How Lucky Hun Sen Has Been

The rise and rise of Hun Sen have been largely by default. Pol Pot, Pen Sovann, and Chan Sy fail their Vietnamese benefactor who has installed them as their consecutive power proxies in Cambodia. They insist on protecting the Cambodian territorial integrity, which Vietnam detests. Hun Sen is their fourth choice that turns out to be far more accommodating.

Hun Sen’s lucky star dips momentarily after an unexpected loss in the 1993 UN organised elections, but begins its rise unabated. Greed for government positions and wealth cripples and decimates election winner FUNCINPEC.

Hun Sen is a direct beneficiary of the Pol Pol’s brutality that smashes Cambodian revolting spirit into pieces, allowing Hun Sen to keep it flattened with minimal effort. There is no need for him to have so many killed, tortured, and jailed to have a joy ride with his “thank you peace” slogan.

He is lucky his opponents for decades have had no killer instinct. They have delivered political punches that are of nuisance value; they merely pretend to want his job. The latest flop is a much-publicised Sam Rainsy’s return to Cambodia last November. It becomes hot air when he claims a success as a few of his democratic acquaintances in Indonesia and Malaysia allow his visit there. Kem Sokha says the return plan is illegal, in which he wants no part. He says he is happy to respect and comply with Hun Sen laws and court that have jailed him and others at will.

The opponents have a simple mind, incapable of strategic thinking and planning; they would make a poor chess player. Ingrained in the opposition psyche is a hope that Hun Sen will allow them to come in to destroy his loots. A popular explanation for the November no-show peddled within the CNRP is that it is because Hun Sen prevents their president from entering Cambodia. It is so naïve to expect that Hun Sen is stupid enough to give his nemesis a chance to grab power from him. If their rolls were reverse, would Sam Rainsy – with a risk of losing all – welcome into the country his enemy who calls on his army to revolt?

The mind-boggling naivety is infectious among CNRP prominent members and supporters. Their recent plan is to create a united front to restore democracy in Cambodia. Their claimed “dream”, with Sam Rainsy’s explicit backing, is to unite all political thinkers, factions, parties, unions, etc… before approaching Hun Sen – not to displace him – but to only reform his democracy of which the man has been so proud. The astonishing gullibility of the dream is their confidence that Hun Sen would bow to western pressures and talk and agree to their democratic reform agenda. They expect Hun Sen to then wake up and walk away from all his power, wealth, and security, which would be outcomes of their dreamed reform.

No wonder Hun Sen is lucky. He must think a formidable challenger to his absolute authority has yet to be born.

Ung Bun Ang

30v20

Fake News You Can Use

Is Hun Sen kidding when he dismisses motordop operators’ cry for relief after they lose incomes due to economic impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic? He tells them to sell their motorcycle for food; that his government is broke.

His minions say it is just a joke as if he is funny guy. They lock up TVFB news director Sovann Rithy, who does not laugh and quote Hun Sen’s outburst verbatim in his news service. As they accuse him of inciting the public to disrupt social order and peace with the joke, they must think some take it seriously.

Hun Sen may be one of them. He has announced a raft of measures meant to cushion the impacts, though specifics and simple processes are rare. Still, public complaints on the ground are now growing louder as the reliefs are not forthcoming.

Perhaps Hun Sen is not joking after all that the State is broke after showing off his big heart showering some 2,500 Westerdam cruise passengers with five-star hotel accommodations, local tourist attractions, and entertainments. While he helps those middle-class foreigners to go home when the coronavirus interrupts their holidays and fun, his heart shrinks ignoring his own citizens stranded overseas where they have slaved away for a subsistence livelihood.

«​ក្មួយ​ដែល​សួរ​មក​ពូ​ថា អ្នក​រត់ម៉ូតូឌុប​គាត់​ត្អូញត្អែរ​ តើ​មាន​រដ្ឋ​ប៉ះប៉ូវ​ទេ​? លក់​ម៉ូតូ​ចាយ​សិន​ទៅ ទិញ​អង្ករ​ស៊ី​សិន ព្រោះ​បើ​ឱ្យ​រដ្ឋ​ប៉ះប៉ូវ​ទាំងអស់​ ងាប់​បាត់ រដ្ឋ​ឯណា​មាន​លុយ​?»

នាយក​រដ្ឋមន្ត្រី ហ៊ុន សែន សន្និសីទ​សារព័ត៌មាន​ស្ដីពី​ជំងឺ​កូវីដ១៩ កាលពី​ថ្ងៃ​ទី​៧ មេសា នៅ​ក្នុង​វិមាន​សន្តិភាព

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Hun Sen Fails Covid-19 Test

“However, a drop in trade volume cannot be avoided because the pandemic is going to affect economic activity at a global level.”

Anonymous official at the Vietnamese Embassy in Phnom Penh, 20 March 2020, The Phnom Penh Post

«ក្រសួងសុខាភិបាល​របស់​យើងអត់​ទាន់​មាន​ផែនការ​រួម​ទេ​។ មាន​ការ​ប្រជុំ​បន្ទាន់​មួយ​ដែរ ប៉ុន្តែ​អត់​មាន​ធ្វើ​អ្វី​ផង​។ ទម្លាក់​មក​ឲ្យ​ខាង​សន្តិសុខ​វិញ​។ បញ្ហា​ក្រសួង​ដែល​យើង​ហៅ​មក​លើក​មុន មកដល់ពេលនេះ គាត់​ខំ​ប្រឹងប្រែង ប៉ុន្តែ​នៅ​មិនទាន់​គ្រប់​ជ្រុងជ្រោយ នៅ​មាន​ការ​ខ្វះខាត​ច្រើន ហើយ​ខ្វះ​ធនធានមនុស្ស​។ ចំនួន​មនុស្ស​ដែល​ថា ២០០០ នាក់​ហ្នឹង​អត់​មាន ដូច​ការ​បាន​ត្រៀម​ទេ​។ អ្នក​ដែល​ធ្វើការ​នៅ​សល់​តែ​ប៉ុន្មាន​នាក់​ដដែល។»

​អគ្គនាយកនៃ​អគ្គនាយកដ្ឋាន​ស្រាវជ្រាវ​ចារកិច្ចនៃ​ក្រសួង​ការពារជាតិ និង​ជា​អនុប្រធាន​គណៈកម្មាធិការ​ត្រួតពិនិត្យនៃ​គណៈកម្មាធិការ​មជ្ឈិមបក្ស ហ៊ុន ម៉ានិត ថ្ងៃ​ទី២១ ខែ មីនា ឆ្នាំ​២០២០ វិទ្យុអាស៊ីសេរី

“More than 1,000 people came in and we have not yet checked their health and they go to their villages. Now I asked each provincial governor to instruct local authorities to ask the people who have just returned from Thailand to let doctors check their health.” [the number is now updated to 15,000]

Interior Minister Sar Kheng, 23 March 2020, Khmer Times

“Cambodians are panicking... Parents are panicking.”

Psychiatrist and former dean of the University of Medical Sciences Dr Ka Sunbaunat, 18 March 2020, Khmer Times

“ទីផ្សា​របញ្ជាទិញមួ​យចំនួន បានស្នើ​ឲ្យមានកា​រផ្អាកដឹកជ​ញ្ជូនទំនិញទៅ​កាន់ទៅទីនោះ គឺសំ​ដៅទៅលើទីផ្សា​រសហរដ្ឋអា​មេរិក និងទីផ្សា​រអឺរ៉ុប ដែលពេលនេះ​ទីផ្សារធំទាំង​ពីរ កំពុង​ទទួលរងនូវផលប៉ះ​ពាល់ពីកូ​វីដ-១៩យ៉ាងខ្លាំ​ង។”

អគ្គលេខាធិ​ការរង និ​ងជាអ្នក​នាំពាក្យសមា​គមរោង​ចក្រកាត់ដេរនៅ​កម្ពុជា កាំង ម៉ូនីកា ​ថ្ងៃ​ទី១៩ ខែ​មីនា ឆ្នាំ​២០២០ វិទ្យុបារាំងអន្តរជាតិ

Hun Sen is right Covid-19 fear is worse than the virus. The irony is that he, who has instilled fear on others to maintain power, now must squash public fear to sustain his power. Perhaps, as a fear monger, he could also control, not just inflicting, it.

Nevertheless, there are crucial indications that, by design or by sheer incompetence, he has whipped up fear of Covid-19. First, he fails to make Cambodia a self-sufficient economy in food security. It has run chronic and severe trade deficits in foodstuffs, especially with Thailand and Vietnam. As they now close the borders due to the global Covid-19 pandemic, food imports will be disrupted. So confirms the Vietnamese embassy. Their priority is their own citizens, not Cambodians.

Second, measures to contain the pandemic are persistently ineffective. Khmer Times has called for the Health Minister’s sacking. Hun Manit says the Ministry is incompetent. The latest blunder is an unmonitored passage at border checkpoints of some 15,000 migrant workers returning home from Thailand. Sar Kheng is frantic fetching them for testing after the ship has sailed. A BBC analysis indicates if one carrier infects 1.5 persons, the total number of the infected will only be 57 in 30 days. However, if 2.5 persons is infected, the 30 days number will rise exponentially to 406. Sar Kheng should panic.

Third, Hun Sen now divides scarce resources between containment and treatment phase. He is looking for empty hotels and schools to house infected patients. It may be a pre-emptive strike, but he forgoes the opportunity to flatten the contagion curve. A run-away infection will overwhelm the health system that he rejects for his personal care, despite a two-week crash course in fighting Covid-19 offered by seven Chinese doctors who have just flown in.

Fourth, Hun Sen has established a National Commission for Combatting Covid-19 that has no public health experts in charge, only politicians like himself and other five deputy premiers. If experiences of other long-established commissions to combat critical problems, like deforestation and drug trafficking, can be of any guide, this new commission solely groups those who can do nothing individually to sit and decide that nothing can be done together.

Hence, it is Hun Sen’s incompetence that induces public fear and panic. If psychiatrist Sunbaunat is right, a public panic has begun. Only the well-off or well-connected can afford to access and hoard foodstuff amidst price gouging. Many will lose their job and incomes. Garment buyers have announced their order suspension. Tourism has stalled with empty hotels and unemployed guides. Debts, rents, and other non-discretionary payments can no longer be made. Economic activities will grind to a halt. Lives will be lost to the virus.

If his drawcard is China, Hun Sen might be cushioned from long-run impacts of the pandemic. The question is then what he will do in return for the Chinese favour. He will lie again and say, “anything, but sovereignty”.

Pol Pot would be smiling in his grave, proud of his clone.

Ung Bun Ang

26iii20

Fake News You Can Use

Hun Sen may fail to contain Covid-19, but he has enjoyed a better success in limiting the contagion on social media. In the last few weeks, he has had 17 persons arrested, several Facebook accounts blocked, and over 74 Facebook accounts and pages closely watched. Hun Sen accuses them of peddling misinformation to whip up fear and panic to smear his good name and of his regime. He does not need their help to do that, does he?

He insists everyone take in “official” information. He is so calculating that he releases the number of infected persons in the night perhaps so that few people know about it. This way he does not smear his good name, not generate fear, and gets himself arrested.

“The official announcement is being delayed to late evening or even night so that when the news breaks, people may be in bed and will miss the immediate impact of the news.”

Anonymous Ministry of Health official, 23 March 2020, Khmer Times

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Hun Sen’s Reactions to Coronavirus: Courageous or Foolish?

«បើយើងនៅតែលាក់លៀម អត់បានទេ។ យើងត្រូវហ៊ានចេញមក នៅពេលយើងមានការសង្ស័យបញ្ហា។»

នាយករដ្ឋមន្ដ្រី ហ៊ុន សែន ថ្ងៃទី ១១ ខែមីនា ឆ្នាំ ២០២០ ភ្នំពេញប៉ុស្តិ៍

«បើសិនពលរដ្ឋកម្ពុជាមិនជឿជាក់លើពេទ្យកម្ពុជា ពួកគេមិនដឹងទៅទីណាទេ ព្រោះបើសិនជាអ្នកណាម្នាក់ មានផ្ទុកមេរោគនេះ ថៃនិងវៀតណាមនឹងមិនឲ្យអ្នកនោះ ចូលប្រទេសពួកគេទេ។»

នាយករដ្ឋមន្ដ្រី ហ៊ុន សែន ថ្ងៃទី ១០ ខែមីនា ឆ្នាំ ២០២០ ភ្នំពេញប៉ុស្តិ៍

«មានតែពង្រឹងជំនឿទុកចិត្ត ដំបូងជំនឿទុកចិត្តលើខ្លួនឯងតែម្ដង។ ជំនឿ ទុកចិត្តលើខ្លួនឯងយ៉ាងម៉េច ប្រាប់ថាអញអត់ឈឺទេ ។ អញអត់មានឈឺអីទេ។ ដូច្នេះ អាណាចង់បំផុស បំផុស[ទៅ] ទីចុងបំផុត អញអត់ឈឺ ។ អ្នកដទៃទៀតដែលគេថាឈឺ ក៏អត់ឈឺដែរ។»

នាយក រដ្ឋមន្ដ្រី ហ៊ុន សែន ថ្ងៃទី ១០ ខែមីនា ឆ្នាំ ២០២០ ភ្នំពេញប៉ុស្តិ៍

“We have the right to listen to phone conversations. We have a warrant from the courts or prosecutors.’’

Prime Minister Hun Sen, 11 March 2020, Khmer Times

“I am not a medical expert so I cannot describe the current situation of the virus. But as a journalist who keeps track of Health Ministry updates, we know there was only one case involving a Chinese man. The ministry has not announced any new cases. This is good news for Cambodia.”

Club of Cambodian Journalists president Pen Bona, 5 March 2020, Khmer Times

«ខ្ញុំ​គិត​ថា ត្រឡប់​ទៅ​វិញ ​ខ្ញុំឲ្យ​ពេទ្យ​យក​សំណាក​ខ្ញុំ ទៅ​មើល​ដែរ ព្រោះ​ខ្ញុំ​និយាយ​ទៅ​ដូច​រាង​តឹង​ច្រមុះ ព្រោះ​អ៊ីចេះ​តែ​កាល​ណា​ខ្ញុំ​ដំឡើង​ម៉ាស៊ីន​លើស​តែ​ពី​មួយ ម៉ោង​ទៅ វា​តឹង​ច្រមុះ​ហើយ​វា​ជា​ទម្លាប់​របស់​ខ្ញុំ​ទេ។ ម៉ា​ឆឺត​នឹង​ទៅ​ណា​គេ​ថា កូរ៉ូណា។»

នាយក​រដ្ឋមន្ត្រី ហ៊ុន សែន ​ថ្ងៃ​ ទី៩ ខែ​មីនា ឆ្នាំ២០២០ វិទ្យុអាស៊ីសេរី

Hun Sen has eventually confessed he can no longer cover up the dead elephant with his basket. In a media blitz, he reveals his reactions that involve drastic demands on the public. Are they helpful?

He asks the people to trust the State healthcare system – the one they have not for decades. Only the poor put up with local medical services; others prefer healthcare in neighbouring countries. Even Hun Sen himself flies to Singapore even for a routine health check. Yet, he warns they have nowhere to go, because Thailand and Vietnam will not let any COVID-19 carriers into their countries. It must be unsettling for the well-off.

Hun Sen asks the people to be self-confident to deny being infected and to reject as fake any news not in line with his. He does not trust their ability to work out what a fake news is. He has imposed a tight control over information flows. He brands anybody peddling “fake” news as terrorists; so far three have been arrested. Hun Sen warns that his regime has the power to listen in on private phone conversations. In local media that claim to be professional, a journalist club president accepts government words as the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, throwing critical thinking to the gutter.

Anyhow, it is doubtful if Hun Sen’s reactions so far have contributed to building up the public self-confidence he longs for. First, Hun Sen appears gung-ho in responses to COVID-19; but deep down, he may be scared and perhaps panicking. He says he is thinking of having a coronavirus test for an apparent stuffy nose. He also says it is usual for him to have it after working out. Is he making jokes with the virus? Or is he just plain anxious?

Second, he claims fighting the coronavirus contagion is his top priority and he has a plan to fund it. He orders three ministries to cut down their non-salary expenditures by 25%; the rest by 50%, and to postpone all government-funded constructions. The Ministry of Public Works has no idea what road constructions this year will cost. The Ministry of Economy and Finance does not know the amount earmarked for government projects. Later, it announces $30 million for a six-month period; then, it jumps to $400 million. The latest amount is $800 million for the first six months. Hun Sen now says the fund is no longer solely for fighting the virus, but also for coping with impacts of the forthcoming dry season. The plan looks more like a knee-jerk reaction.

Third, he asks the public to wear krama, or Khmer scarf, to avoid infections. He hangs it around his neck, leaving his nose exposed, as if it has magic power to ward off COVID-19. He instils a false sense of security into the people he wants to be brave, while a proper mask is still susceptible to the virus penetration.

Hence, Hun Sen’s reactions may cross over the line between courage and foolishness.

Ung Bun Ang

14iii20

Funny News You Can Use

Hun Sen’s ego has grown so huge that it is highly unlikely he would be prepared to eat humble pie, after the following curt exchange between himself and a young reporter on the issue of people’s trust in the State healthcare system.

According to Hun Sen’s logic, now that there is one Cambodian reportedly infected with the virus, he admits the public does not trust the health system. No wonder he has been trying so hard to sell it to the sceptic.

ហ៊ុនសែន [ហស]: ​ “ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋមិនជឿទុកចិត្ត តើប្រជាពលរដ្ឋណាខ្លះបានឈឺជម្ងឺហ្នឹងហើយ? សួរនាងអែងអោយឆ្លើយខ្ញុំ អាសំនួរហ្នឹងសិន… តើប្រជាពលរដ្ឋណាខ្លះឈឺ ហើយមិនជឿទុកចិត្ត… ឈឺហើយនៅ?”

ញឹក​ស្រីលក្ស៍ [ញសល]: “ចា៎ស អរគុណសម្តេច… ក្មួយចង់សួរទាក់ទងថាតើ យើងមាន

ជំនឿចិត្ត របៀបម៉េចឲ្យពួកគាត់(ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋ) ជឿលើវិស័យសុខាភិបាល

របស់យើង?”

ហសៈ “ប៉ុន្តែខ្ញុំសួរ មនុស្សឈឺហើយឬនៅ?”

ញសលៈ “សំរាប់កម្ពុជា មិនទាន់មានអ្នកជម្ងឺណាម្នាក់ឈឺដោយសារ…”

ហសៈ “ចុះបើមិនទាន់មានអ្នកជម្ងឺ ម៉េចបានជាមិនជឿ?”

ញសលៈ “ចា៎ស​សម្តេច ថាការសង្ស័យ…”

ហសៈ (កាត់សំដី) “អាហ្នឹងមកពីយើងបន្ថែមតើ?”

ញសលៈ ចា៎ស សម្តេច “ ។

នាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រី​ ហ៊ុនសែន និង អ្នក​កាសែត​កញ្ញា ញឹក​ស្រីលក្ស៍ ​​  ថ្ងៃទី១៦ កុម្ភៈ ២០២០ វិទ្យុអាស៊ីសេរី

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Hun Sen Fears the Virus

«ជំងឺរបស់ពលរដ្ឋកម្ពុជា មិនមែនជំងឺបង្កឡើងដោយមេរោគ «កូរ៉ូណា» នោះទេ គឺជំងឺភ័យខ្លាច ហើយមកដល់ពេលនេះមិនទាន់ពលរដ្ឋកម្ពុជាណាម្នាក់កើតជំងឺនេះទេ។ »

ហ្វេសប៊ុក នាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រី ហ៊ុន សែន ថ្ងៃ​ទី ៥​  ខែ​កុម្ភៈ ឆ្នាំ២០២០

«សម្តេចមិនពាក់ម៉ាស់ទេ បើពាក់ម៉ាស់មិនបាច់មកទស្សនកិច្ចនៅប្រទេសចិនទេ។ សម្តេចតេជោ បានគូសបញ្ជាក់ទៀតថា ទោះបីមិត្តចិនបានត្រៀមម៉ាស់សម្រាប់សម្តេចក៏ដោយ ក៏សម្តេចមិនពាក់ដែរ។»

ហ្វេសប៊ុក នាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រី ហ៊ុន សែន ថ្ងៃ​ទី ៥​  ខែ​កុម្ភៈ ឆ្នាំ២០២០

“We are stationed there from early morning to the last flights, in shifts but there are inadequate screening devices in the airports. I am saying this for all three airports, Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Sihanoukville international airports…. As a result of a lack of these equipment and lack of coordination between airport security airport officials and the health officials, many passengers just head on to the visa or immigration counters without being screened or their particulars recorded… We are first line of defence against the coronavirus and yet we are poorly equipped to execute or [sic] jobs.”

Anonymous senior Ministry of Health officials, 31 January 2020, Khmer Times

​«ចំពោះ​ការលើកឡើង​ពី​វីរុស​កូរ៉ូណា​ថ្មី​មិន​អាច​រស់នៅ​ក្នុង​សីតុណ្ហភាព​ក្នុង​ប្រទេស​កម្ពុជា​បាន គឺ​ដោយសារ​វីរុស​នោះ​ត្រូវ​ស្ថិត​នៅ​កណ្ដាលវាល​ហើយ​ត្រូវ​រង​នូវ​កម្ដៅថ្ងៃ​យូរ​។»

រដ្ឋមន្ត្រី​ក្រសួង​សុខាភិបាល​ ម៉ម ប៊ុនហេង ​​ថ្ងៃ​ទី៣០ ខែ មករា ឆ្នាំ២០២០

«ហ៊ុនសែនហ៊ានចូលប្រយុទ្ធក្នុងភ្លើងសង្គ្រាម ហ៊ានយកក្បាលធ្វើដើមទុន ដើម្បីសង្គ្រោះជាតិ ហ៊ានយកជីវិតធ្វើដើមទុន ដើម្បីបញ្ចប់សង្គ្រាម។ រឿងអី ហ៊ុនសែនមិនហ៊ានទៅក្រុងវូហាន ដើម្បីសួរសុខទុក្ខនិស្សិតខ្មែរ ដែលកំពុងរៀនក្នុងទីក្រុងវូហាន កុំចង់សាកជាមួយហ៊ុនសែនឲ្យសោះ បើស្គាល់ហ៊ុនសែនមិនច្បាស់។»

នាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រី ហ៊ុន សែន ថ្ងៃ​ទី ៤ ខែ​កុម្ភៈ ឆ្នាំ២០២០ ភ្នំពេញប៉ុស្តិ៍

Hun Sen has tried hard to impress his host President Xi Jingping in Beijing that he is a brave soul. He tells Xi the Cambodian people are ill; their illness is not caused by the coronavirus, but by fear, and none of them is infected. He says he dares shake hand with Premier Li Keqiang who has recently returned from virus-infested Wuhan. He brags he refuses a mask offered to him, claiming there would be no point of coming to Beijing if he wore one.

Xi may hold his breath in awe, or he may not. He may think how pompous Hun Sen is for exposing his dirty linen to impress foreigners. Xi might wonder what Hun Sen expects of his people when he has used threats and intimidation to instil fear in them.

Still, the public fear stems from their lack of confidence on Hun Sen’s healthcare system many prefer to stay away; Hun Sen himself favours overseas even for routine health check-ups. Anonymous health officials say they are ill-equipped to carry out their detection tasks in the current coronavirus outbreak. The health minister claims the virus cannot survive in hot climate like Cambodia; yet, it has spread to other hot spots, like Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia. Among 3,078 Chinese nationals who arrived in Cambodia from Wuhan between the outbreak and the city lockdown, only one infection has been discovered. This could be either a miracle, or a sloppy detection work, or a cover-up.

The health officials, who speak out, prefer anonymity because they fear retribution. Hun Sen has implemented media campaigns against what he calls fake news, which allows him to censure all publications. There is now a question whether China has covered up the real extent of the infection.

Anyhow, Hun Sen is fearful, despite boasting otherwise. He asks, how can he, who fights the Khmer Rouge, succumb to the virus? He must know, against the Khmer Rouge, he has some 100,000 Vietnamese troops marching in front of him. He declares victory over the Khmer Rouge only after Vietnam has already flattened them.

Hun Sen must know the risk. Unlike the evident Khmer Rouge troops, the coronavirus is invisible, even to a multitude of Chinese doctors and scientists. He may refuse the mask in Bejing, which is some 1,000 km away from Wuhan, but he accepts the Chinese refusal to let him go there. He and Xi know there is a fine line between being brave and foolish. Xi is too smart not to realise he can make use of a foolish Hun Sen, but not of a brave dead one.

Amazingly, Hun Sen and Sam Rainsy are alike. The former says he would go to Wuhan if his immutable friend China let him. The latter says he would return to Cambodia if his nemesis Hun Sen allowed him. In both cases, the apparent brave souls are stopped. It seems likely the men are secretly thankful that someone cares enough to prevent them from doing self-harm.

Ung Bun Ang

10ii20

Funny News You Can Use

The statement by the Chinese ambassador is profound, indeed. Hun Sen certainly buys into toughness of the Cambodia-China grass. In fact, he will commit Cambodia into anything that gives him cash to keep propping up power and wealth of the family and the CPP elite. The rhetoric that the grass can withstand any strong wind is quite alluring and assuring that the easy cash will keep on coming his way.

The Cambodia-China grass may be formidable with any strong wind, but it does not take much to pull it from the ground with roots and all. This is one of the main options associated with the grass that Beijing has often taken up in the past 60 years, which hangs Cambodian people out to dry. This ironclad friend of Cambodia threw Prince Sihanouk under the bus in the 60’s, picked him up again in the 70’s to fight with the Khmer Rouge against Lon Nol, and then left Pol Pot in the lurch when he most needs the friend.

Question: When will China ditch Hun Sen and leave Cambodian people in tears, again? Answer: When the ambassador would stop smoking the grass that causes this true friend grass delirium.

“Only when the wind is strong, do we know the strength of the grass. Only during difficult times, do we know our true friends.”

Chinese ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wentian, 3 February 2020, The Phnom Penh Post

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Sar Kheng Runs Red Light

«មូលហេតុ ដោយសារកត្តាសំខាន់ ៣យ៉ាង គឺកត្តាកំណើន យានយន្តប្រមាណ ៣៧% កត្តាហេដ្ឋារចនាសម្ព័ន្ធដែលមិនទាន់មានតុល្យភាពនឹងកំណើនយានយន្ត និងកត្តាឥរិយាបថរបស់អ្នកប្រើប្រាស់ផ្លូវដែលមិនគោរព[ច្បាប់] និងការអនុវត្តច្បាប់ស្ដីពីចរាចរណ៍ផ្លូវគោកមិនបានម៉ឺងម៉ាត់ ។»

ប្រធានគណៈកម្មាធិការជាតិ សុវត្ថិភាព ចរាចរណ៍ផ្លូវគោក ស ខេង ថ្ងៃទី២៧ ខែ​  មករា ឆ្នាំ២០២០ ភ្នំពេញប៉ុស្តិ៍

«ទាំងអ្នកបើកបរស្រវឹងក៏ដោយ រីឯអ្នកប្រើគ្រឿងញៀន គឺឈប់ឲ្យបើកបរ១ជីវិតតែម្ដង ព្រោះគ្រឿងញៀន វាមិនអាចព្យាបាលជាសះស្បើយបានទេ អ៊ីចឹងបើរកឃើញនៅក្នុងក្រុមហ៊ុនណាប្រើប្រាស់អ្នកបើកបរមានគ្រឿងញៀន គឺក្រុមហ៊ុនហ្នឹងត្រូវតែមកទទួលខុសត្រូវចំពោះមុខច្បាប់។ គឺយើងត្រូវតែដកសិទ្ធិហ្នឹង ចំពោះអ្នកញៀនគ្រឿងញៀន គឺលែងឲ្យបើកបរ១ជីវិតតែម្ដង។»

ប្រធានគណៈកម្មាធិការជាតិ សុវត្ថិភាព ចរាចរណ៍ផ្លូវគោក ស ខេង ថ្ងៃទី ២២ ខែ ​មករា ឆ្នាំ២០២០ ភ្នំពេញប៉ុស្តិ៍

“When there are small packages it means that there are large packages being hidden somewhere. This is why we have to continue tackling the drug trafficking issue by cracking down on small-scale distribution in order to find out where the drugs were produced and stored.”

Deputy Premier Sar Kheng, 25 November 2019, Khmer Times

After a spell of apparent frustrations, Sar Kheng announces there are three major factors behind an ever-growing disastrous road tolls: a 37% increase in vehicle number, imbalance between road infrastructures and the vehicle number, and disregard for traffic rules and enforcements.

His announced measures to reduce future road tolls are most likely to fail, again. For the third factor, he urges all road users to respect the traffic rules; he instructs his officials to be diligent in enforcing them, and all establishments to increase public education campaigns on road rules and usage. These measures are nothing new, and the disastrous traffic statistics show they have been ineffective. Sar Kheng offers nothing to ensure a different outcome. Then, there are no measures against other two factors as if they will sort themselves out. Or, they are not the factors that need addressing.

Sar Kheng is so bewildered that he excludes some crucial factors from his crosshairs. First, according to his Committee’s statistics, a whopping 89% of the accidents that claims an average of 5.4 lives per day involves riders/drivers who either do not know traffic regulations or blatantly ignoring them, or both. The do-not-know are among those who ride a less-than-125cc motorcycle, which accounts for about 80% of the total accidents. Hun Sen has, since 2017, exempted them from having a driving/riding license and lowered a legal driving age from 16 to 15. The inverse correlation between the increasing fatality rate and lenient regulations is striking. The number of deaths has risen by 15.4% while they have been in effect from 2017 to 2019. Is Hun Sen the reason for Sar Kheng’s omission of this disastrous interference?

Second, Sar Kheng chooses to ignore an epidemic corruption that compromises everything, including integrity of traffic law enforcement. It may not be possible to overstate impact of the lax law enforcement on the road tolls. As CPP has been using the corruption to enrich their elites, it would be quite awkward for Sar Kheng to tackle it in traffic enforcements. Though drugs also cause road accidents, Sar Kheng is satisfied with arrests of small-time distributors and end-users of drugs, leaving alone major drug dealers. He must know these drug barons, like Kit Theang, are well-connected, and thus untouchable. Anyhow, the government has just rejected the latest assessment by Transparency International that places Cambodia at the bottom of the corruption barrel.

He may run out of humanly options to reduce the toll, but he still has divine interventions. Indeed, provincial governors and officials have been holding, since 2018, religious ceremonies to ward off road mishaps. The deity has not responded, but the prayers help those officials to feel good and hopeful in the face of the persistent policy and implementation failures.

Still, Sar Kheng instructs his law enforcement officials to act responsibly as if he knows what it means. If he knew where the buck stops, he would resign. He will run the red light as usual, just like the way he lets riders/drivers do.

Ung Bun Ang

30i20

Funny News You Can Read in Tears

Sok Eisan has a point in his rejection of the 2019 Corruption Index recently released by Transparency International (TI). It gives Cambodia a score of 20 out of 100 and ranks it at 162 out of 180 countries. He says these TI mobs could be “Eisei” – with a possible relation to Eiso or himself, Eisan – to come up with such specific numbers from some hundred thousand kilometres away.

However, Sok Eisan accepts that Cambodia is corrupt. He merely questions the extent of the corruption. He would fight tooth and nail to get TI to go consult Eisei Oum Yien Tieng (OYT) about his handy work at the Anti-Corruption Unit.

As there has not been much coming out of that unit, Sok Eisan must think Eisei OYT has waved his magic wand to make juicy cases disappear, leaving only the CPP elite sneaking around searching for a second passport.

So, nosy people, move on; there is nothing see here.

«យើង​គ្រាន់តែ​ដឹង​ថាមាន​អំពើពុករលួយ តែ​ត្រង់​ថា ខ្លាំង ឬ​ទាប ដាក់​ចេញ​ជា​ពិន្ទុ​បាន លុះត្រាតែ​វា​មាន​តួលេខ​ថា អ្នកនេះ​ពុករលួយ​កម្រិត​នេះ អ្នកនោះ​ពុករលួយ​កម្រិត​នោះ បាន​យើង​បូកសរុប​ទៅ​ចេញ​ជា​តួលេខ ហើយ​បើ​អត់​តួលេខ ចេះតែ​ឈរ​មើល​ពី​ចម្ងាយ​ចឹង​ទៅ​។ អ្នក​វាយ​តួលេខ​ហ្នឹង​ប្រហែល​វាយ​រាប់ម៉ឺន​គីឡូ​ពី​កម្ពុជា​។ ខ្ញុំ​ឆ្ងល់​ដែរ​ប្រហែលជា​ភ្នែក​ទិព្វ​ត្រចៀក​ទិព្វ​ហើយ​មើល​ទៅ ជំនាន់​ព្រះ​ជិនវង្ស​បាន​គេ​មើល​ដឹង ប្រហែល​លោកតា​ឥសី​ហើយ ទើប​មើល​ស្គាល់​អ៊ីចឹង​នោះ​។ ខ្ញុំ​មិន​ជឿ​ទេ ការវាយតម្លៃ​ហ្នឹង គឺថា​មិន​ផ្សារភ្ជាប់​នឹង​ការ​ជាក់ស្តែង​ទេ គឺ​គ្រាន់តែ​ស្មានៗ ដូច​គ្រូទាយ​អ៊ីចឹង ។»

​អ្នកនាំពាក្យគណបក្ស​ប្រជាជន​កម្ពុជា សុខ ឥសាន ថ្ងៃទី២២ ខែ​មករា ឆ្នាំ២០២០ វិទ្យុអាស៊ីសេរី

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Pseng-Pseng is published irregularly. Previous issues are archived at pseng-pseng.blogspot.com

Hun Sen Plays Heredity Card

“ខ្ញុំគួរយក​ឱកាសនេះដើម្បីបញ្ជាក់ជូនបន្តិចថា ខ្ញុំត្រូវការពេលវេលា១០ឆ្នាំទៀតដើម្បីកាន់ដំណែងជានាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រីព្រះរាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុជា… គេ [ហ៊ុន ម៉ាណែត] ក៏ត្រូវរង់ចាំរហូតដល់ទៅក្រោយឆ្នាំ២០២៨ ឬក្រោយឆ្នាំ២០២៩​ ឬរហូតដល់ឆ្នាំ២០៣០ ទើបអាចប្រឡូកនៅក្នុងតួនាទីជានាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រីបាន។ ជាការបញ្ជាក់ហើយបញ្ជាក់ទៀត បើឪពុកវាកំពុងតែធើ តើកូនមានលទ្ធភាព តើមានលទ្ធភាពឯណា មកដណ្តើមអំណាចពីឪពុក? អ្វីដែលខ្ញុំគូស ត្រូវបញ្ជាក់ថា​ ប្រទេសយើងជាប្រទេសប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ មិនមែនជាប្រទេសដែលផ្ទេរពីអំណាចពីឪពុកទៅកូន តាមរបៀបមួយដូចជានៅប្រទេសខ្លះនោះទេ ត្រូវឆ្លងកាត់ការបោះឆ្នោត។ មួយវិញទៀត បើទោះបីជាឪពុកចាកចេញនៅពេលនេះ ក៏ប្រហែលជាមិនទាន់ដល់ពេលវេន  ដែលកូនមកកាន់ដំណែងជានាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រី ក្នុងពេលដែលមេ​ដឹកនាំក្នុងប្រទេសជាសហការីរបស់ខ្ញុំនៅពេលនេះ​ កំពុងតែស្ថិតនៅទីនោះដែរ។ ដូច្នេះប្រាកដណាស់ថា​ យើងត្រូវគិតគូរអំពីរបៀបដោះស្រាយបញ្ហាផ្ទៃក្នុងរបស់យើង។​”

នាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រីហ៊ុនសែន  ថ្ងៃទី១៤ មករា ២០២០   វិទ្យុបារាំងអន្តរជាតិ

After having sent his main opposition into coma, Hun Sen is now negotiating with fate when he says he wants another ten years so that he can remain a premier. This is not to effect or oversee any long-term strategic plan that would benefit the weak and vulnerable. He just wants to hang around long enough to be certain his son Manet inherits a family-owned property he would incorporate, “Cambodia Inc”.

He is confident that he will, during the next decade, sail through two democratic charades: CPP nominations to stand as a prime minister candidate for two more general elections; and assured victories in both polls. He has more than enough control to ensure the CPP Central Committee and the National Election Committee will bow to his wishes and deliver. Many of Hun Sen’s opponents belittle this power as they are naïve enough to entertain a noble aspiration that their parties, whether comatose or alive, can topple Hun Sen at elections he cannot afford to lose.

Another thing that Hun Sen is sure of is the current senior CPP elite would be not receptive to Manet taking over the premiership. A secret ballot he tightly conducted and controlled in January 2019 – he has kept the outcomes to himself – shows a majority of the CPP Central Committee of about 900 members favours Sar Kheng as his successor, not Manet. Hun Sen had asked them to select one among Manet, Sar Kheng, Aun Ponmoniroth, Say Chhum, and Prak Sokhon. Hun Sen reminds his son that while those seniors are still around, it is not his turn for the job; he says party’s internal issues would need to be managed. This is where the Hun Sen ten-year wait comes in. He hopes time will ensure dissenting seniors fall off the perch – if not having one foot in the grave – assuming of course that his own health permits him to linger on.

Hence, while claiming his democracy does not allow position heredity from father to son, Hun Sen openly manipulates the CPP to make Manet his dynastic heir. Could he afford to let Manet make his own moves? Unlikely. The family business and accumulated wealth must be protected at all costs.

Then, does Westpoint graduate Hun Manet have a killer instinct to, in his father explicit words, “snatch” the power from his father without the ten-year delay? The father says he doubts it. Hun Manet may agree with this lack-of-faith assessment of his ability and waits for his daddy to hand him on a silver platter the Cambodia Inc.

Without the killer instinct, however, Manet will struggle to keep under control his rivals, both inside and outside the CPP. His father will have left so numerous loose ends spread like a deadly cobweb that could overwhelm him.

However, Manet might be lucky. The oppositions may enjoy the coma so much that they become brain-dead. His omnipotent father could either do a Mahathir here-I-am-back-from-the-edge-of-the-grave trick or rise from his grave and take him in hand.

Ung Bun Ang

20i20

Funny News You Can Use

Now it is clear why the trial of Kem Sokha for treason must be virtually in the dark. According to Ministry of Justice spokesman Chin Malin, those who are interested in the case have a short attention and interest span with limited capacity to understand legal complexity that usually comes with a trial charade.

Besides, Chin Malin says the government is short of money and technology to allow more than some 30 people to hear and witness the trial. That is right, the government is broke after Hun Sen has just thrown a dinner and entertainment party for some six thousand journalists. These are the people Hun Sen lauds to be a government partner for development and agent of truth.

Hence, the fact that they are not at the trial means either the court is conducting only a monkey business, not worth reporting with accuracy and truth, or their brain capability is limited to enjoying free food and drinks and ingratiating themselves with Hun Sen.

«ការដែល​នាំគ្នា​បង្ហាញ​ក្តី​កង្វល់​ព្រួយ​បារម្ភ​គឺជា​ការ​ចង់​ជា​ការ​ជ្រួលជ្រើម​តាមតែ​ការ​នឹកឃើញ ដូច​បទពិសោធន៍​នៅ​សាលា​ក្តី​ខ្មែរក្រហម គឺ​ពី​ដំបូង​គឺ​ចង់​អ៊ីចឹង​ណាស់ សំខាន់​ណាស់ ដល់ពេល​គេ​ឱ្យ​ចូល​មើល​គ្រប់គ្នា​ទៅ ដំណើរការ​នីតិវិធី​វា​ស្មុគស្មាញ​វា​វែង ក៏​លែង​មាន​អ្នក​ចូល​ទៅ ហើយ​គេ​ឡាយ​ផ្ទាល់​ឱ្យ​មើល​ទៅ ក៏​មិន​មាន​អ្នកមើល​ទៀត។»

អ្នកនាំពាក្យ​ក្រសួងយុត្តិធម៌ ជិន ម៉ាលីន ​ថ្ងៃ​ ទី១៦  ខែ​មករា ឆ្នាំ២០២០

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The 7 January Unstoppable?

"After studying the [Cambodian] situation, we [Vietnamese] have decided that Cambodian officials only know how to bribe and be bribed. Offices are sold; nobody carries out orders; everyone works for his own account."

General Truong Minh Giang reporting to Vietnam Emperor Minh Mang, 1834, David Chandler, (2008), A History of Cambodia. 4th Edition. Westview Press, Page 150

"… ហើយខ្លួនខ្ញុំផ្ទាល់… សុទ្ធតែអំពាវនាវហើយ មិនថាពេលណា យប់ណា ថ្ងៃណាទេ លោកណា.... ដែលមកជួយ  ឱ្យលាងអាចម៏ម៉ាជិវិត ក៏សុខចិត្តដែរ ឱ្យតែមកសង្រ្គោះ ឱ្យរួចជីវិត។"

អ្នកនាំពាក្យគណបក្សប្រជាជនកម្ពុជា សុខឥសាន ថ្ងៃ​ទី ២ មករា ២០២០ ខ្មែរថែម     

Uncle Ho would be smiling in his grave and be proud of his descendants who have patiently carried out and materialised his federation plan to bring Cambodia and Laos into a Vietnamese controlled Indochina. A magic wander would work a lot faster, but a slow uninterrupted progression, like the fable of boiling frog with increasing heat, has suited them just as well. The Cambodia and Laos frogs have been adapting themselves without realising they are being cooked.

Best of all, Uncle Ho, his ancestors, and his descendants understand and exploit well a propensity for bribes of Cambodian government leaders and elites. It is a trait that has not changed for centuries. World Justice Project places Cambodia 125^th out of 126 countries in its 2019 Rule of Law Index, which includes corruption assessment. Corruption Perceptions Index 2018 of Transparency International ranks Cambodia 161 out of 180. They show, first, there is not much further down for Cambodia to go; second, an optimist would say once it hits the bottom there will be nowhere to go but up.

With the corruption backdrop, the Hun Sen regime is totally committed to a subservient relationship with Hanoi that facilitates an inevitable subjugation. Exchanges of visits, land concessions, border demarcations, military and police co-operations, and various treaties with Hanoi are frequent, but details are obscure. The CPP spokesman promises to wipe Vietnam’s arse for life for saving his life when glorifying Vietnamese 7 January actions. Hun Sen and others have persistently shown they share this sentiment and honour the Eisan wipe. They trivialise Cambodia’s vital role and contributions that help secure their savour’s victory in the Vietnam war – mainly due to their corruption mentality Vietnam has depended upon to enjoy a free ride.

The grabs for money and government positions have blinded Cambodian elite for centuries, no matter how well-educated they are. A high-profile pragmatist of the Campro network that groups over 500 of Cambodian intellectuals is confident that contemporary Cambodia equipped with higher education certificates, unlike their far less-educated ancestors, will stop a further loss of territory and Khmerness to Vietnam. He ignores impacts of corruption and greed that have made wealthy many of the Campro pragmatists. He assumes while Cambodian elite are gathering these degrees, their Vietnamese counterparts remain stagnant.

Now, with their new founded degrees, they have turned corruption into an art form creating opportunities in an unprecedent scale for making money – deforestation, sandmining, unvetted foreign investments, second rate constructions and infrastructures, etc… A comprehensive list is heart-breaking.

Hence, the Hun Sen regime has secured an unstoppable 7 January.

Those who want to at least slow it down must realise their counter plans and actions so far have been ineffective. They ought to try some new ideas, bearing in mind that Hun Sen has already been in the process of getting a young generation under his son to continue the Eisan wiping every time after Vietnamese get their bowel movement. They cannot keep doing the same things and expect a different outcome.

Ung Bun Ang

7i20

Funny News You Can Use

The chairman of the working group to construct the Win-Win Monument to glorify Hun Sen’s legacy is either lying or incapable of adding up. If it were true that the number of visitors to this Monument is more than 3,000,000 over a year, the daily average would be about 8,219 visitors, not the ridiculous low numbers he throws up. Or the whole year number is far less.

If he is not lying, then it is a negligence for such a simple arithmetic error, which is not unusual considering massive building defects that have already brought down several buildings in Cambodia. The latest statistics is that of 1,156 constructions, 27 have been demolished, 636 builders are required to sign a promise to comply with building regulations, as if they are optional.

“ក្រោយសម្ពោធជាផ្លូវការអស់រយៈពេល១ឆ្នាំមកនេះ មានប្រតិភូទាំងក្នុងនិងក្រៅប្រទេសសាធារណ ជន ជាតិនិងអន្តរជាតិនានា ចូលទស្សនានិងសិក្សាស្រាវជ្រាវ មានចំនួនជាង៣លាននាក់។ ក្នុងនោះ អត្រាប្រជាជនចូលទស្សនា គិតជាមធ្យម ក្នុង១ថ្ងៃ៥០០នាក់ ទៅ ១៥០០ នាក់។ ដោយឡែក នៅថ្ងៃ បុណ្យជាតិនិងថ្ងៃឈប់សម្រាកនានា ចំនួនចូលទស្សនាកើនឡើងគួរឱ្យកត់សម្គាល់ ពី ១០០០ នាក់ ទៅ ៣០០០ នាក់ ក្នុង១ថ្ងៃ ។”

ប្រធានក្រុមការងារសាងសង់វិមានឈ្នះឈ្នះ ណឹម សុវត្ថិ ថ្ងៃ​ទី ១ ខែ​មករា ឆ្នាំ២០២០ ភ្នំពេញប៉ុស្តិ៍

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