysis to be perfect in medical consultation, treatment and healthcare for our citizens. Having said that, health service providers must strickly and seriously comply to the principle of public health disciplines called “human health is conscience obligation that doctors, nurses, pharmacists, health practitioners and other health staffs must primarily comply with. We must not let patients die or illness condition become more serious due to administrative arrangement and treatment service payment”. In this regards, health treatment must be based on humanitarian and professional code of ethics, with careful and comprehesive diagnosis and analysis on the cause and symtom of various deseases and must provide timely treatment to save our people lives. Along with that, I would like to remind the Ministry of Health to pay attention, take gradual and effective measures and cooperate with other relevant ministries/institutions to eliminate and crack down on expired medicines, obsolete medical facilities and equipments and unlicensed medical producers, pharmacies and clinics because ineffective or careless law enforment of above issues could possibly generates side effects on our people lives and the society as a whole.

Logically, a credible public health system is built based upon technical, technological, physical and institutional support. Therefore, the Ministry of Health and related agencies must make continued efforts to build supportive infrastructures to dispatch public services closer to our people in accordance with the decentralization and deconcentration policy of the royal government. Moreover, the Ministry of Health must continue to cooperate with other relevant institutions and agencies to solve inter-sectoral issues such as the averse impact of climate change and natura disasters, causing negative impact on animal and human health, economy, agriculture, water and environment. In this spirit, the ministry has to prepare itself by strengthening medical emergency rescuse capacity and jointly pay more attention to the provision of consultation service, health examination and treatement to our people and dessiminate conprehensively the measures to prevent and minimize impact of any disaster that may have on our people.

Last but not least, I would like, once again, to express my sincere thanks to Excellencies, Ladies, Gentlemen, doctors, nurses, pharmacists, health pactitioners, health staffs and development partners of both local and international organization and health agencies to participate with the government in developing Cambodia’s health sector so far and highly appeciate your arrangement and participation in this important conference. Taking this opportunity, I would like to urge Excellecies, Ladies, Gentlemen and all paticipants in the conference to continue providing support and actively implement any action plan as laid out in health sector to realize new achievemnents for our people and the entire nation.
Finally, along with the closing of the 32nd stocktaking conference and 9th joint review conference of health sector achievements I would like to wish Excellencies, Ladies, Gentlemen, distinguished national and international guests and the conferences the four gems of buddist blessing: Longevity, Nobility, Health and Strength.

Selected Comments during the Graduation and Diploma Presentation Ceremony at the Royal University of Laws and Economics

14 March 2011

RULES’s Self-Financing

It is a great pleasure indeed that I have a chance to join with the Royal University of Laws and Economics (RULES) to celebrate the graduation and diploma presentation ceremony for 1,315 students. I have presided over such event eleven times already for RULES since 1996. And this is the first time that the ceremony is being conducted in a new building. It has also reminded of my lecture here in the 1980s as is recalled by HE Yuok Ngoi, the Rector, in his report.

I am so glad that RULES has fully developed as a university in latest efforts. It should be proud that RULES has achieved self-financing from educational service, by which new infrastructures and buildings have been initiated and progressed in firm steps. I think that this could be a good model and example for other schools and universities to follow.

I am so glad that we have made tremendous progress in field of education as is sounded out by the report of HE Im Setthi, Minister of Education, Youth and Sports, and echoed by that of HE Yuok Ngoi. So far some 11,049 students have graduated from RULES and some 17,775 are in pursuit of their studies. It is our pride that we have foreign students coming and studying in our tertiary institutions such as the Royal University of Phnom Penh, the Royal Academy of Cambodia and RULES, and perhaps others too.

I wish to take this opportune moment to express my sincere thanks and appreciations for efforts made and patience uphold by rectors, professors, managerial staff in the course of providing knowledge and knowhow for our younger generation. I also take this moment to give my appreciation and share my joy with our graduates today that they have become new human resources for our country. I would like to thank also families and parents of graduates for taking all hardships in their income making efforts so as to support and finance their studies.

Upholding Personal Income Tax Law

So far there have been so many requests for tax exemption from both schools that are run by locals and foreigners. When I am talking about this, I also mean diplomats who used to ask for personal-tax exemption. As they have come from afar to tell us about the need to get stringent with tax, they in fact should be aware that paying tax on personal income is an obligation.

In this instance I urge other training institutions, local and from abroad, that are present in Cambodia to take the law on personal income tax seriously. A favor granted to one institution would indulge a favor for another. Let’s all heed the obligation.

Fee Paying Students, a Way for Equal Chance of Education

Among the graduates, it is worth noting that only 232 students have been on scholarships (provided by the state), whereas 982 of them were fee-paying students. This once again proves that our policy to allow public institutions to provide training opportunity for fee-paying students as private education institutions has offered chance for education for so many people.

Cambodia Now Needs More Teachers & Doctors

It is in this trend that from day to day, more and more human resources have increased and this is a starkly different situation compared to some 32 years ago when Cambodia was starting from scratch. Despite the progress, we still have to take up the challenge of continuing to prioritize human resource development, especially through education, by building more schools and providing more teachers at the local level. I would have your attention here that as far as need for teachers is concerned, in time that staff recruitment is forbidden across the board, the Royal Government has allowed two ministries to go on recruiting staff – Education and Health. So every year we have allowed recruitment of some 5,000 teachers in replacement of retired ones.

Let’s Get Things Done and Ready for Rabbit Years

As Cambodia is anticipating the coming Year of Rabbit (in April), I hope that we all are making efforts to fulfill our tasks and missions so as to get ready for the New Year. I would urge our people to accomplish whatever they wish in their daily-life aims and refrain from committing offenses. Since we have here today presence of Mayor of the city and Head of Khan/districts, I would urge them to take counter measures against drug use. Let me remind heads of all police offices at the Sangkat/commune level that it is their duties to see that these matters be addressed.

Let me warn you that if you do not fulfill duty, senior level law enforcement mechanism will see to that. I would urge also that efforts and measures taken in this campaign must be straightforward and objective. We should try to root them out and jail them if need be. I would have your attention that crimes and offenses are always the case when the authority is engaged entirely in urgent affairs.
Take for instance logging, while in 2000 we were so busy engaging with rescuing our people from flood, had gone wild and out of control. As of the present time that the Royal Government is devoting its efforts and synergy in defending the country from foreign aggression, these crooks would deem it their best chance and time to conduct their harmful business to our country and society such as drug trafficking and logging. Let me warn authority about taking bribe from these crooks.

Talking about this I also warn officers who may take bribes by all means, take for example this case of fabricating or forging evidence so as to sway the verdict in court. This has been the case and we have taken stern measures so far that two or even three star generals have been arrested. It is because of fabrication of evidence that cases which deserve long-term imprisonment had in the past been either misjudged and delivered with a much shorter time of imprisonment or even suspended. Criminals benefitting from this had then gone wild and created worse case for society.

They could not be stronger or above the law when we all are enforcing the law and act in our duty. However, I would urge that actions should be taken within the legal limit and not to take it to the extreme as we are not following Pol Pot’s example of eradication or execution. As I said earlier, I would not forgive or argue it when officials of the Royal Government, police and military police, are found tainted with a case where ‘smaller fish fed bigger ones’ (lower in rank officials sharing bribes with higher rank officials).

I also would like to urge our people to control speed limit while driving as I have noticed numerous cases of severe road accidents. The one on the national road 4 the other day had taken lives of some twenty people, and wounded so many others. I am calling all of our people to limit their driving speed to within and below 80 km/h. I hope that from now to the Khmer New Year and on accidents as such would not happen.

Japan Quake & Tsunami - Horrific Contemporary Disasters

Last Friday, our people may have known it already that in Japan there as a horrific natural hit on Japan – earthquake and tsunami. According to the press, there have been over one thousand deaths and over ten thousands are unaccounted for. The holocaust also caused indescribable damage to property while putting Japan’s (Fukushima Daichi) electric plant run by nuclear power in a state of imminent threat. This natural hit is far bigger than the one Japan suffered 140 years ago. We are concerned that this will bear a huge spell on Japanese economy and hence more in the region and the world even would share the brunt.

On behalf of the Royal Government of Cambodia and the people of Cambodia, I have sent a letter to Prime Minister Naoto Kan to share our sympathy and pity with our Japanese friends and contributed a sum of one hundred thousand USD for the people of Japan. This amount of contribution is very small but it is the Cambodian people’s heartfelt feeling for the difficulties that the people of Japan are in. Together with the people of Cambodia, I would like to share with the people and Government of Japan our deepest condolence for the deaths and concern over the destruction.

Accounting for Cambodian Students in Crisis-Hit Foreign Countries

As for Cambodian students studying in Japan, according to preliminary information so far, it seems that no one is reported struck in the incident. I have asked the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports to keep contact with the Cambodian embassy in Japan to keep an eye on this situation though. In case of any sad development, the information should be relayed to us the soonest possible so as to take appropriate and timely action.

However, on another instance, Cambodian students in Egypt, because of the incident out there, we have asked Malaysia to help flown them out. Some have chosen to stay on and as the situation returns to calmness they continue their studies. We also have evacuated all of our students from Libya with the help from Vietnam. They all are back in Cambodia now. Since we have students in so many countries, it would be wise concerned authorities are keeping their eyes on developing and evolving situation so that appropriate and timely measures could be taken.

International Students Contest – a Way to Go

Just now HE Yuok Ngoi mentioned about sending our students to an international contest. It is a good thing that now Cambodia is making its presence in international arena where some over one hundred countries have joined. Cambodia lost its identity and prestige in the world arena under Pol Pot’s time. After January 7 victory, there was a period of time that Cambodia was never fully affiliated to any specific forum or organization. Cambodian political factions had competed for seats at the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement, etc., where Pol Pot, who committed crimes against Cambodians and humanity, was recognized, and so were for the seats in the International Olympic Committee and the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA).

Cambodians Unite, Foreigners Come By

As of now, all seats are represented by Cambodian people’s representatives. This has brought me to a synthesis that as soon as Cambodians fight each other, foreigners would take side and further aggravate conflict and when Cambodians unite, foreigners would come by in favor of our unity. Take a serious case as an example, the Thai-Cambodian conflict at the border of Preah Vihear temple. The fact that this matter has been forwarded and heeded with response by the United Nations Security Council is not a simple development.

Firstly, only one out of five permanent members of the UNSC vetoes the request, the UNSC’s meeting on the said conflict would not happen. Secondly, in similar instance, there would not be a communiqué too. One political party’s head in Cambodia has echoed that he had recommended long ago that this matter should be brought to the UNSC’s attention. I would respond that the person should learn more about the way things work in the UN and the UNSC, especially if the person wishes to make him/herself future Prime Minister.

To get the issue to the attention of the UNSC is not a simple matter and we have not brought for them the issue of border conflict (as maybe deemed by the person) but a matter of war that is posing threats to regional security. If it were the border issue per se, I am sure there would not be so rapid or even no response. I would urge politicians to study this matter through.

Ready for GBC & JBC Meetings in Indonesia

Where are we now? Cambodia is getting ready for a journey to Bogor of Indonesia for the meetings of General Border Committee (GBC) and Joint Border Committee (JBC) for Land Boundary Demarcation with coordination and involvement of the ASEAN rotating chair (Indonesia). The chair would open the meetings and stay there while the two sides will proceed with the meetings. In light of any meetings’ outcomes, the Indonesian chair would be co-signing as a third party. There is no more closed door bilateral meeting anymore.

There have been so many lessons already that such closed door bilateral discussions had brought us indecisive moments as what had been discussed and agreed upon in the meetings were not properly told to the press, which then caused so much misunderstandings. This has happened more than one and we cannot let that repeated. I agree that negotiations on trade and tourism can go on bilaterally. For things concerning ceasefire, observation and border issues will have to be conducted in third party’s presence.

Cambodia Wants No War but Life without Intrusion

It seems the situation has improved somewhat as there was a volleyball match among them (Thai and Cambodian soldiers) yesterday at Ta Thao according to my recommendation. Talking with each other out of differences is indeed difficult but it is better than we fight and shed blood. Let’s talk and play ball and even perform arts together. Let’s not fight. No matter who has what (weapons), once hit, there would be casualties and death. Who suffer most are the people.

It is in this realistic understanding and because we had spent so much time in the civil war that Cambodia wants no more war. All we want is to survive as a nation and no intrusion and abuse of any kind would be brought upon us. It is so ironical as it has been said lately that Cambodia invaded so and so country. I have said that it is the first time in the modern history of Cambodia that a country has said to be invaded by us. Take for instance the yellow-shirt demonstrators in Thailand always call us invaders. They claim we took their land but where their land is we do not know (according to the map recognized by the International Court in The Hague).

We will do whatever we need to defend our land and would resist all forms of aggression, forces included. We are no sheep. In instance of a ceasefire, all must stay where they are awaiting border issue solution. This means we will need for the International Court of Justice in The Hague to clarify (its 1962) verdict (that recognizes Cambodia’s sovereignty on the Preah Vihear temple). Cambodia would accept whatever the court would explain, i.e. if we are in the land that belongs to them (Thailand), we will move out, and if they (Thailand) are in our territory, they also have to reciprocate in kind. Both sides must respect the court’s decision.

Indonesia Can Send Observers to Cambodia Right Away

Now we have a ceasefire in place but we need to have ceasefire observation team from Indonesia to come to guarantee it. We have responded to the Indonesian side already and Thailand has yet to do so. I would stand by my position announced on February 20 that if Thailand does not allow the Indonesian ceasefire observation team on their side, Cambodia will accept them on our side still. I would urge for the sake of time saving for sending the team to Cambodia as we had the visit of Indonesian military attaché to the conflict sites already.

Cambodia has got a commission in place, to work with the Indonesian team, under the coordination of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense, HE Tia Banh. We also have a commission set up on legal affairs concerning this matter also chaired by a Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, HE Hor Namhong. As current ceasefire is so fragile, without waiting for the approval from Thailand, Cambodia urges Indonesia to send in to Cambodia their observers.

Selected Comments at the Inauguration of the Ek Sovan Buddhist temple and the Samdech Techo Hun Sen

Selected Comments at the Inauguration of the Ek Sovan Buddhist temple and the Samdech Techo Hun Sen – Mongkul Junior Secondary School, Roboh Mongkul Commune, Mong Russei District, Battambang Province

10 March 2011

Buddhist and Secular Developments

I am so happy to be able to join with all venerable Buddhist monks and Excellencies, Oknha and Lok Chumteav and our people to officially inaugurate the Buddhist temple of Ek Sovan or Wat Kon Ka Ek and the Samdech Techo Hun Sen – Mongkul Junior Secondary School in the commune of Roboh Mongkul, Mong Russei District, Battambang province. Thanks to efforts made in the last 32 years (1979) by head monks and the Buddhist parishioners, now we see that the temple has been built anew and reflected our people’s strong belief in Buddhism.

I am sure it is to everyone’s knowledge that destruction under the former regime of the genocide of Pol Pot for the period of three years, eight months and twenty days, was a similar fate shared by the whole nation. The regime inflicted destruction on all religions and faith - Buddhism, Islam and Christianity. As of January 7, 1979, Cambodia restored rights to beliefs and faiths. Since the country has a long history of Buddhist belief, Buddhism has then revived quickly, despite initially difficult condition.
I am so joyful that Buddhist parishioners of the Kon Ka Ek Buddhist pagoda have called for my contribution for the construction of two achievements – Buddhist and secular - that we are putting into official use today.

School, Temple and More

Actually and accidentally, I learned of a Katina (collection of offerings for the Buddhist monks the sake of development of Buddhism) organized by Mr. Ith Seddha, one of the CTN TV presenters for the pagoda of Ek Sovan here in Mong Russei district. I could recall that on November 1, 2009, I have instructed my staff to bring a contribution of 50 millions Riel in addition to the amount the Katina collected for the pagoda.

We first dealt with the need for a school building. After finding out that they have a small plot of land available for school construction, I agreed to build a two storey building of ten classrooms because the narrow space would not allow it to be twelve rooms according to my standard. I spent 126,720 USD for the school buildings, with gate and fence around.

Later we have this issue of Buddhist temple, which, as is reported by HE Prach Chan, Governor of the Battambang Province, was first built in 1843, the year that is corresponding to the time when Preah Baat Ang Duong commenced his struggle toward Phnom Penh and also may fall on the time when the Vang Jas (former Royal Palace) Buddhist pagoda was built. Because the requested temple for reconstruction was not original, I have decided to offer to build a new temple. The new temple cost 152,400 USD.

It is thanks to Ms Yim Sam Oeun, mother of TV presenter Ith Seddha, we have made the two projects possible. Though the head monk dare not make it known to me, it is to my knowledge that there is a need for a dining hall and two poles to fly Buddhist flags in front of the temple. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior HE Sar Kheng and Madame have already covered the cost of building the dining hall. The Minister of Justice, HE Ang Vong Vaddhana and the CPP team for Battambang province will get the poles constructed. The Khmeng Wat Construction Company of Oknha Mong Rithy will take up the construction of the fence.

Dedicating to Buddhism and My Mother, All Bills Paid

May I suggest the Khmeng Wat Construction Company of Oknha Mong Rithy to change the wording that they had written ‘The Temple was offered by …’ to ‘The Temple Was Built by Samdech Techo Hun Sen and Lok Chumteav Bun Rany in Dedication to Buddhism …’ I hope this can be done now since the issue of wording has been discussed and decided on several occasions already.

I also would like to take this opportunity to inform that I have paid the balance for all projects to the Khmeng Wat Construction Company. They include everything. Let’s be clear that I have not allowed misuse of state property, wood for instance, for the construction of my schools at all. If that ever happened, it would not be under my knowledge and therefore is in the Company’s responsibility absolutely. I also instructed HE Chan Sarun, Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries on this matter too.

Having made these contributions, I would like to dedicate merits generated from these actions in memory of my mother who died thirteen years ago. In fact, according to traditional belief, my late mother has taken a reincarnation as my grand- daughter, who is now 11 years old.

Developments for Peace and Stability

Lately, there have been great developments and changes in the province of Battambang. As is recalled by HE Ke Kim Yan, Deputy Prime Minister (ex-Commander-in-Chief), Ieng Phan (formerly of the Khmer Rouge forces) then fought endlessly and relentlessly. In early 1995, after the inauguration of the Svay Don Keo Bridge under the presidency of Preah Karuna Preah Baat Samdech Sihanouk, the King Father, on their way back to Phnom Penh, one of our armored vehicles was ambushed. This is to remind all of us that this place used to be one of the most insecure until the 1996’s integration of Malai, Samlot, etc.

It is with this peace and stability that we have been able to build and maintain bridges. As you can see now we have electric poles mounting along the road from Phnom Penh via Pursath to Battambang province. Soon, electricity will be wired and run from (hydropower plant) in Koh Kong via Pursath province to Battambang.

As is reported by the Governor HE Prach Chan, Battambang harvested some 785,000 of paddy with a surplus of 85,000 tons compared to the previous year. Of which, about 44,000 tons have been exported. The province also harvested over one million tons of cassava and about half a million tons of corn. Though Battambang province has been divided into two, to establish Banteay Meanjei province, it is still a big province with so much potential. Also, the district of Mong Russei, though will be divided into two to create a new district of Rukkha Kiri, will continue to have potential with the 76 km of asphalted road between Mong Russei and Rukkha Kiri and also four other roads within the district iteself.

On Cambodian-Thai Border Issue

I am sure you are expecting to hear something about the development in relation to the Cambodian-Thai border issue. There have been clarifications and interpretations for the public by the spokespersons of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of National Defense already, however, I would like to add and clarify some latest developments to the issue.

We have received a letter from the ASEAN chairperson, Foreign Minister of Indonesia, to the foreign minister of Cambodia, HE Hor Nam Hong and to foreign minister of Thailand, Kasit Phiromya. The letter also has been copied and sent to all foreign ministers of ASEAN. This is a second letter that was sent to and copied to similar addressees. I would not need to clarify this issue of bilateral or multilateral (mechanism) anymore as you now can see, judging from the letters, there would not be any meeting only between the two sides anymore. It is up to them to say if it is bilateral or multilateral, but the setup now is that whatever discussed would be in the knowledge of a third party (and ASEAN members).

The Indonesian Foreign Minister’s Letter

I do not need to read the letter for you but roughly speaking in his letter, the foreign minister (of Indonesia) thanks the two governments for their supports of the draft of the terms of reference (TOR) for Indonesian observers, and has attached some changes to the conditions of TOR. Indonesia asked Cambodia and Thailand to consider positively and urgently a new TOR. The new draft actually has included no locations for deployment though in fact he (Indonesian foreign minister) has received observers’ proposed locations in areas where Cambodia suffered impacts. He said that ‘I hope to receive the proposed locations for observers from the Kingdom of Thailand.’

In another instance, the Indonesian foreign minister reassures his readiness to host and provide facilities for meetings of the General Border Committee (GBC) and Joint Border Committee (JBC) on March 24 and 25, 2011. “As I have received an endorsement from the Kingdom of Cambodia, I am anticipating positive response from the Kingdom of Thailand.” As you can see now that while Cambodia agrees to the meetings, Thailand has yet to respond to the plan.

I therefore urge the Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vijjajiva to respond the soonest possible to the Indonesia’s proposed meetings (in late May) and the terms of reference for the Indonesian observers, rather than to remind me to reciprocate. The Indonesian foreign minister also indicates in his letter a sense of urgency since it has been almost a month after the informal meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers in Jakarta on February 22. I treated this as a reminder and urge from the ASEAN Chairperson. As I instructed, HE Hor Nam Hong already responded less than 24 hours expressing our agreement to those requested changes.

Changes are in positive terms though since ‘… the implementation of the TOR will not affect the territory, security or public important interests, and results of negotiations on the border demarcation between Cambodia and Thailand…’ This paragraph (has indeed been written to) respond to concerns of Thai side as there have been conflicting signals between those approving and disapproving from the Thai parties, as some would want it to go open and some would want it to go undisclosed. For me this is a paragraph that provides feasible way for Thailand.

As for the point concerning the Indonesian observers and locations, I would assure that the locations proposed are not in areas that require demarcation because their mission is to observe the ceasefire. I think Thailand should not be concerned about this. Cambodia already made it clear in its letter dated February 27, 2011. As for locations for observation on the Thai side, the letter has underlined that the government of the Kingdom of Thailand has not yet provided its proposal. Again, as you can see, the Thai has not responded too.

Having said and explained all these, let them – the United Nations Security Council, ASEAN and international community – see who have actually done its part for detente by way of having an ASEAN mechanism in place aimed at averting renewed armed clashes from both sides.

Concerning the Cambodian proposed term of twelve month for the Indonesian observer teams, the Indonesian proposed in his letter to reduce the state timeframe from 12 to nine months to suit with the remaining time of ASEAN chairmanship of Indonesia. As after nine months Cambodia will take over ASEAN chairmanship from Indonesia, I think Indonesia has respected its role and duty. I have said earlier already that Cambodia would like Indonesia to carry on beyond but of course this issue requires continuing discussion.

You may see too that Thailand keeps rescheduling its parliamentary ratifications on the three minutes of the two foreign ministers’ meetings, now to mid-March. As I hope that the GBC and JBC meetings will be taking place, ratifications could also have given to the three minutes of the (Thai-Cambodian) foreign ministers’ meetings. I even told HE Hor Nam Hong that in case of urgency (the two sides) should not wait till February 24 and 25. They should go right away to Jakarta. If they reach any agreements, in alphabetical order, since we need to have signatures of foreign ministers of three countries, Cambodia would be on top, then Indonesia followed by Thailand.

Let me seek an understanding from the Indonesian foreign minister as I disclose everything today but to my knowledge there is nothing as secret any more since seven other countries also learn what is going on.

Address at the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Construction of a New Container Dock of the Phnom Penh Autonomous Port

Kandal Province, March 9, 2011

Your Venerable Monks,
Your Excellency Pan Guanxue, China’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Cambodia,
Excellencies, Senators, Members of the Parliament, and Members of the Royal Government,Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, National and International Guests,
Dear all Compatriots!

It is my great pleasure with privilege to be here with your Venerable Monks, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen in theopening of the construction of a new container dock of the Phnom Penh Autonomous Port, which is located in Kandal Leu Village, Banteay Dek Commune, Kien Svay District, Kandal Province and financed by a loan from the Government of the People’s Republic of China. Following my inauguration of Prek Tamak Bridge on January 24, 2011 and the opening of the construction of the National Road No. 59 from Koun Damrei - Malai - Sampovloun - Phnom Prek - Kamrieng - Pailin on February 15, 2011 organized by the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, now I attend the opening of the construction site of a new container dock of the Phnom Penh Autonomous Port. Once again, I would like to kindly request H.E. Pan Guanxue to forward the deepest gratitude from the Royal Government and People of Cambodia to the Government and People of the People's Republic of China, who is a very good friend and source of finance for the reconstruction of Cambodia, especially transport infrastructure such as roads, bridges and ports. China has always been attentive to provide assistance to rebuild our prioritized sectors including economy, industry, agriculture, education, health and capacity development that are main catalysts for promoting growth and social development, creating employment and improving people's livelihood. The assistance includes the construction of irrigation systems, hydro-power plants and roads - bridges, human resource development and promotion of Chinese investment in Cambodia and so forth.

According to the report of H.E.Tram Iv Tek, the Minister of Public Works and Transport, the proposed construction area will cover an area of 6,600 meter square with 10 hectares of container dock, which include an administrative office and water and electricity network. The site is located along the Mekong River and the National Road No. 1 of Kandal Province, 30 Km east of Phnom Penh. The new container dock allows the docking of two 5000 T Ships simultaneously, with capacity of 120,000 TEUs per annum. The construction will be implemented by Shanghai Construction Group and inspected by Quangzu Vang Ang Inspection Company. The project will cost USD 28,220,000 million and take 30 months to be completed. I strongly believe the new container dock will increase the loading/unloading capacity of the Phnom Penh Autonomous Port. The new dock will become a main hub for distributing goods across the country that can push the internal integration, international trade and regional trade a step further, especially to realize our rice export target of 1 million metric tons per annum.

Transport is crucial for economic development, trade, global integration, especially access to global market. Among all transport means, waterway transport is the cheapest. In this sense, I think water ports link dry ports, airports and train stations to the region and the world. Water ports have played an important role in the development of the global economy by partly promoting regional integration through the expansion of market access and establishment of free trade areas

The Royal Government, so far, has always regarded the construction of infrastructure including the economic infrastructuresuch as roads, bridges, irrigation, port ...etc and social infrastructure such as education and health ...etc, as the righteous option with high priority and the catalyst to upgrade the economic dynamism with high growth. Normally, the Royal Government has spent substantial amount of money for the investment on economic infrastructures. Along with that, the Royal Government has played a critical role to be a strategist, designing the policies to encourage and follow up the social infrastructure development that private sector can do it. The Royal Government realizes that this economic infrastructure development has provided three main benefits which are (1) to enable the people to be able to utilize infrastructure, which is the public goods of the state (2) the huge spending on the building of infrastructure makes the gross requirement increase and accelerate the pace of development and (3)the infrastructure provides inputs and possibility to the private sector in promoting production.

Based on this perspective, the Royal Government has paid high attention to the construction of port infrastructures either sea port or river port for the interest as mentioned above as well as to promote export, especially when Cambodia is improving its competitive advantage in the regional and global markets.

It should be noted that since 1952, the activities of the Phnom Penh Autonomous Port have not been so much busy. Therefore, although there is on-going development today, this port has not responded to the need of water transportation as well as meeting the increase of container capacity. However, today the Phnom Penh Municipality is becoming larger because of the fact that huge buildings and constructions have been constructed according to the requirement of construction materials and the increasing quantity of the containers and cars and transportation activities have made the traffic more congested, especially in the capital city on the road of transporting, collecting and distributing of Phnom Penh Port. These factors will not allow the Phnom Penh Autonomous Port to enlarge its operation on the existing location at the Chruoy Changva, which is in the heart of the capital city and is also surrounded by buildings. Therefore, we have to select the new location for the construction of this new port in Kien Svay in order to contribute to improving capability of the Phnom Penh Autonomous Port for receiving the increasing containers and diverting the traffic congestion in the Capital City of Phnom Penh. Moreover, the connection of this new port with the water transportation along the Mekong to the sea can actually reduce the cost of petrol, cheap cost and more economically cost effective and efficient. Thus, the water transportation is the best and most effective mean to ensure the low cost and transportation of goods, which are of high quantity to reach the far-reaching destinations, and contribute to the reduction of Carbon Dioxide and Green House Gas, which is the source of global warming. At the same time, this kind of transportation will also help the Royal Government in reducing cost on road maintenance which have been broken because of the overweight transportation activities as well as contributing to reducing the land traffic accidents.

I realize that this newly built port facility at the new location means that all sectors are developed due to jobs and new business activities will be created for people, who live around the port and those who are required to provide services for vessels and port. Moreover, new port facility development will help increase Cambodia’s domestic and external trade activities as port is a place for transferring and storing and distributing items to all places within the country, exchanging trade in the region and the globe as well as collecting large part of budget revenue for the nation and contributing to ultimate poverty reduction.

Our Phnom Penh Autonomous Port is a river port which is linked to the lower Mekong of southern Vietnam. Under China’s financing loan scheme for the river port construction, Cambodia will have better port system along the Mekong River to provide waterway transportation service from the Phnom Penh Autonomous Port to the Kai Mep Port, which is deeper sea and international port, directly linking to international markets.

I strongly believe that port facility development and container dock along the Mekong River will accelerate economic growth, create economic opportunity and new transportation channel to southern Chinese sea.

In the next 30 months, we will have new container dock under the authority of the Phnom Penh Autonomous Port to meet highly demanded services of our nation. On behalf of the Royal Government, I would like to express my appreciation to the management and officials of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, in particular officials and workers of the Phnom Penh Autonomous Port, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, related Ministries/Institution and the Authority of Kandal Province, who have work very hard to realize the construction of this new port. The Royal Government remain persistently stick to its will to encourage and give high priority to the rehabilitation and reconstruction of economic infrastructures such as roads, bridges, railway, waterway and airway transport and port facility to better improve internal socio-economic integration as well as regional and global integration, aiming to create closer cooperation and good environment for trade, investment, private sector development, more employment generation to contribute to promoting economic growth, reducing poverty, enhancing social welfare for our citizens.

At the same time, I would like to congratulate the two Chinese companies – Construction Shanghai Group, which implements the construction project and Guangzhou Wan An Company, which controls construction techniques, for implementing other road and bridges construction projects in Cambodia. Taking this opportunity, I would like to express my high appreciation and encouragement to the two companies for their continued efforts to implement their respective projects in the construction of the New Phnom Penh Autonomous Port as projected with high quality assurance.

Along with that, I would like to remind our people, who live and travel along the road, to seriously take care of your traveling while travelling along good roads and bridges, in particular along the National Road No.1 which is almost finished its construction project being conformed to regional standard. I would also like to recall our compatriots to not drive over speed of 90 km/hour and of at least 40 km/hour in the town and avoid outdistancing in order to prevent from any unexpected traffic accidents, which may cause loss of human lives or serious injuries. Along with that, transport companies have to take highly moral responsibility as well as to strictly obey traffic law in order to stop overweight load to avoid damaging our newly constructed roads.

In conclusion, I would like to wish the Venerable Monks, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, Distinguished National and International Guests, Civil Servants, Teachers, and Students, especially H.E. Chinese Ambassador and His Colleagues, Experts and Technicians, who have been commissioned to work in the Kingdom of Cambodia, the four gems of Buddhist blessing:Longevity, Nobility, Health and Strength.

May I now declare the Opening of the Construction of the New Container Dock of the Phnom Penh Autonomous Portlocated at Kandal Leu, Bontey Dek Commune, Kien Svay District of Kandal Province!

Address at the Celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the International Women's Day March 8

(March 07, 2011)

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen!

Today, my wife and I are very pleased to be here to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the March - 8 InternationalWomen's Day. The people across the country are also celebrating this anniversary. I believe the event will strengthen and expand our partnership with national and international institutions on the areas of gender equity, elimination of discrimination and violence against women, enhancement of women's ownership and social welfare.

I would like to take this opportunity to praise the Ministry of Women's Affairs and related ministries/institutions, NGOs and associations for the hard work in enhancing women's value and role in socio-economic activities and eliminating violence and discrimination against women. I would also like to commend the National Council for Women, National Commission for Promoting Social Morality, Women's Value and Khmer Families, and the Cambodian Red Cross for the active involvement to address women's challenges, to support women's enhancement programs and to encourage them to participate in socio-economic activities.
I would also like to thank the development partners, civil society and private sector for providing financial and mental support in the campaign.

On behalf of the Royal Government, my wife and I myself, would like to pay tribute to all women for their bravery in fighting obstacles to attain good likelihood, rights, power, status to move out of vulnerability and achieve social harmony. 100 years of women's hard work have brought about the change in human behavior and recognition of women's potential, egalitarian status, and opportunity to serve in economic activities. The celebration of this event does not imply that we have just started to recognize women's value. According to this history and social facts, women have received particular attention and been highly valued. The claim is further strengthened by the historical fact that Cambodia has been a maternal society and some educational proverbs such as “insulting own mothers equals insulting god”, “rice enhance land, women enhance men” and so forth. Along with this, we all acknowledge that Khmer women are dignified and gentle. They can be good mothers or good older sisters. They are working as employees and employers. Their jobs range from political positions, judicial positions to private sector. Cambodia indeed fully acknowledges women's capability, knowledge, skills, advantage and potentials that can be used as important input in socio-economic development, as we have always stated that “women are the backbone of the economy and society”.

In our past celebration of Women's Day, we always recalled the long history of women's fight for rights and power, equal opportunity for employment, likelihood, social status and role to prepare new strategies and activities to respond to these problems. In particular, this year's theme is “Youths helping women means helping themselves and the society”. The theme encourages youths to take part in maintaining the social order by saying no to violence and immoral activities against other people, especially women and female children, drugs and alcohols and fulfilling their respective duties in conserving the tradition, custom, and culture that are the identity of our nation, as stated in a proverb that goes “Youths are Bamboo Shoots”.
Youths are full of energy and mental strength, and they will become the core resources of the country; therefore, participation from youths is essential.

The selection of this theme correctly and timely responds to the needs of your society that requires all citizens, especially youths, to become good and dignified citizens in a civilized society, who treat others with respect. Overall, we clearly understand that if we are careless to solve all these issues urgently, these passive acts will mount into a big burden to families, communities and the whole society.

With regard to address these challenges, the Royal Government has immediately introduced the “Guideline on Implementation of Policy on Safe Commune/Village”, which states five objectives as follows: (1) No thief or robbery of any kinds (2) No production, distribution and use of narcotic drug, (3) No misconduct, women and children trafficking and domestic violence, (4) No gangsters (5) No gambling, no unlawful procession of weapon or no crimes of any kinds.

Taking this opportunity, I would like to request the leadership, officials, and local authority of all levels to strictly keep carrying their works, providing good cooperation and having high responsibility in the future in order to cope with challenges that women and youth are facing today. Separately, the Royal Government has also adopted regulation and other appropriate strategies and a number of coordinating measures to protect women and ensure them justice including “the Law on Prevention of Domestic Violence and Victim Protection,” “the Law on Anti-Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation” and “Criminal Code”. Facing this challenge, all of us need to understand that discrimination against women, violence against women and children and woman and child trafficking are not only a problem of a woman, a family or a community, but also a tragedy of the whole national socio-economy and as a global issue.

Indeed, this day has made many countries make effort to ensure equity between men and women, to have same salary for same job, to ensure maternal leave, to ensure equal right between men and women, to have right to basic education, to prevent labor exploitation on women, and to consider violence as the crime to be charged under law. Along with this, Cambodia has also showed new much progress in promoting right, position and role of women in line with Millennium Development Goals as H.EING KUNTHAPHAVI, Minister of Women’s Affairs, has stated in this report a moment ago. In fact, Cambodia has successfully created a comprehensive systematic strategy for gender mainstreaming. Among those, key point to achieve Gender Equity areNeary Ratanak 5-Year Strategic Plan of Ministry of Women’s Affairs, which comprise of priority sectors and key gender mainstreaming programs such as providing economical encouragement to the women, women‘s involvement in decision making and politic; woman and education, changes in behaviors and attitudes, legal protection for woman, improving health and nutrition for woman as well as gender mainstreaming into policies, planning, legal and judicial and decentralization and de-concentration reform programs. In parallel, the government have prepared and expanded Millennium Development Goal to mirror a national specific context aiming to reduce violence and all other forms of violence to the women and children by the year 2015. Through this, Cambodia is the first country in the world which have embedded the reduction of violence on women as an indicator into national development plan and paid strongly attention to domestic violence, human trafficking and other forms of violence.

Moreover, the Royal Government is determined to at best effort to enable woman, especially support-less women living in rural area to receive health care, to send children to schools and to have proper living condition and just legal protection for women, and avoid from violence, trafficking, rape and all other forms of violence. Another important part is that the government always pays attention to increase participation ratio, at maximum possible, of women in all levels of national agencies from central to local ones.

At the same time, as my personal activities, I have always shares difficulties and support to family, particularly the women who delivered three babies, doing so I thought it was part of improving women and children welfare. Although those assistances are minimal it is sincerity in helping them to resolve their burdens. Truly, women who delivered only one baby sustains a lot of suffering, let alone the women who deliver three babies.

To what extend will she suffer? And these activities are exemplary to all other people to share burden of families and support-less women.

Taking this opportunity, I would like to admire and congratulate Lok Chumteav Dr. Bun Rany, as a Cambodian woman, who was named as “eminent figure of joint action plan of the UN Secretary General for women and children”, who fulfill very important role in humanitarian sector, to take part in poverty reduction and prevention of diseases in her capacity as President of Cambodian Red Cross. This high honor is birth of endeavor, utmost physical and moral energy, and intellect made in contribution promotion of woman, child and baby health, public awareness of issues related to woman, child and baby health, mobilizing funds from development partners, civil society and private sectors to support implementation of the action plan for the promotion of health of women, children, and babies in Cambodia. Along with this, I have observed that in the capacity as the honorary chairperson of the National Commission for Promoting Social Morality, Women’s Value and Khmer Families, Lok Chumteav Bun Rany has always supported and promoted the enhancement of situation, ranks and roles of Cambodian women and social welfare in order to contribute to the reduction and elimination of discrimination and all forms of domestic violence on women and children.

It is clear that extensively and bravely fulfilling its humanitarian mission ultimately helps reduce hardship of our people and victims on time and contribute to transform Cambodia’s society without all form of discrimination against women and children. In this regard, I would like to wish your Excellency a success in highly appreciated mission for the benefit of our people and Kingdom of Cambodia as well as a whole world human being.

In fact, over the last decades, Cambodia has achieved a great deal of achievement for enhancing value and role of women, preventing from and eliminating discrimination and violation against women. However, there are many things remain to be done in this sector which is required us to continue to further promote and overcome. In this connection, I would like to put up a number of recommendations for leaders and officials of the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, related ministries and institutions to continue to implement the enhancement of value and role of women, the prevention and elimination of all forms of discrimination and violence against women as the followings:

First, must continue to mobilize financial resources from development partners and charitable persons to support for creating fund to implement women welfare enhancement program and to contribute to solve difficulty women are facing. In this regards, the ministry must continue to closely cooperate with related ministries/institutions such as the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, Ministry of Information, Ministry of Culture and Arts and the Ministry of Cult and religious affairs to promote Buddhist religious preaching program to perform psychotherapy for youths group and adults and to inform difficulty of domestic violence.

Second, must continue to provide education of good culture and civilization of our nation to explore the value and role of women and Khmer family which is a mechanism to combat inflow of negative foreign culture, eliminate bad activities among youths and children group, badly influencing our national culture, custom and norm.

Third, must examine a possibility of creating rescue and solution of domestic violence center and establish voluntary group at community to ensure safety of women, children, and vulnerable group. Moreover, the Ministry has to find the way to improve performance of assigned officials to be more active in solving and downgrading problem while domestic violence or immoral activities are made based on the principle of cooperation, independent and high responsibility of those officials. Along with this, we have to search for means to accelerate the actvities of the officials in charge of this work to be more active with timely intervention and coordination, while there are any domestic violence or immoral acts, based on good cooperation, ownership, and highest responsibility of the officials in charge.

Fourth, increase the dissemination to all areas in the country about the urgent contact mobile number in each area and the dissemination about the scope of criminal offence for the those who commit domestic violence and other prosptitution. Once again, I would like all relevant ministries/institutions and all levels of local authorities to contunue strengthening and expanding working efficiency in the implementation of law and other legal documents related to the elemination of all forms of discrimination against women, domestic violence, trafficking of women and children and rapping ...etc.

During this solem celebration of a Decade of the International Women’s Day on 3 March today, on behalf of the Royal Government I would like to announce our commitment in fully promoting and supporting the mission to upgrade the value and roles of women under the theme: “Youth help women means help themselves and society”. In this regard, we all in state institutions, private sector, civil society, and national and international organizations, have to sponsor and support as well as providing closer cooperation in promoting the situation of Cambodian women and youth for the reputation and acceleration of our socio-economic development.

Taking this opportunity, I would like to wish the King Father, the Queen Mother, and His Majesty the King Samdech Preahbat Baromneat Norodom Seihamoni, the King of the Kingdom of Cambodia, who have always paid high attention to children and grandchildren, especially women and children, the strength of health and long live in order to be the shade for Cambodian people all over the Kingdom of Cambodia.

Finally, together with the dedecation to the 08-March International Women’s Day under the theme: “Youths helping women means helping themselves and the society”, my wife and I would like to wish Excellencies, Ladied and Gentlemen, Distinguished National and International Guests and all Compatriots the four gems of Buddhist blessing: Longevity, Nobility, Health and Strength.

Address at the 13th Anniversary of the National Culture Day

Chaktomuk Conference Hall, March 3rd, 2011

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
Veteran actors, actresses and instructors,
Dear all the actors and actresses,

Today, my wife and I are pleased to be here in the 13th Anniversary of the National Culture Day and the closing of the 2011 Khmer Cultural Show which is an event organized to promote and conserve our national culture. This event not only represents the policy program and cultural development plan of the Royal Government, but it is also intended to conserve, protect and develop the national culture and eliminate any campaign against the Cambodian culture.

Along with this, the Royal Government strongly supports the production of cultural crafts by encouraging innovation, promoting the richness of Khmer cultural products, raising awareness of the wonderful Khmer culture and morality, preventing the inflow of negative culture and eliminating negative activities among the youths and children that could dirty the wonderful tradition and culture of our society. In this spirit, the Royal Government firmly uphold the national solidarity policy to mobilize people from all corners and political factions to come under the national motto “Nation-Religion-King” to form a combined force to conserve and develop our culture, tradition, custom and social achievements to promote the image and dignity of the country with egalitarian status in the international arena. In general, the solidarity of our people not only contributes to an important input for protecting the sovereignty, integrity, peace and progress in Cambodian society, but it also help us conserve the wonderful culture of our nation.

Taking this opportunity, on behalf of the Royal Government and myself personally, I would like to commend the effort of the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts for the organization of this event. I strongly believe that the event will become a dynamic dissemination movement of “the culture” that will trigger further research and understanding. Despite it only runs for one day, this event will greatly benefit the socio-economic development effort and motivate all Cambodian citizens to take part in cultural conservation and development.

As all of us have been aware of, each society has been striving to conserve and develop their culture and civilization. Cambodia has a very long history and clear origin, can build its own culture, civilization and identity including language, music, musical equipments, dances, titles, temples, foods and other daily use equipments without having to steal from other nations. This richness in Khmer culture is reflected through stone scripts and unearthing of prehistoric sites. The claim is also supported by millions of sculpture found on all Khmer temples. This shows Khmer's cultural richness which has become an eternal spirit, heritage and identity of the Khmer kingdom and ancestors. We are proud since some of our cultural heritage have been globally acknowledged and inscribed in the world heritage list. In this sense, I would like to appeal to the people to ensure the safety of the Khmer culture by conserving and transferring cultural knowledge and experience to the next generation in order to conserve and develop the culture according to the Royal Government’s policy.

The theme of this year's cultural day is “Cambodia, Kingdom of Culture: all for safety, sustainability, harmony and progress”. Indeed, our country is full of cultural heritage and so it can also be known as the “Kingdom of Culture”. What we have raised so far are contextually and honestly true. The key factor is we are the descendents who have inherited this great cultural heritage; we together need to continue promoting the utmost potential, knowledge capacity, and know-how through research, documentation, restoration, information-dissemination, modernization and creation of new works complying with conservation methods in order to germinate the spirit of national culture and motherland loving that is the core of ensuring the security of culture, maintaining sustainability, and the progress of our society in the future.

Taking the opportunity of this culture day, I would like to request compatriots and all relevant ministries and institutions to unify and closely collaborate to achieve the goals that have been shown including continue imposing preventive measures through all means to make the entire society receive the continuity, security of culture, harmonization of national culture, and national reputation on international stage. In this regard, with respect to promoting of all kinds of cultures in our country, we do not promote only multiculturalism in our nation but also promote the sustainability of national culture as well. Hence, cultural institutions at all levels need to continue the hard-work and efforts more vigorously in order to make the spirit of our “3rd March National Culture Day” become a day to increase the potential of national culture aimed to make this sector contribute to the national socio-economic development. Before us now, our priority policy is culture conservation and development. For that we have many other missions including recommendations and guidance on culture to ensure the dignity, reputation, sustainability and progress of the country.

For this cause, we need to work harder together in order to make our culture sector become a genuine foundation of national socio-economic development, and we also need to continue germinating the youth spirit on national culture through promoting the participation of the people especially youth groups in maintaining, protecting and developing the culture. Hence, the training and knowledge-dissemination on the importance of culture conservation and development work along with encouraging the movement of popular arts are necessary for Cambodia at the present as well as in the future.

My wife and I would like to express our admiration and gratitude for popular art groups from all places in the country who have worked hard in training and producing many performances under the management of the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts in order to participate in the popular arts opera nationwide, and congratulate the great “3rd March National Culture Day”. All these great activities certainly have many advantages for contributing further to the building of the kingdom of culture.

In parallel, my wife and I are indeed pleased to see the performances of the popular arts, participating in the arts show in this 2011, have increased compared to 2010. Indeed, last year we had only 27 but this year we have 52 performances; those performances are operas, Lkorn, Ayai, and dances as such, all these are our cultural assets with national pride. I have a belief that though all the performance in this year show have not shown perfect quality yet but through the opening of this show it has allowed all those performances to be improved and become productions for culture sector that can entertain the public and be used for businesses.

In fact, I acknowledge that all artists have worked tirelessly making each group and each performance have their own good quality worth to be merited. In addition, I would like to provide some recommendations to the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, relevant ministries and institutions, production owners, composters, movie directors, and all artists in the aim to contribute to improving, conserving, and developing our national culture as followed:

• The production of popular arts performances need to be linked to the national policy on culture sector; knowing the national policy on culture sector is necessary knowledge and a compass for composers, movie directors all artists. Extensive and in-depth research on national policy and national strategy on this culture sector will help composers, performance and show producers to be line with the social aspiration that reflects the true identity of Khmer culture. Hence, the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts need to continue providing education and information-dissemination on national policy on the culture sector, which need to be done extensively among production owners, composers, directors, popular arts performance producers and all artists of us.

• All productions need to be in compliance with national norms. Truly, our ancestors have created countless norms for composition, creation of art performances, and art shows that reflects our great culture. In general, our colors and identities of our nation are hidden in these methodologies. The creation of art performances lacking of norms is a destruction of the value and the spirit of our art culture. Hence, I would like to request production owners, composers, directors and all artists to continue studying thoroughly the norms of each art form so that we can maintain our identity and the spirit of art culture of our nation. We together need to remember that progress occurs from study, knowledge is valuable for conservation and development. If we have no extensive knowledge, development will face obstacles; and it is the same for the popular art groups. In parallel, the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts should host a meeting for composers, directors and artists in order to strengthen their consultations aimed to share knowledge and experiences through mutual understanding and forgiveness. In overall, I am of the view that this method will provide key to effective improvement for unlimited development and new creation.

• The quantity must be connected to the quality that is qualification to acknowledgement of art creativity. Repetition is vital enemy to the artists. In this sense, if we achieve many products without quality, those products will not be supported from people. In fact, creating a lot of art products is necessary, but ensue those product with high quality with objective to attain honorable entertainment for the people and dissemination knowledge for national cultural development is even more important and essential.

• It is alright to be poor in anything, except ideas. Hence, initiative is prerequisites to overcoming poverty and creation. Although we have culture of diversity, but it requires new initiatives to further create more art products. Initiative and creativity enable us to avoid copying someone’s achievement. Copying someone‘s achievement is crime against intellectual property right which dampen growth of national cultural art. Of course, artists always learn from other, but they should copy from others thoughtlessly or copy the whole. They should draw good lessons for consideration and extract it into knowledge to create new product, so that national cultural art can make progress.

• We need to use art to feed art. Obviously, un-depleted resources are supports from our people towards protection, conservation and development of national cultural heritage. Through this, our group of popular artists should try their best to train and perform in order to get supported by our people, and then it will enable our group to gain popularity and gain income for livelihood easily.

• Opening up the opera house is a school because it will provide artists with the opportunity to share exchange experience and learn from each other in terms of stage performing and other arts such molding statute, craftsmanship, food and so on. As future visions, cultural institutions at all level should develop their own plan for hosting opera shows at their respective provincial, regional, and central levels to sustain the continuity of the national cultural art sector across the country. The Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts must try the utmost to constantly provide the pedagogical training to performers by consecutively organizing annual opera shows at the community, regional, and central levels. If we can make this happen, we can truly transform our people’s arts to be more developed, which may significantly contribute to the name as Cambodia: National Center of Culture Dissemination and the Kingdom of Culture.

• The Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts must comprehensively consider the words of Cultural Safety, which is not only aimed at the abstract culture, but also pay attention to the safety of the physical relics, meaning that we have to take care of the management, maintenance, preservation, protection, and repairing of the temples beside the Angkor and Preah Vihear areas, which are facing the collapse. At least when the national economy is not favorable enough for repairing, the management or protection should be paid attention to in order to prevent those shattered temples from becoming more serious with the lack of maintenance and we have to work hard to transform all historical temples and resorts to be welcoming places to serve the national tourism sector.

• The Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts must make laws on the management of the national cultural asset management in either physical or abstract condition, and promote the implementation of the intellectual property, especially the law of writer’s rights and other rights in order to eliminate the stealing or plagiarism of other writers’ masterworks and protect the new masterworks, which are the intellectual property of the actors and actresses and writers, or this new masterwork creators.

In the substance as mentioned above, I strongly believe that Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen will continue your cooperation by discussing, sharing, exchanging dialogues and contributing to the development of awareness, experiences, findings, and visions for the cause of jointly preserving and developing the national cultural relics. Along with this, we have to increase closer and loyal solidarity based on the principles of maintenance, protection, promotion of the national cultural heritage and development of cultural actions, prevention and elimination of every campaign posing cultural war against Cambodia. At the same time, the Royal Government will continue implementing various measures in order to encourage all levels of civil servants, especially the production owners, composers, managers, people’s arts and all to abide by the dignity, noble morality, and effective implementation of the professional conscience with creativity and high responsibility, which is suitable to be citizen of theKingdom of Culture and builder of the rich cultural properties in the world.

Once again, my wife and I would like to thank for the efforts made by the management and officials of the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, who have organized such significant national cultural event. Through this, I firmly believe that Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen will fully support the national wide people’s arts and this National Culture Day.

Finally, together with the dedication to the 13th National Culture Day on 3rd March, which is the day to commemorate the gratitude of our Khmer ancestors who have left the legacy of national cultural relics and the Closing of the 2011 Khmer Cultural Show nation-wide, my wife and I would like to wish Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen and all Actors and Actresses the four gems of Buddhist blessing: Longevity, Nobility, Health and Strength.