Monday, April 28, 2014

ពិធី​ប្រគល់​សញ្ញា​បត្រ ថ្នាក់​បរិញ្ញា​បត្រ​រង ថ្នាក់​បរិញ្ញា​បត្រ និង​ថ្នាក់​បរិញ្ញា​បត្រ​ជាន់​ខ្ពស់ ជូន​ដល់​និស្សិត នៃ​សាកល​វិទ្យាល័យ អាស៊ី អឺរ៉ុប ក្រោម​អធិ​បតី​ភាព​ដ៏​ខ្ពង​ខ្ពស់ សម្ដេច​អគ្គ​មហា​សេនា​បតី​តេជោ ហ៊ុន សែន នាយក​រដ្ឋ​មន្រ្តី នៃព្រះ​រាជា​ណា​ចក្រ​កម្ពុជា

រដ្ឋ​មន្ត្រី​​ក្រសួង​​សេដ្ឋកិច្ច ពាណិ​ជ្ជកម្ម និង​​ឧស្សា​ហកម្ម​​ជប៉ុន​​មក​​ជម្រុញ​​កិច្ច​​សហប្រតិ​បត្តិការ​​​សេដ្ឋកិច្ច​ជា​មួយ​​កម្ពុជា​

ឯកឧត្ដម តូស្សីមីស៊ុយ មូតេក (Toshimisu Motegp) រដ្ឋមន្ត្រីក្រសួងសេដ្ឋកិច្ច ពាណិជ្ជកម្ម និង​ឧស្សាហកម្ម នៃ​ប្រទេស​ជប៉ុន​ នារសៀលថ្ងៃទី២៧ ខែមេសា​ឆ្នាំ​២០១៤ បាន​ជម្រាប​ជូន​សម្តេច​អគ្គ​មហាសេនា​បតី​តេជោ ហ៊ុន សែន នាយក​រដ្ឋមន្ត្រី​ នៃព្រះ​រាជាណា​ចក្រ​កម្ពុជា​អំពីកា​រ​រីកចម្រើន​ នៃកិច្ចពិភាក្សា​ជម្រុញ​កិច្ច​សហប្រតិបត្តិការ​សេដ្ឋកិច្ច​រវាង​ប្រទេស​ទាំងពីរ។
 
ឯកឧត្តម អ៊ាង សុផល្លែត ជំនួយការ​សម្ដេច​តេជោ​បាន​ឲ្យដឹងថា ក្នុងជំនួប​សម្តែង​ការគួរ​សម​នៅវិមាន​សន្តិភាព ឯកឧត្ដម តូស្សីមីស៊ុយ មូតេក (Toshimisu Motegp) បាន​ជម្រាប​សម្ដេច​តេជោ​នាយក​រដ្ឋមន្ត្រីថា កាល​ពីព្រឹក​មិញ​នេះ (ថ្ងៃ​ទី​២៧ មេសា) ឯកឧត្ដម​​បាន​​ជួប​​ជាមួយ​​សមា​ភាគី​រដ្ឋមន្ត្រី​របស់​កម្ពុជា ដែលក្នុង​ជំនួប​នោះ មាន​ទិស​​ដៅ​​ដើម្បី​​ជំរុញ​ល្បឿន​​បន្ថែម​ទៀត​នូវ​កិច្ច​សហ​ប្រតិ​បត្តិការ​សេដ្ឋកិច្ច​រវាង​ប្រទេស​ទាំង​ពីរ។ ឯកឧត្ដម​រដ្ឋមន្ត្រី​ក្រសួង​សេដ្ឋកិច្ច ពាណិ​ជ្ជកម្ម​ជប៉ុន បាន​មាន​ប្រសាសន៍​ឲ្យដឹង​ថា នៅក្នុង​​ដំណើរ​​ទស្សន​​កិច្ច​​មក​កាន់​​កម្ពុជា​នេះ មាន​​វត្តមាន​​ថ្នាក់​​ដឹក​​នាំ​​របស់​ក្រុម​ហ៊ុន​ដែល​នាំមុខ​នៅក្នុង​ប្រទេស​ជប៉ុន ហើយការ​ចូល​រួម​របស់ប្រតិភូ​ក្នុង​ដំណើរ​ទស្សន​កិច្ចនេះ គឺដើម្បី​​ជំរុញ​​ធ្វើ​យ៉ាង​ណា​ឲ្យមាន​ទំនាក់​ទំនងកាន់​តែប្រសើរ​ឡើង​រវាងកម្ពុជា និងជប៉ុនផង និងជំរុញ​វិនិយោគ​ជប៉ុន​មកកាន់​កម្ពុជា​ផង ព្រោះថា កម្ពុជាមានសក្ដានុពលខ្ពស់ ជាពិសេស​នៅពេល​ដែល​កម្ពុជា​កំពុង​តែធ្វើ​សមាហ​រណកម្ម​តំបន់​ក្នុង​តំបន់​អាស៊ាន។​ ជាមួយ​គ្នានេះ​ដែរ ក្រុមហ៊ុន​ជប៉ុនមាន​សេចក្ដី​សង្ឃឹម​យ៉ាង​ខ្លាំង​ចំពោះ​សក្ដានុពល​ទាំង​ឡាយ ដែលមាន​​នៅក្នុង​​​ព្រះ​រា​ជាណា​​ចក្រ​​កម្ពុជា ពិសេស​ប្រជាជន​ជប៉ុន​មាន​ចំណាប់​អារម្មណ៍​យ៉ាងខ្លាំង​ចំពោះ​វិស័យ​ទេសចរណ៍ ដូចជា​អង្គរ​វត្ត អង្គរធំ​ក៏ដូច​ជាស្ថាន​ភាពរួម​ជាក់​ស្ដែង​នៅកម្ពុជា​ផង​ដែរ។ សូម​បញ្ជាក់​ថា តាមរយៈ​​ប្រធាន​​អង្គកា​រ​ចេត្រូ​​បាន​​ឲ្យដឹង​ថា ថ្មីៗ​នេះមាន​ក្រុមហ៊ុន​ជប៉ុន​ប្រមាណ ១០០ ក្រុម​ហ៊ុន​​បា​ន​ចូល​​មក​​វិនិយោគ​​នៅ​ក្នុង​​ព្រះរា​​ជាណា​​ចក្រ​កម្ពុជា។
 
សម្ដេចតេជោនាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រី​បានមា​​នប្រសាសន៍​ស្វាគមន៍ នូវរាល់កិច្ចពិភាក្សាលើគម្រោងនានា ក្នុង​ទិស​ដៅ​ពង្រឹង​ភាព​ជា​ដៃគូរវាងកម្ពុជា និងជប៉ុន។ សម្ដេចមានប្រសាសន៍ថា ជប៉ុន​គឺជា​ប្រទេស​ដែល​បាន​ផ្ដល់​ជំនួយ​ធំជាង​គេ​សម្រាប់​ការ​អភិវឌ្ឍកម្ពុជា ហើយ​ក៏ជា​ប្រទេស​ដែលបាន​ចូលរួម​ចំណែក​យ៉ាង​ខ្លាំង​ក្នុង​ការ​ស្វែង​រក​សន្តិភាព​សម្រាប់​កម្ពុជា​ផងដែរ។ 
 
សម្តេចតេជោមានប្រសាសន៍បញ្ជាក់ថា កម្ពុជា​សព្វ​ថ្ងៃនេះ​មិនត្រឹមតែចង់​បាននូវ​ជំនួយ​ពីប្រទេស​ជប៉ុន​ប៉ុណ្ណោះទេ ប៉ុន្តែគឺចង់បានភាពជាដៃគូអ្នកវិនិ យោគ​ដែលមកវិនិយោគនៅកម្ពុជា ហើយ​នាំផលិត​ផល​ពីកម្ពុជា​ទៅកាន់​ប្រទេស​ជប៉ុន​វិញ។ កម្ពុជា​ក៏មាន​មហិច្ឆតា​ចង់ឱ្យ​មានអ្នក វិនិយោគជប៉ុន មកកាន់កម្ពុជា ហើយ ផលិត​នូវ​ផលិត​ផលនាំ​ទៅកាន់​ទីផ្សា​រ ពិភពលោក ហើយក្នុងន័យនេះ សហគ្រាស ធុនតូច និងមធ្យម គឺជាគោលដៅ ដែល កម្ពុជាចង់បាន។ ជាង​នេះទៀត​កម្ពុជាក៏ ចង់បានឧស្សាហកម្មថ្មីៗ និង​រក្សា​ឧស្សាហ​កម្ម​ដែល​មាន​ស្រាប់ និងជំរុញការផលិត ឧស្សាហកម្ម បង្កើនតម្លៃបន្ថែម ដែលកម្ពុជាមានធនធានវត្ថុធាតុដើមស្រាប់ដូចជា អង្ករ ដំឡូង និងកៅស៊ូជាដើម៕

ប្រតិភូ​​ជាន់​ខ្ពស់ ​នៃ​​រាជ​​រដ្ឋា​ភិបាល​​កម្ពុជា​​​បញ្ចប់​​ទស្សន​កិច្ច​​ដោយ​​ជោគ​ជ័យ​​នៅ​​​អា​ស៊ែ​បៃ​ហ្ស​ង់ និង​​​បេឡា​រុស

សម្តេច​អគ្គមហាសេនាបតី​តេ​ជោ​ ហ៊ុន សែន និង​គណៈប្រតិភូ​ជាន់ខ្ពស់ ​នៃ​រាជ​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​កម្ពុជា​​បាន​ធ្វើ​មាតុភូមិ ​និវត្តន៍​មកដល់​កម្ពុជា​ប្រកបដោយ​សុវត្ថិភាព នា​​រសៀល​ថ្ងៃ​ទី២៦ ​ខែមេសា​ឆ្នាំ​២០១៤ តាម​ជើង​យន្តហោះ​ពិសេសបន្ទាប់​ពី​បញ្ចប់​ដំណើរ​ទស្សនកិច្ច​ជា​ផ្លូវការ និង​ជា​ប្រវត្តិសាស្ត្រ​នៅ​ឯ​សាធារណរដ្ឋ​អា​ស៊ែ​បៃ​ហ្ស​ង់ និង​សាធារណរដ្ឋ​បេឡា​រុសអស់​រយៈ​ពេល​៥ថ្ងៃ ​ប្រកបដោយ​ជោគជ័យ​។

ឯកឧត្ដម កៅ គឹមហួន រដ្ឋមន្ត្រី​ប្រតិភូ​អម​នាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រី ​បាន​ថ្លែង​ក្នុង​សន្និសីទកាសែត​នៅ​ព្រលាន​យន្តហោះ​អន្តរជាតិ​ភ្នំពេញ​ថា នៅ​សាធារណរដ្ឋ​អា​ស៊ែ​បៃ​ហ្សា​ន់ សម្ដេច​តេ​ជោ​បាន​ជួបពិភាក្សា​ផ្លូវការ​ជាមួយ​ឯកឧត្ដម​នាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រី​ ឯកឧត្ដម​ប្រធានាធិបតី ​និង​ឯកឧត្ដម​ប្រធាន​សភាជាតិ​នៃ​សាធារណរដ្ឋ​អា​ស៊ែ​បៃ​ហ្ស​ង់។

ឯកឧត្ដម កៅ គឹមហួនមាន​ប្រសាសន៍​ឲ្យ​ដឹង​ថា ឆ្នាំនេះ​គឺ​ឆ្នាំ​ទី​២០ នៃ​ទំនាក់ទំនង​ការទូត​រវាង​ប្រទេស​ទាំងពីរ ហើយ​ក្នុង​ទស្សនកិច្ច​នេះ​ភាគី​ទាំង​ពីរ​បាន​ឯកភាព​គ្នា​ក្នុង​ការ​ជំរុញ​បង្កើត​គណៈកម្មការ​ចម្រុះ​ពាណិជ្ជ​កម្ម និង​សេដ្ឋកិច្ច និង​ធ្វើ​យ៉ាងណា​ជំរុញ​ឲ្យ​បាន​ក្នុង​ការ​ធ្វើ​កិច្ចព្រមព្រៀង​ស្ដីពី​ការ​ការពារ​វិនិយោគ​ កិច្ចព្រមព្រៀង​កុំ​ឲ្យ​មានការ​យកពន្ធ​ត្រួត​គ្នា​រវាង​ប្រទេស​ទាំងពីរ។ ​​សម្ដេច​តេ​ជោនាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រី​ក៏បាន​ថ្លែងអំណរគុណ​ដល់​ថ្នាក់ដឹកនាំ​ប្រទេស​អា​ស៊ែ​បៃ​ហ្ស​ង់ ដែល​បានផ្ដល់​អាហារូបករណ៍​ដល់​និស្សិត​កម្ពុជា​ពី​ឆ្នាំ២០១៤ ដល់​ឆ្នាំ២០១៦ ហើយសម្តេច​បាន​ស្នើ​ឲ្យ​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​អា​ស៊ែ​បៃ​ហ្ស​ង់​ផ្ដល់​អាហារូបករណ៍​បន្ថែមទៀត ពិសេស​ការសិក្សា​ទៅលើ​វិស័យ​ប្រេង និង​ឧស្ម័ន។ ឯកឧត្តម កៅ គឹមហួន បាន​ឲ្យ​ដឹង​ថា ​នា​ពេល​អនាគត​ខាងមុខនេះ​កម្ពុជា ក៏​មានគម្រោង​ដាក់​ឯកអគ្គរាជទូត​ប្រចាំ​ប្រទេស​អា​ស៊ែ​របៃ​ហ្ស​ង់​ផង​ដែរ។

ដោយ​ឡែក​នៅ​ក្នុង​ដំណើរ​ទស្ស​នកិច្ច​រយៈពេល ២ថ្ងៃ​ គឺ​នៅ​ថ្ងៃទី២៣ និង២៤ ខែមេសា​ នៅ​ទីក្រុង​មីន​ស្ក នៃ​សាធារណរដ្ឋ​បេឡា​រុស ​ ​ឯកឧត្ដម​ កៅ គឹមហួន បាន​មាន​ប្រសាសន៍​ថា ​​សម្ដេច​តេ​ជោ​នាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រី​ បាន​ជួបពិភាក្សា​ជាមួយ​នាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រី ប្រធានាធិបតី ប្រធាន​ក្រុមប្រឹក្សា​រដ្ឋសភា​ជាតិ និង​អនុប្រ​ធាន​រដ្ឋសភា​ជាតិ នៃ​សាធារណរដ្ឋ​បេឡា​រុស ដែល​ទិសដៅនៃការ​ជួប​ពិភាក្សា​នោះ ​សំខាន់​គឺ​ដើម្បី​ពង្រឹង ​និង​ពង្រីក​ទំនាក់ទំនង​មិត្តភាព និង​កិច្ច​សហប្រតិបត្តិការ​រវាង​ប្រទេស​ទាំងពីរ (កម្ពុជា-បេឡារុស)។ នៅក្នុង​ដំណើរ​ទស្សនកិច្ចនៅ​ប្រទេស​បេឡារុស ​ភាគីប្រទេស​ទាំងពីរ ​(កម្ពុជា-បេឡារុស) បាន​ចុះហត្ថលេខា​លើ​ឯកសារ​ចំនួន​១០ ដែល​ក្នុង​នោះ​មាន​សេចក្ដីថ្លែងការណ៍​រួម​១ កិច្ចព្រមព្រៀង​ចំនួន៦ និង​អនុស្សរណៈ​ចំនួន៣។ ប្រទេស​ទាំងពីរ​ក៏បាន​ឯកភាព​គ្នា​ជំរុញ​បង្កើត​គណៈកម្មការ​រួម​សេដ្ឋកិច្ច និង​ពាណិជ្ជកម្ម ហើយ​ក៏បាន​ឯកភាព​គ្នា​ផង​ដែរ ដើម្បី​រៀបចំ​ផែនការ​សកម្មភាព​ប្រារព្ធ​ខួប​ទី​២០ នៃ​ទំនាក់ ទំនង​ការទូត​រវាង​ប្រទេស​ទាំងពីរ ​សម្រាប់​ឆ្នាំ២០១៥។ ភាគី​បេឡា​រុស​ក៏បាន​ស្នើ​ឲ្យ​មានការ ហោះហើរ​ពី​បេឡា​រុស​មក​កាន់​កម្ពុជា ក្នុង​ជំហាន​ទីមួយ​ក្នុង​មួយ​សប្ដាហ៍​ម្ដង​ ក្រៅ​ពី​នេះ​ប្រទេស​កម្ពុជា​ក៏បាន​ឯកភាព​ផង​ដែរ ចំពោះ​ការ​ស្នើ​ក្នុង​ការ​បង្កើតកុងស៊ុល​កិត្តិយស​ នៅ​ព្រះរាជាណា​ចក្រ​កម្ពុជា​របស់​ប្រទេស​បេឡា​រុស។

អញ្ជើញ​ទទួល​ដំណើរ​មកដល់​របស់ ​សម្ដេច​តេជោ​នាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រី​ដល់​ព្រលាន​យន្តហោះ​អន្តរជាតិ​ភ្នំ​ពេញ​មាន​វត្តមាន​ឯកឧត្ដម​ ឧបនាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រី​ ស ខេង រដ្ឋមន្ត្រី​ក្រសួងមហាផ្ទៃ ​ឯកឧត្ដម​ឧបនាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រី​ ទៀ បាញ់​ រដ្ឋមន្ត្រី​ក្រសួងការពារជាតិ​ ឯកឧត្ដម​ឧបនាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រី ​ហោ ណាំហុង រដ្ឋមន្ត្រី​ក្រសួងការបរទេស​ និង​សហប្រតិបត្តិការ​អន្តរជាតិ ​ព្រមទាំង​មន្ត្រី​សំខាន់ៗ​មួយ​ចំនួនទៀត៕




Selected Extempore Comments, Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen Prime Minister, at the Graduation and Diploma Presenting Ceremony of the Asia-Europe University

(Unofficial Translation)


CNV: 28/04/2014

I am so happy today to be able to come preside over the graduation of 1,823 students of the Asia-Europe University in the early part of the Year of Horse of the Buddhist Year of 2558. It is a good thing to present diploma at the start of a New Year like this. I listened to the report of the Asia-Europe University (AEU) rector, Duong Lieng, concerning the progress made by the University. First started as a non-governmental organization in area of education, the University has now a 15-storey building of its own.

Cambodia – A Case Different from Others’
In fact, I am so glad to observe these progresses concerning human resource training efforts in the past recent years, especially those efforts made right after the liberation of on 7 January 1979. Cambodia was in a different state from other countries in the world in the 20th century. Even in the 21st century, no country in this world has experienced unique situation like that of Cambodia. Compared to other countries experienced with genocide, like Rwanda, Sierra Leone, etc. despites all the wars and killings, Cambodia’s case has been dramatic with the fact that everything was destroyed. The capital city of Phnom Penh was empty. There was a Buddhist prediction that there would be homes but no one to live in it and there would be roads but no one to use it.

Those were true events. When I grew up, I just learned the Buddhist prediction that was passing from one person’s mouth to another. No body would have believed it. Then came this event of 17 April 1975, the regime of Lon Nol met its failure and the Khmer Rouge came into Phnom Penh. What they did was evacuating people from the city of Phnom Penh and other provincial towns. Ended right in that refime were private ownership in material as well as in sentiment, which, to the Khmer Rouge regime was their worst enemy. The best way for the Khmer Rouge to uproot people’s private ownerships of material was to move them out of the city to move them away from their property holdings. They moved people not one time but various times from one place to many others until they had nothing left.

In the course of moving, people left their becoming-obsolete objects like cars, motorbikes for no gas and hold on to only cash and gold. When it came to a time that no currency was of no value at all, Pol Pot implemented his policy of collectivization, where his regime claimed to have succeeded in eliminating the gap between the rich and the poor. They said they had demolished the rich and brought about the equality. They moved people from the city to live and exercise collectively in rural areas. That had in fact cut off people’s ownership rights to materialism.

As far as ownership to sentiment was concerned, we all know that and would have narrated it somehow to the younger generation. They gathered small children away from their parents to form up what they called children group. Adults also had to be in what they called mobile youth unit. As far as marriage was concerned, you were in no right to choose your partner. The relevant level of power of the “organization” of the Khmer Rouge would choose with whom you would marry. That is what I called the effort to eliminate human ownership of sentiment or feeling. That had brought about social consequence in which killing of one another, even own kin, was the case.

That made Cambodia’s departure from after the liberation of 7 January 1979 more difficult. What happened in other countries also inflicted changes but not the way Pol Pot did to Cambodia. Take for instance, those countries allowed people to go on using existing currencies and eventually replaced them later. Pol Pot did not do that. They closed down markets right alter the liberation. Things had gone back to bartering where people traded rice for fish, vegetable, clothing, etc. Eventually, after the liberation, trading in gold started before we came this far. Some foreigners or our people might have thought why Cambodian carry out trading in so many different currencies. It is a reason why in the Cambodian market many foreign currencies were trading.

Foreign currencies circulation in the Cambodian market legally or illegally would go on. Some asked why not taking action to de-dollarize or the same should be doing to Euro or other currencies. The financial crisis of 1997 is a good example of the fact that if Cambodia was not strong on its feet, jumping would not be high or falling would not be hurtful. There had been some studies too and their findings suggested that because of the fact that Cambodian market traded in many different currencies, the impacts were manageable.

More than that, reopening the school day of 1979/1980 was hard, really. We had to gather teachers survived the killing to get back to teaching and to train new ones. Now, it is 39 years from that horrible time. It is so sad to think about that. By this time in that year, people in Phnom Penh and/or provincial towns had been evacuated. They walked in despair. Some died on the roads. Thirty-nine years after that experience, we are celebrating today the graduation and diploma presenting ceremony. That is a stark difference.

Let me recall the Khmer New Year of 1979, people living across the Mekong from Phnom Penh – Lovea Em district, Arei Khsat and Sarikakeo – crossed the river at night to collect various things like bicycles, shoes, etc. The area of Independence Monument was covered with high grass. Where there is park now, there used to be coconut trees. My wife, my son and I were sitting in the house looking out to the quiet neighbourhood. There were not many monks then. Now, though I do not go out during the national holiday, I could stay watch TV at home.

Endorsing Three Draft Laws, Embracing Quality Education
We had to convene the Cabinet meeting to study and approve three important draft laws – Organization of the Courts, Organization and Functioning of the Supreme Council of Magistracy and the Statue of Judges and Prosecutors (before I was on a mission abroad). In fact, the law on Organization and Functioning of the Supreme Council of Magistracy could have been an amendment to the existing one. However, because we need to make many corrections in order to do so, it is better that we write it a new one. Following that important Cabinet meeting, I conducted a visit to Azerbaijan and Belarus.

Thanks to national efforts, we have ensured development in education in a rather quick manner. I agree with the Rector Mr Duong Lieng that quality in education continues to be a priority. He mentioned about the need to strengthen capacity of professor and students’ learning efforts. It is to everyone’s knowledge that quality in education is the major course to raise high the country’s prestige in the international arena. This is the case for all educational institutions – state and private, from primary to tertiary levels. Our country would not be able to compete with our partners – in ASEAN, ACMECS, GMS, etc., if we were to lack quality in education. Let us continue to make efforts altogether.

I take this opportune moment to give my sincere appreciation to the former Asia-Europe organization for continuing to provide certificate-level professional training for our students. I think it is good to continue to provide this opportunity. Professional (short or medium term) training would do a lot in our efforts to address immediate lacking of human resource. It is a normal process. Even if in the case of our people living abroad, it is not always the case that they all finish tertiary education. On the face of this earth, there is no country that everyone of its citizen gains university education. Seeing the need for human resource achievement, I would urge continuing efforts to provide professional training to create more chances for our students to get job and to create jobs according to their specialties.

Cambodia to Focus on New Objectives
As I arrived in the country from the mission abroad, I had taken the chance to meet and work with some of our ministers. I told them that the current Cambodia needed to change its objectives. What change would it be? The point is that over the past almost two decades, we have made great efforts to promote labour-intensive industry. While we continue to carry on with this, we need also to promote new and value-added industries. For example, we have garment and shoes factories in Cambodia but we still have other value-added industry with great potential as well, especially those industries that are using local material resources. For instance, we still lack the sort of industry to process our rice. When we sell it as paddy, we lose the value from rice bran, the broken parts, husk and jobs for our people.

We export dozens million of tons of cassava without processing it and natural rubber in dry form. We should give more focus on prioritizing processing industry using material resource available in Cambodia. We also have to look at the possibility of opening up for industry that other countries can bring into Cambodia. Take for example the Japanese investment in a motor factory, which produces and supplies not only to the Japanese but also to the world markets as well. This evening I will meet with President of the Minebea Company, which, as far as I know, is in consideration of putting into operation new factories and new technology.

It is in this note that I encourage the Asia-Europe organization in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training to continue to provide vocational training for our students on this front. It is now clear that we have come to a time when we need to demand high processing quality. We cannot afford to produce anyone product in a large scale only to miss the standard required out there in the market.

Trade Diplomacy
I was in Azerbaijan and Belarus recently. The main purpose of the trip was to sell the Cambodian products and at the same time to buy those countries’ products at a lower prices. That the trip also covered political matters is true, but, for Cambodia these days, we give importance on economic, trade, investment, tourism, etc. in our diplomacy. Unlike in the previous years, when we gave importance on politics in diplomacy, in the current Cambodia, we are giving importance on economics in diplomacy to serve as a solid base for political engagements.

Take for instance in Belarus, aside from the joint communiqué we have nine other agreements that indicate joint efforts in economics, trade and investment. I visited a truck production company. They laid out rows of trucks, including the one used to mount rocket launchers. However, you should not confuse that I went there to buy any BM 21s. In Cambodia, there are two kinds of well-known trucks – KAMAZ and FUSO. I went there to visit the KAMAZ truck factory. They have made it more advanced. In the time of the former Soviet Union, they supplied us with tractors and KAMAZ trucks made in Belarus. I visited known places. They may come to visit and build assembly line for trucks in Cambodia for local as well as for regional markets.

Helps of Information Technology, Learning – a Continuing Process
As I am glad to greet our students for their graduation and present them diplomas, I would urge you that even if you have your Ph. D. degree, you may not consider it your end of education. Even if you are becoming Minister or Prime Minister, you must keep in mind that you need to keep learning. Anyone continues with conservative thought and practice would be in danger. Situation is evolving and we need to keep abreast of it. We have modern tools these days but what we can do when human beings do not modernize themselves. In the National Assembly and in the Cabinet, we have provided with computer. However, it would depend on if each member of the Royal Government would know how to operate them.

In the Cabinet, all computers are online and have pre-logged on to various websites – all Cambodian ministries and press – the Google GPS also included. The tools are advanced and human beings need to be too. This is a good example that learning is indeed a continuing process. I told my counterpart over a dinner, as an SMS came to me there, that I had to attend to numerous messages both in work and in family. As for family, because I have 5 children and 16 grandchildren, it is normal that I have so many messages to respond. My counterpart was surprised to hear that since he only had two children. He said he did not use it. Well it could add on to your busy schedule too.

Successful and Safe Khmer New Year, a Short Dry Season in July
Meanwhile, please allow me to take this opportunity to express my sincere appreciation to all national and sub-national authorities in the whole country, the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, Buddhist monks and people for the fact that you have collaborated in making the traditional Khmer New Year a successful and safe event. It is normal that competent authority has to be alert in time of festivity. The region is still in sadness for the fact that (1) the (believed-to-have-crashed) Malaysian MH 370 flight is nowhere to be found yet and (2) hundreds of people died and/or unaccounted for in the ferry incident in South Korea. Cambodia also had a bad disaster in 2010 just after ending its water festival.

As you can see that in every festivity, competent authority of all levels – Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Ministers, Ministers, commanders of the armed forces, provincial authority – are keeping check on security until the end of the festivity. As for this year, our people had concentrated for New Year events in numerous places. Let alone the Angkor Sangkranta event in Siem Reap had witnessed so many people. We had launched a first ever record of a pork and bean sticky rice cake wrapped in banana leaves at a weight never recorded before of two tons. The youth members have cooperated with the Association of Chefs to make and display it. They also had an eating contest. Union of Youth Federations of Cambodia presented its first ever record of a two-ton bean-port sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves. Let us see next year, will there be anyone or province to break this Siem Reap’s record.

As far as chess championship is concerned, I was amazed by the dressing code competitors were wearing. It reminds us of the chess competition between King Proma Toat and the Garuda King in (one of the Cambodian court literature) in the Ka Key fairy tale. The champion is indeed a student who finished his study in architecture and used to stay in the Buddhist pagoda for his study too. It would be a great thing to see if in other year any province would think of making a new record on chess championship. It is my note that for those who stay in the pagoda, about 50 in 100 know how to play chess. The show of force between two groups on either side of a big stranded wire was also an amazing event that each side had up to a thousand pullers. There were also artistic performances and volleyball on sand in the beach area.

Celebrating the Khmer New Year, we now have come to the end of the dry season and the rainy season is coming too. According to the Ministry of Water Resource and Meteorology, the dry season will end in the second week of May. The rainy season will start in the third week of May but there will be a short dry period in July. I therefore urge our people to get ready for new cultivation season.

Everything Proceed Normally, Payday at End of the Month
As you can see, everything proceeds in its normal state. People enjoy the Khmer New Year when it came. There was nothing different. To come to the country or go out of the country is up to one’s mind. People may go to Siem Reap province or Sihanoukville province or Ratanakiri province etc. It was all up to them. What was not normal and gave us headaches was the jacking up of hotel and transport’s prices. Otherwise, everything was perfectly normal. After the Khmer New Year, the Cabinet met and endorsed the draft laws.

However, when I was abroad, according to the news sent to me, there have been comments by civil society that (the RGC has not brought) the three draft laws – (1) Organization of the Courts, (2) Organization and Functioning of the Supreme Council of Magistracy and (3) the Statue of Judges and Prosecutors – for consultation with them. I just needed to clarify that we have listened a lot on the issue already and according to the Constitution, we cannot present the draft laws to anyone. The process is after being written, the law is passed to the Cabinet (and after endorsing it) the Cabinet will pass it on to the National Assembly.

I would urge them not to ask for right beyond theirs. They should just do whatever their rights are to. As institution elected by the people and defined by the Constitution, we perform our duty according to the law on the organization and functioning of the Royal Government of Cambodia. It has not been instructed anywhere that the Cabinet has to consult with civil society organization. They should not ask to do other people’s job.

Today is April 28. It seems the payday happens in many places now. All I am asking is whether the payday of the month happens regularly or not. There is a team keeping watch on payday in the Ministry of Education. They asked many teachers in a few places to find out if they had their payday in the month. Their agents responded they did. I urge that the Ministries of Public Functions and Economy and Finance to follow this matter closely for me. I would not let this one slipped through my watch. If anything happens, the Ministers of Public Functions and of Economy and Finance must be responsible.

I would not want to go into political debate. I think I had better leave it at that. There should not be any concern there. I am here today and I will receive a guest tomorrow. Before I came here, I noticed there are a number of sub-decrees waiting for my signature. They are sub-decrees on giving land to the people. We are in the process of measuring land for the people – new action in existing policy. I am thankful that a number of students from the Asia-Europe University also participated. No matter how tired I could be, night or day, I must sign those sub-decrees. In a democratic society in this world, there is no such thing as being alike – some may be happy, some may cry. Our problem is to make the majority of people happy. To respond (to political remark) would create soap opera.

Let us all do our job normally. On May 18, there will be this election of the City and District Councils organized by the National Elections Committee. All five registered political parties will prepare for their participation. It is abnormal when some people behave wrongly. When we all go to school, they decide to skip it and force other not to go to school like them. How can we who are in class wait for those who skip it? Class functions normally. Some lawyers would want us to bring the law for consultation with because that would allow them to seek financial help for organizations of seminars, etc.

The spokesperson of the Royal Government already mentioned that the law we wrote and endorsed, is in fact similar to those in France or Australia and some other countries only with special alterations made in consideration of the Cambodian situation. We have to get a hat that suits our head./.