Dear PM Hun Sen,

 

“បើខ្ញុំមិនពឹងចិនទេ តើអោយខ្ញុំទៅពឹងនរណា? និយាយអោយពិត និយាយការពិត នៅទីនេះ បើខ្ញុំមិនពឹងចិនទេ តើអោយខ្ញុំទៅពឹងនរណា? ទុកអោយប្រជាជនកម្ពុជាឆ្លងទន្លេ ឆ្លងព្រែកដោយជិះទូកដរ ដោយឆ្លងស្ពានឫស្សី​ ឬឈើប្រកបដោយគ្រោះថ្នាក់ដោយគ្មានផ្លូវដើរ ឬយ៉ាងណា? … អញ្ចឹងសុំតាំងជាសំនួរថា បើសិនជាកុំមានជំនួយរបស់ចិន តើយើងខ្ញុំគួរទៅពឹងអ្នកណា? គេអាចឆ្លើយកើត ពិភពលោកនេះ ពិភពលោកនេះអាចឆ្លើយជាមួយនឹងកម្ពុជាបានដោយសំនួរនេះទេ?”

នាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រីហ៊ុនសែន   ថ្ងៃទី ២០​ ឧសភា ២០២១ វិទ្យុបារាំងអន្តរជាតិ  

 

To your question: “If not China, whom do I rely on?”, a simple answer is none other than “yourself”. One of Buddha’s enduring wisdom is self-reliance.

You are right, with the Chinese-funded infrastructure development, it is no longer necessary to risk crossing rivers and streams on wobbly boats, or bamboo or wooden bridges. Average Cambodians do benefit from China’s concrete bridges and 3,000 km roads, but their gain is miniscule compared to what you have secured for yourself and sycophants.

Your extensive benefits are twofold: through your systematic corruption, the sycophants take their cuts in each step in the process from receiving borrowed funds to project completion; via the infrastructure, your sycophantic tycoons can move their goods and services around the country efficiently allowing them to accumulate more wealth. Indeed, a chunk of the buck must flow upwards onto your altar.

Your benefits are so massive that you have no shame in flaunting your wealth. You can afford, with a tiny legitimate salary, a collection of watches worth several millions of dollars, while others make do with a Casio. You move away from a timepiece that tells accurate time to the one with how many carats of gold and precious stones planted on it.

Thus, it is sad you imply without China you would be lost. It is a parasite mentality that inspires you to depend on foreigners and you have perfected it since your claimed success in inviting the Vietnamese 1979 invasion.

This parasite mentality has indeed served you so well. Would you care to know why? Why do you find it so easy to be a parasite growing off foreigners whose assistance, you insist, is free and unconditional?

No parasite host likes a parasite living off it, because it loses hard-earned nutrients the parasite sucks up. A calculating host, however, tolerates a parasite to hang about because only it can draw benefits from the parasite at least as much as, if not more than, it loses to it. You and Vietnam lie when you say Vietnam’s 1979 intervention is to save Cambodian lives. This lifesaving is just an unintended consequence of Hanoi’s goal of taking control over Indochina. How else would you explain why Vietnam also simultaneously invades and takes control of Laos where there are no mass killings? It is a blatant military mission to materialise Uncle Ho’s visionary plan for Indochina. You would curb the ever-increasing Vietnamese population in Cambodia if your parasite mentality were free and unconditional.

You and China lie when claiming China’s showers of yuans are free and unconditional. Like a hireling, you protect with gusto China’s interests anywhere. China controls Cambodian economy, resources, and land: tourism, mining, garment industry, Sihanoukville, Koh Kong, etc. Your regime would collapse if China one day decided Cambodia no longer has enough resources for exploitation. Just ask China about abandoning Pol Pot. While the yuans may be free to you, they form a debt yoke you have put onto Cambodia’s neck, which will last long after you.

 

Ung Bun Ang

28v21

Fake News You Can Use

Thai Makara’s satirical rhyming verse in Khmer, see below, is witty and brilliant. He writes, Sam Rainsy sells [raffles] his Casio watch to help the nation [proceeds going to the poor during Covid lockdown] while character-deficient Hun Sen sells the nation to buy watches [Patek Philippe, Richard Mille, etc]. Ouch.

Tep Monorom of a CNRP committee to raffle off Sam Rainsy’s used watch for a fiver reveals logistics for distributing the proceeds; it is as clear as mud. He says the distribution will be in secret if Hun Sen bans it. However, if Hun Sen bans it, it will be done in the open. Hence, if Hun Sen bans it, the distribution will be in secret as well in the open.

He gives Hun Sen, who worships “Thank You Peace”, no option other than either allowing the distribution or sending in his village chiefs to run the show. Tep Monorom says the distribution is non-partisan and he welcomes CPP village chiefs for the task if it is transparent. Nevertheless, He does not say how he will ensure or verify this transparency.

Speaking of transparency, one thing is not muddy: Sok Eysan of the CPP will be breathing down the CNRP’s neck over the raffle proceeds. He has asked questions about the fund of some few hundred thousand dollars the CNRP raised a few years ago for setting up its TV broadcasting station “Sun”. There has been no trace of either the station or the cash or the accountability. The transparency does not work here.

 

​«​សម​ ​រ​ង្ស៊ី ​លក់​នាឡិកា​ ​ជួយ​ជាតិ​, ​ហ៊ុន​​សែន​ ចោលម្សៀត​ ​លក់​ជាតិ​ ​ទិញ​នាឡិកា​។» 

គណនី​យ​ហ្វេសប៊ុក​​ ​ថៃ​ ​មករា​  ថ្ងៃទី ២០​ ឧសភា ២០២១ វិទ្យុអាស៊ីសេរី

 

“ការ​ចែក​ថវិកា​ជូន​នេះទៀត ក៏មិនរើសអើង​គណបក្សនយោបាយ​អ្វីដែរ។ បើសិន​ជា​មេភូមិ មកពី​គណបក្ស​ប្រជាជនកម្ពុជា ចង់យក​ថវិកា​នេះទៅ​ចែក​​ក៏​​គណៈកម្មការ​ព្រម​​ដែរ​តែត្រូវ​មាន​តម្លាភាព​​ច្បាស់​លាស់។… វិធីសាស្រ្តចែក​ថវិកា​មនុសុ្ស​ធម៌​នេះ មានពីរ​ប្រភេទ ទី១​គឺ​ចែក​ជា​លក្ខណៈ​សម្ងាត់​ ដើម្បី​ជៀសវាង​អាជ្ញាធរ​របប​លោក ហ៊ុន សែន ហាម​ឃាត់។ តែបើសិនជា កា​រ​ចែក​ជា​សម្ងាត់​នេះ ​មិន​បាន​ទៀត គណៈកម្មការ​នឹង​ចែក​ដោយ​បើក​ចំហរ ដើម្បី​បង្ហាញ​ថា​ តើ​របប​ឯកបក្ស​រិតត្បិត​ដូចម្ដេច​ខ្លះ។”

លោក ទេព មនោរម្យ គណៈកម្មាការ​​រៀបចំ​​​ជាវ​​នាឡិកា​របស់​​លោកសមរង្ស៊ី​ថ្ងៃទី២៤​ ខែ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ឧសភា ២០២១ វិទ្យុអាស៊ីសេរី

 

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Hun Sen Dancing Around Covid and the Vulnerable

 

«បើសិនជាអាច គាត់ [អាជ្ញាធរភូមិ-ឃុំ] ដើរកត់ [ស្រង់ស្ថិតិពលរដ្ឋនៅតំបន់ក្រហមដើម្បីចែកស្បៀង] តាមផ្ទះ បានគាត់កត់តាមផ្ទះវិញ ស្រួលជាង ឱ្យដឹងថា ផ្ទះណាអត់ៗ ព្រោះអ្នកខ្លះគាត់មានសម្បូរហូបចុកហើយនៅតែគេបានអំណោយទៀត ហើយខ្ញុំអត់មែនទែន ទៅជាអត់បានអំណោយនឹងគេវិញ។»

កម្មករសំណង់ លោក សំ សុដន កូន១០នាក់ ក្នុងបន្ទុក ភូមិ៤ សង្កាត់លេខ៤ ខណ្ឌមិត្តភាព ខេត្តព្រះសីហនុ ថ្ងៃ​ទី​៣០ ខែមេសា ឆ្នាំ២០២១ វីអូឌី

 

«ខ្ញុំដាក់យូរដែរហើយ តាំងពីថ្ងៃទី១៤ [មេសា] មក ដាក់ពីរដងហើយ! ដាក់លើកទី១ ខ្ញុំមានលុយខ្លះទិញម្ហូបខ្លះបានពីរបីពេល បានម៉ា [ម្ចាស់ផ្ទះជួល​] គាត់ចែក [អង្ករ] ឱ្យបាន៥គីឡូក្រាម​ហើយខ្ញុំហូប​ប៉ុន្មានថ្ងៃមុនអា៥គីឡូហ្នឹង ហើយបានបងជាប់បន្ទប់ គាត់ឱ្យខ្លះ [ឥលូវសល់ប៉ុន្មាន?] សល់ប្រហែល១គីឡូ។»

កម្មការិនីរោងចក្រ​អ្នកស្រី ឃួន សុខុន ថ្ងៃ​ទី​៣០ ខែមេសា ឆ្នាំ២០២១ វីអូឌី

 

«ពួកគាត់ [អ្នកប្រកបរបរក្រៅប្រព័ន្ធរត់រ៉ឺម៉កកង់បីនិងស៊ីក្លូ] ពិបាករស់នៅ អ្នកខ្លះអត់មានផ្ទះសម្បែងអ៊ីចឹង ដេកលើរ៉ឺម៉ក ត្រូវបានគេដេញអ៊ីចឹងទៅ ឬក៏ដេកតាមចិញ្ចើមផ្ទះរបស់គេ។ អ្នកមួយចំនួនជួលផ្ទះគេ អ៊ីចឹងគាត់ផលលំបាកអស់ថ្លៃជួលផ្ទះ ហើយអាហារហូបចុកប្រចាំថ្ងៃ ហើយលុយបង់ធនាគារបង់អីទៅ អាហ្នឹងបញ្ហាលំបាកហើយ។ មកដល់ពេលនេះឃើញថា រដ្ឋបានជួយតិចតួចតែប៉ុណ្ណោះ ពួកគាត់ជាច្រើនទៀតនៅមិនទាន់មានការឧបត្ថម្ភពីអាជ្ញាធររដ្ឋនៅឡើយ ត្រូវរង់ចាំ។ ក្នុងស្ថានភាពបែបនេះ អ្នកខ្លះសឹងតែដាច់អាហារម្ដងៗហើយ ដាច់ស្បៀងអាហារហូបចុកប្រចាំថ្ងៃ អ៊ីចឹងសង្ឃឹមតែលើរដ្ឋប៉ុណ្ណោះឯង»។

ប្រធានសមាគមប្រជាធិបតេយ្យឯករាជ្យនៃសេដ្ឋកិច្ចក្រៅប្រព័ន្ធ លោក វន់ ពៅ ថ្ងៃ​ទី២៩ ខែមេសា ឆ្នាំ២០២១ វីអូឌី

Daily Covid-19 infection and death rates will climb further, unless of course Hun Sen resorts to doctoring the numbers. He has already changed some causes of death from Covid-related to something most questionable. Still, the casualties will continue to accumulate due to his mismanagement, perhaps until a herd immunity is somehow reached.

The mismanagement of the pandemic and its subsequent impact is glaring. First, his contact tracing which is vital in any plan to break community transmissions is limited to publishing lists of Covid victims with their extensive personal details, except photograph that may come later. They appeal to those who have had any contact with the infected to come forward for testing. Despite the privacy violation, this contact tracing process is useless as the caseload continues to explode.

Second, imposed lockdowns are not working well; the rules are either unenforceable, or conflicting, or ignored by enforcing officials. For instance, they allow citizens three shopping trips a week, but without a monitoring system in place. They allow for essential services to move about, yet many authorised trucks delivering foodstuff are turned back at checkpoints. The rules’ makers and enforcers could not be more ineffective if they embarked upon a concerted political defiance to ensure Hun Sen’s failure.

Third, the lockdown relies on prosecutions with heavy fines and violent enforcements with physical canning like in kid schools of the last century, rather than on mass education and persuasion. Do they fail to convince the mass because of credibility issues, or their overwhelming mindset is on using violence for mass control?

Fourth, relief measures during the pandemic and lockdowns are inadequate and selective with ill-timed distributions. Red Zone residents must come out in droves, defying curfew and lockdown measures, to demand immediate assistance; they say they are running out of food. Many destitute question why they have not received any relief while better-off others have. The political card is again in play, leaving out in the cold those who are perceived to be the government’s critics or opposition supporters.

Thus, if Hun Sen, who has danced around Covid since its arrival, ever has a grand plan to extract benefits from the pandemic for himself, he cannot come up with a better design. His ego trip is sky-high with so many people begging for his generosity. All reliefs come with a clear label that they are donated by the Hun couple. They hold them back until the destitute become frantic, so that their “good deeds” mean more.

Indeed, Hun Sen also looks after his minions. It is unthinkable his world-renowned corrupt officials refuse their “entitlements” along the bureaucratic conveyor belt when handling the $800m reliefs. He allows private hospitals to treat and charge Covid-infected patients; the service fee is against his earlier vow of free Covid treatments. These hospitals are smart enough to select cash-rich patients to avoid sucking rocks for blood.

Hence, Hun Sen appears again to be hit in the arse by a rainbow with a fortune smile on his face.

Ung Bun Ang

04v21

Fake News You Can Use

If Hun Sen et al mismanage the living under Covid, how do they manage ashes of the dead? Nothing to brag about, it seems.

Tep Sopheap, whose mother passed away on 22 April and was cremated the next day, has no idea where and when her mother’s ashes will ever be made available for collection. Deputy President of Khmer Soviet Friendship Hospital Mok Theavy claims doctors are too busy to inform surviving families when and where to collect the ashes.

They may be so busy that they will just give out a pile of ashes of anything to anyone who come to ask for their loved one’s ashes.

«ខ្ញុំចង់បានតែអដ្ឋិធាតុម៉ែខ្ញុំមកវិញទេ បើថារួច[ចប់]កូវីដ ខ្ញុំមានលុយ ខ្ញុំធ្វើបុណ្យសង្ឃទានតិចតួច​ជាមួយបងប្អូនខ្ញុំនៅផ្ទះហ្នឹង ​អត់មានធ្វើអីធំដុំទេ។ និយាយទៅ ការពិបាកចិត្តចេះតែមានហើយ ចេះតែបារម្ភរហូត​ខ្លាចគេមិនយកអដ្ឋិធាតុមកឱ្យវិញអ៊ីចឹង អត់មានអីធ្វើបុណ្យឱ្យគាត់អ៊ីចឹង។»

អ្នកស្រី ទេព សុភាព ថ្ងៃ​ទី២៨ ខែមេសា ឆ្នាំ២០២១ វីអូឌី

«អដ្ឋិធាតុសពអ្នកកើតកូវីដ-១៩ទាំងអស់ ខាងក្រុមគ្រូពេទ្យដែលយកសពទៅបូជានោះបានរក្សាទុកឱ្យគ្រួសារសព ប៉ុន្តែការមិនបានជូនដំណឹងទៅគ្រួសារ ដោយសារគ្រូពេទ្យជាប់​រវល់។»

អនុប្រធានមន្ទីរពេទ្យមិត្តភាពខ្មែរ-សូវៀត វេជ្ជបណ្ឌិត ម៉ុក ធាវី ថ្ងៃ​ទី២៨ ខែមេសា ឆ្នាំ២០២១ វីអូឌី

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Pseng-Pseng in Image

២៤មេសា២០២១

រឿងព្រះគោព្រះកែវ

 

ព្រះគោទ្រង់សព្វព្រះហឫទ័យជួយព្រះអានុជព្រះនាមព្រះកែវ សំអាតព្រះភក្រ្ត ស្រង់ព្រះគង្គា បន្ទាប់ពីឯកឧត្តមអាមាត្យ ឃួងស្រេង អាមាត្យជើងឆៅរបស់សម្តេចអគ្គមហាសេនាបតីតេជោហ៊ុនសែន ប្រកាសអោយពលរដ្ឋភ្នំពេញសន្សំសំចៃទឹកដែលខ្វះខាត​ ដោយសារសម្តេចបានលុបបឹងទាំងឡាយនៅជុំវិញក្រុង កាត់ជាដីឡូរ៍យកលុយដាក់ហោប៉ៅ និងចែកអោយក្រុមអាមាត្យទាំងពួង។

Covid-19 Bewilders Hun Sen

 

ប៉ុន្តែ អារឿង [កូវីដ ១៩] ដែលមិនគួរខ្លាច ទៅជានាំគ្នាខ្លាចពេញទឹកពេញដី ទិញអង្ករ ទិញអី។ អាហ្នឹងខ្លាចជ្រុល។»

 

នាយករដ្ឋមន្ដ្រី ហ៊ុន សែន ថ្ងៃទី ១១ ខែមីនា ឆ្នាំ ២០២០ ភ្នំពេញប៉ុស្តិ៍

 

«​នៅពេល​ខាងមុខនេះ យុទ្ធនាការ​ចាក់​វ៉ាក់សាំង​របស់​យើង​នឹងធ្វើ​ក្នុង​ទ្រង់ទ្រាយ​ធំ ហើយ​នឹង​មាន​អន្តរាគមន៍​ពី​ពេទ្យ​ទៅ​ពី​ថ្នាក់ជាតិ​ចូលរួម​ផងដែរ ដែល​គម្រោង​យើង​គឺ​ចាក់​ឱ្យ​បាន​ចំនួន​ ១ ​លានដូស ​ក្នុងពេល​ ១ ​ខែ​។»

នាយករដ្ឋមន្ដ្រី ហ៊ុន សែន ថ្ងៃទី ៣០ ខែមីនា ឆ្នាំ ២០២១ ភ្នំពេញប៉ុស្តិ៍

 

“The primary hit to growth is from a contraction in tourism… Our baseline assumption is for 2021 visitor arrivals to be about 80 percent below 2019 levels, marking only a marginal recovery from 2020.”

 

Moody’s Investors Service, 31 March 2021, Khmer Times

 

For the one who claims he is not worried about Covid-19, Hun Sen’s responses to an intensified community transmission of the virus reveal anything but calm and strategic, especially when infection rate and death toll have begun to take off.

Several key decisions Hun Sen makes to manage the community transmission have largely been on an ad hoc basis. First, he has just set up two new committees to oversee vaccine acquisitions and funding, and inoculations programme. This is about five weeks after the first batch of Sinopharm vaccines landed in February. He must be overwhelmed by Covid to be so ill-prepared.

Second, Hun Sen makes a grandiose announcement that one million doses of vaccines are to be dispensed per month, i.e, 33,330 doses per day. From 11 February when a vaccination began to 16 March, however, his vaccination programme has managed only a daily average of 8,824 doses. He has little hope of closing this huge gap between his words and capability.

Third, he instructs all bodies of Covid-related death be cremated claiming there is insufficient space for burials. He allocates ten hectares of land for cremations for the Phnom Penh region, and further land for regional cremations, as if the 4,932 pagodas throughout Cambodia that usually come with a cremation site each cannot do the jobs. He must be so irresolute that he allows burials 24 hours later.

Indeed, Hun Sen could do with some good news while his vaccination programme is limping. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, not Economy and Finance (MEF), issues a rosy forecast of a GDP growth of 3.5% for 2021. Why does a diplomat, not economist, do the economics work?

This explains why the forecast is more like a public relations exercise: to soften impact of the Covid ferocity. Garment employer group GMAC refuses to endorse a projected 4.6% growth for their industry. Cambodian Logistics Association estimates transport volumes are down about 20% after the February wave. Agriculture Minister Veng Sakhon says export of milled rice in 2021 March quarter drops by a third, compared to 2020 March quarter. Moody has no faith in tourism – another major sector – for a quick recovery. The MEF projects construction and property – two other major sectors – to grow in 2021 by 2.9% and 2.7%, respectively. The expectation is before the February outbreak, which makes the 3.5% GDP growth more unlikely. Meanwhile, nine international business chambers request a delay in lodging 2020 tax returns, which would help ease any pressure on their business cashflows.

Thus, it is clear bewildered Hun Sen has let Cambodia slide into a herd immunity by natural process. This process occurs when Covid-19 is spread, by design or incompetence, to the extent that the virus itself loses its momentum perhaps leaving a small population uninfected. The WHO rejects this natural process as it will put enormous pressure on health system and too many lives at risks. It prefers an effective mass vaccination to achieve the herd immunity, which the Hun Sen programme is failing.

 

Ung Bun Ang

05iv21

 

Fake News You Can Trust

 

A stern commitment to anything is admirable. A possible downside is that the commitment can be so blind that it disorients one to the extent that one can no longer sort the shit from the clay.

Jean Francoise Tan of Radio France Internatinale is totally committed to China; he assumes that benefactor China is inherently stupid in providing all benefits to Cambodia without any return. He also assumes beneficiary Cambodia is smart for securing all benefits without paying any price. Since when has China been stupid in dealing with foreign countries with free lunches? Since when has Cambodia outsmarted their “partners” in their foreign relations?

However, it is useful for Hun Sen to have on his side such committed intellectuals whose thinking is driven by a tunnel vision.

 

 

«រុញច្រានចិន ខ្ញុំអត់យល់ស្រប រាល់ថ្ងៃនេះការអភិវឌ្ឍន៍បើអត់មានចិន នៅបររទេះគោនៅឡើយ។ ចិនជាអ្នកជួយជំនួយអភិវឌ្ឍន៍ទី១នៅកម្ពុជា ចិនជាអ្នកផ្តល់ជំនួយឥតសំណងលេខ១ ចិនជាអ្នកឱ្យកម្ពុជាខ្ចីច្រើនជាងគេ។ ចិនជាអ្នកជួយកម្ពុជាផលិតហេដ្ឋារចនាសម្ព័ន្ធដល់កម្ពុជា យើងត្រូវរុញចិនចោលឬយ៉ាងម៉េច? ​»

 

អ្នកវិភាគបញ្ហានយោបាយជាតិ និងអន្តរជាតិ នៅវិទ្យុបារាំងអន្តរជាតិ ហ្សង់-ហ្វ្រង់ស័រ តាន់

 

 

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

How Hun Sen Vaccination Programme Leaves Millions Exposed

 

“We really don’t know what the real number [of the population] is [for a herd immunity]. I think the real range is somewhere between 70 to 90 percent. But, I’m not going to say 90 percent.”

 

White House Chief Medical Advisor to Trump and Biden Administration, 24 December 2020, The New York Times

 

Hun Sen does not say why he concludes only two thirds of Cambodians needs vaccination against Covid-19. He is to acquire a mere 20 million doses of vaccines, which is enough for 10 million out of the 16.7 million people (60%).

Assuming all vaccines coming to Hun Sen have a high efficacy and/or effectiveness of 79%, which is as much as what Sinopharm claims for their vaccine, the total “protected” population is a mere 47%. Hence, more than half of the population remains exposed.

The protected population is likely far less though, as the above assumption is unrealistic. The average efficacy/effectiveness of vaccine mix for Cambodians is far less than the 79%. Hun Sen, who boasts he has billions worth of gold bars and cash in reserves, says he cannot afford any vaccine that costs more than $4 a shot. That is, only AstraZeneca vaccine whose efficacy/effectiveness is as low as 62% fits the bill. He rules out a Pfizer option, which is 95% efficacious/effective, due to its high cost of $20 per dose and technical complexities for the vaccine storage, transportation, and distribution that requires an extremely low temperature of -70C. Thus, the protected population will fall below 47%.

This 47% or less protection is far cry from a level necessary to achieve a herd immunity that could make all Cambodians safe. Herd immunity occurs when a significant part of a population becomes immune to an infectious disease, limiting further disease spread for the benefit of all. Dr Fauci reckons over 70% of the population would need to be effectively protected, or vaccinated, for the herd immunity to take hold. Hun Sen’s vaccination programme will thus fail the Fauci test.

There are further complications with the Hun Sen vaccination programme. First, the rollout is sluggish. There are only 7,091 persons receiving their first jab in the first six days. At this rate, it will take almost 17 months to administer all the first batch of 600,000 doses of Sinopharm vaccines Hun Sen has received from China. Whether by design or sheer incompetence, he seems unhurried to secure the protection, while other governments are rushing to make their citizens resistant to Covid-19.

Second, the vaccination programme can only become less effective with an arrival in Cambodia of the UK Covid variant. Early reports suggest only Pfizer vaccine, which Hun Sen rules out, is useful against the variant, albeit with less degree.

Though the vaccination programme may be ineffective, Hun Sen still gets his priority right, in terms of whom his programme is protecting. While other rollouts give importance to frontline health workers and elderly, Hun Sen’s target groups to get the first jabs include his families, top minions, and a few journalists who are not in jail. Half of the first batch of the Chinese vaccines goes to armed forces that Hun Sen is grateful for keeping him in power.

Thus, while the select groups will enjoy some level of immunity from Covid-19, at least eight million Cambodians will not.

Ung Bun Ang

21ii21

Fake News You Can Trust

So, Hun Sen refuses to comment on internal affairs of Myanmar after a successful military coup on 1 Feb 2021 that sweeps winners of their general election on 8 November 2020 out of power. Senior leaders of victorious National League for Democracy are arrested.

The refusal would be a noble political posturing if it were not so hypocritical and inconsistent.

He has meddled in Myanmar internal affairs after the election, at least in the eyes of Myanmar military chief Min Aung Hlaing. The chief says it is unlikely the military, which has had a full control over the country for decades, will accept the election outcomes claiming widespread election frauds.

Nevertheless, Hun Sen’s embassy in Yangon certifies the election to be “free and fair” and reiterates his support for Myanmar’s democratic process. Hun Sen follows up a few days later with a congratulatory letter to State counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi for her party’s overwhelming election victory. General Min Aung Hlaing would want Hun Sen to explain if that is not an interference into Myanmar affairs, what is.

Then again, the man just wants to be nice to whoever wins, never mind hypocrisy.

 

“For the time being, in Yangon [and Myanmar] it is happening. The President and the State Counsellor are arrested and detained… But Cambodia shall not make any comments on the internal affairs of any countries regardless if they are within the framework of ASEAN as member states or outside.”

Prime Minister Hun Sen, 2 February 2021, VOA Khmer

 

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Why CNRP Return Plans Omit Sea Option

 

It surprises nobody outside the CNRP leadership that they fail again in their plan to enter Cambodia. Despite Hun Sen’s court summons for them to appear in court to answer treason charges, Hun Sen refuses them entry visas. He prefers them in exile where they are less disruptive to his peace.

The interesting question is why the CNRP repeats the same thing and expect a different outcome. They claim that they have learned a lot from the first failure in November 2019. For the second attempt, they beg the King to intervene while insulting him. They tell the court to grow spine and stand up to Hun Sen. They send in a genteel vice-president instead of a rough and tumble acting president. They promise no more pre-announcement of dates and itineraries for the second trip, only to break it.

Actually, they have not learned much. Both return plans in essence still depend on a naive belief that Hun Sen respects his own law, or is stupid, or democratic enough to let them in, or all the above.

This leads to fascinating questions on a real intention of the CNRP return plans. Are they fearful of Hun Sen as much as they say Hun Sen fears them? Are they committed, as much as they claim they are, to rescuing the nation when they have already secured a comfortable lifestyle in exile? Why have they deprived themselves of lateral or creative thinking that extends beyond entering Cambodia either by air or land? Or would thinking outside the box involve too much risk?

A simple truth is that they would be able to enter Cambodia any time. Anyone can enter a country without either passport or visa, or both, if they are committed to their goal and ready for any consequences. Drug traffickers, trade smugglers, and others do it all the time. Even Ying Lak Shinawatra sneaks out of Thailand by boat into Sihanoukville to escape from a Thai court summon in 2016. She then receives an instant Khmer passport and flies out of Phnom Penh for Hong Kong along with Hun Sen’s compliments.

It is certain the CNRP leadership could, by boat, land anywhere on the 443 km stretch of Cambodia’s coastline after leaving from a beach in Malaysia or Thailand. The Cambodian coastline security is most likely lax because Hun Sen’s coastline patrol system cannot be so well-resourced. Coastguards are either corrupt, or susceptible to taking bribes. Should the CNRP local networking in Sihanoukville be effective, some of those guards could well be their supporters or sympathisers and even facilitate their arrival.

Indeed, this is a viable option for a third attempt, if there is one, to enter Cambodia. Indeed, the CNRP leadership may have already considered and discarded it, due to a bankrupt notion that they would not risk doing it without Hun Sen’s passport and visa. Or, have they outsourced their thinking to the man whose sole aim is to ensure they cannot rescue themselves, let alone the nation? 

Ung Bun Ang

21i21

 

Fake News You Can Use

It may be a bit late, but as they say it is better late than never. The CNRP Youth Movement in South Korea has blurted out in public their frustration and criticism of Sam Rainsy’s behaviours. They say he acts on impulse putting their followers at risk. They ask him to be responsible and stop behaviours that are destructive to the party and national interests.

Now it is clear why Sam Rainsy and the leadership do not want to have anything to do with succession planning that nourishes and grows their successors. They simply cannot manage different ideas of their followers.

Many in the party leadership share the youth’s sentiment, but they are not willing to speak out even in private. They say they would do so when they are in power. This is a crooked thinking that overestimates their influence over the acting president; if they do not dare have a quiet word with him now, how they believe he would care when he is in power.

 

“ក្នុងនាមជាថ្នាក់ដឹកនាំនៃគណបក្សសង្គ្រោះជាតិ លោក​សម​រង្ស៊ី ត្រូវបង្ហាញនូវការទទួលខុសត្រូវខ្ពស់ចំពោះជោគវាសនារបស់គណបក្សនិងសកម្មជនអ្នកគាំទ្ររាប់លាននាក់ដែលកំពុងជ្រកក្រោមដំបូលរបបរាជានិយមអាស្រ័យរដ្ឋធម្មនុញ្ញ​និងប្រជាធិបតេយ្យសេរីនិយមពហុបក្ស។ លោកសម​ រង្ស៊ី ក៏មិនត្រូវនិយាយអ្វីតាមតែអារម្មណ៍នឹកឃើញផ្ទាល់ខ្លួន ផ្ទុយពីគោលការណ៍ និងគោលជំហរបស់គណបក្ស ហើយដែលធ្វើអោយប៉ះពាល់ដល់ប្រយោជន៍ជាតិ​ កិត្តិយសបុគ្គល និងសន្តិសុខរបស់អ្នកគាំទ្ររាប់លាននាក់នោះទេ។”

សេចក្តីថ្លែងការណ៍របស់ចលនា​យុវជន​​គណបក្ស​សង្រ្គោះជាតិ​ប្រចាំ​នៅ​ប្រទេស​កូរ៉េ​ខាង​ត្បូង ទំព័រហ្វេសប៊ុក ថ្ងៃ​ទី១១ ខែ​មករា ឆ្នាំ​២០២១

 

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Pseng-Pseng in Khmer: Super Tax Collector?