Dear Dr Mahathir
“This [high-rise buildings] is a sign of prosperity. And
I believe that this is due to your hard-working people… highly skilful people
who have contributed towards rebuilding Phnom Penh and Cambodia,”
Malaysia PM Mahathir Mohamad, 3
September 2019, The Phnom Penh Post
“But now it [Cambodia] has changed very much. What is
lacking is facilities for education and training."
Malaysia PM Mahathir Mohamad, 3
September 2019, The Phnom Penh Post
“Today, Syria is almost wiped out. Iraq is in a bad state
and Yemen is fighting. That is the effect of regime change on countries not
ready for democracy.”
Malaysia PM Mahathir Mohamad, 3
September 2019, The Phnom Penh Post
“So one has to be very careful… My advice to young people
the world over is to really know the people they choose. They must be as sure
as possible to choose the right people to lead their countries.”
Malaysia PM Mahathir Mohamad, 4 September
2019, The Phnom Penh Post
“They say when elephants fight, the grass gets trampled –
so we may be trampled. Not only Cambodia, but Malaysia too. So, in order to
avoid being trampled down by fighting elephants, we [Asean members] should come
together so we can strengthen ourselves.”
Malaysia PM Mahathir Mohamad, 3
September 2019, The Phnom Penh Post
“Once you are indebted to other countries, you are no
longer independent. So value your independence. Even if your national
development is slowed down, it is worthwhile because you don’t want to again be
colonised by others – not directly, but indirectly through their influence over
your economy.”
Malaysia PM Mahathir Mohamad, 4
September 2019, The Phnom Penh Post
“So why are you not proud of your own culture? Your own
ways of living, of thinking? Today, because of easy communication, you can see
what is happening in other countries. Sometimes you copy them, which is okay if
the things are good. I think the systems of government and democracy, for
example, are very good – we should copy that.”
Malaysia PM Mahathir Mohamad, 3
September 2019, Khmer Times
“We have a number of Cambodians working in Malaysia and
we need to look after them, their healthcare, and well-being so that they will
have full benefits from the work they do in Malaysia.”
Malaysia PM Mahathir Mohamad, 4
September 2019, Khmer Times
If your statements in Cambodia
reported by local media are accurate, i.e, they come straight from the horse’s
mouth, not from another hole at the opposite end, you are a real seasoned
politician. However, your lavish compliments for Hun Sen’s high-rise buildings
may cloud his understanding of your other not-so-subtle messages.
You must know the praise that massages
your host’s ego does not reflect integrity of those buildings. At least 14
buildings in Sihanoukville are on order to be demolished, other 70 are being
examined for defects, after a building collapse that kills 28 and injures 26
people. If they are highly skilled as you remark, they must be sloppy to pass such
low-quality work. No wonder you mention later that Cambodia lacks facilities
for education and training.
Hun Sen may miss your message
for a regime change in Cambodia. You say the fighting in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen
is because they are not democracy ready. Your subtle message to Cambodians is
that since Hun Sen always claims his regime is democratic, Cambodia is now due for
a regime change.
You advise Cambodian youth to
choose their leaders carefully, which is wise. There are always risks
associated with new untested leaders, and often it is difficult to evaluate
their long-term leadership effectiveness, as experienced in Malaysia.
Nevertheless, the youth can assess their current leader’s performance; the
longer Hun Sen stays in power the more clearly the youth can see how he damages
Cambodia and creates nuisance for the Asean bloc.
You are right that superpowers
look after their own interest. You say to avoid being trampled by fighting elephants,
Asean member states ought to band together. Hun Sen is unlikely to take this
advice; he is curling up between hind legs of one of those elephants, where he
must feel safe.
Dismissing your concern on
impacts of foreign debts, Hun Sen is adamant he can stop China from using its
loans of about $6 billion to Cambodia to dictate his policies and actions. You
must know China has already had virtually a free reign in Sihanoukville and Koh
Kong. It is hence doubtful if your host heeds your request that all Asean
nations remain “steadfast in defending their national integrity”.
It is interesting that you
advise Cambodians to uphold their own culture; you must know they have not.
They adapt rather well to foreign cultures. They turn the Valentine’s Day into the
Loss of Virginity Day. They copy Vietnamese aesthetics and artistic designs for
their New Year decors. Many schools and government offices are closed, or
manned with skeleton staff, to rejoice Chinese/Vietnamese New Year.
Finally, you may have neither
power nor influence over Hun Sen, but you certainly have the power to honour
your commitment to humanly treat Cambodian maids working in Malaysia. You must
know many of them suffer in silence. The number of their repatriations to
Cambodia jumps from 34 in 2014 to 272 in 2016, besides dead ones. Will you keep
your words and protect them?
Ung Bun Ang
12ix19
Funny News You Can Use
So, according to government
spokesman Phay Siphan, Hun Sun’s brand of democracy is defined by the economic
growth of about 7% p.a., infrastructure development throughout the country, and
their participation in the UN peacekeeping forces – nothing much to do freedom
and human rights of the people. Is he suggesting the West that has managed only
2% or 3% economic growth per annum for decades is not democratic, or is not as
democratic as Cambodia?
Indeed, if he keeps on repeating
the rubbish often enough, sooner or later he will believe in it. But the
question is how often, or much longer, he must dish it out before others,
including EU and US, buy this home-grown democratic mongrel.
«យើងបានបង្ហាញភ័ស្ដុតាងជាក់ស្ដែងឲ្យបុគ្គលទាំងនោះបានឃើញពីទំហំសេដ្ឋកិច្ចកំពុងរីកចម្រើនខ្លាំង
ក្នុងរង្វង់៧ភាគរយក្នុង១ឆ្នាំ
ព្រមទាំងបាននិងកំពុងកសាងហេដ្ឋារចនាសម្ព័ន្ធគ្រប់ទីកន្លែង
និងបង្ហាញពីការចូលរួមសកម្មភាពការពារសន្ដិសុខពិភពលោក តាមរយៈ
ការបញ្ជូនកងទ័ពមួកខៀវទៅធ្វើការជាមួយអង្គការសហប្រជាជាតិជាដើម។»
អ្នកនាំពាក្យរាជរដ្ឋាភិបាល ផៃ ស៊ីផាន ថ្ងៃទី ៦ កញ្ញា
ឆ្នាំ២០១៩ ភ្នំពេញប៉ុស្តិ៍
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