By Jayakhmer
OpEd posted online
In a representative government where people elect their leaders, people should be the ones who have the power. As the 2008 election draws near each day, I have been noticing that people behave a certain way toward the elected officials. As I though again and again about this issue, the conclusions I could come up with are either the elected officials take people for granted or people do not yet understand their important responsibility in a democratic society.
The general election in 2008 will be our fourth democratic election. It is time that we, the people, examine our roles and responsibilities more seriously. If we do not take for responsibility for our action, do not expect our elected officials or our government to do so. After all, we voted for our elected officials that enable them to hold a certain governmental position.
Our most solemn obligation, I could think of as a citizen of the Kingdom in a democratic society, is to vote responsibly.
Once we voted for our party in the election, we grant them a certain privilege to our leaders to lead us. It would be an egregious error on our part to trust our elected official or our party leaders blindly. Although we trust our leader, we must verify by asking questions and verifying issues. To trust alone is not good enough.
A responsible citizen respects his/her elected officials but exercise his or her rights by asking questions and clarifying issues. It is quite natural that some times our elected officials feel uncomfortable about the inquiries. It is our rights to know. As a good and responsible citizen, we are responsible for the direction of our nation. The more we exercise these rights the better it will be for Cambodia and the more our elected officials will get used to it.
The recent spat between the RFA staff and the Prime Minister was a perfect example of good citizenship. The journalists' job is to ask questions and clarify issues so that speculations can be avoided. The Prime Minister should be prepared and welcome this kind of opportunity. The era of following the leaders blindly is over. This applies to all political parties. Government official and party leaders should expect tough questions from constituents and the press.
Although it is your prerogative as citizens to use the way with which you are comfortable, I am not advocating for using of abusive language at all. More often than not abusive language tends to burn bridges and generates harsh responses. Political dialog and political discourses can be done in civilized manner.
I know that decades of wars and conflicts divided us into CPP, Republicans, Democrats, and Royalists. On top of that there are those who are working hard to keep us that way.
But do we have to be divisive? The choice is ours.
We have to change the way we think, the way we vote, and the way we interact with each other if we are to survive as a nation. Make your vote count. Think of ourselves as Khmer as citizens of Kingdom of Kampuchea first before we are as a member of a party.
Remember we, the people, have the power to change the direction of our country. Please exercise your rights and vote responsibly.
Jay
The general election in 2008 will be our fourth democratic election. It is time that we, the people, examine our roles and responsibilities more seriously. If we do not take for responsibility for our action, do not expect our elected officials or our government to do so. After all, we voted for our elected officials that enable them to hold a certain governmental position.
Our most solemn obligation, I could think of as a citizen of the Kingdom in a democratic society, is to vote responsibly.
Once we voted for our party in the election, we grant them a certain privilege to our leaders to lead us. It would be an egregious error on our part to trust our elected official or our party leaders blindly. Although we trust our leader, we must verify by asking questions and verifying issues. To trust alone is not good enough.
A responsible citizen respects his/her elected officials but exercise his or her rights by asking questions and clarifying issues. It is quite natural that some times our elected officials feel uncomfortable about the inquiries. It is our rights to know. As a good and responsible citizen, we are responsible for the direction of our nation. The more we exercise these rights the better it will be for Cambodia and the more our elected officials will get used to it.
The recent spat between the RFA staff and the Prime Minister was a perfect example of good citizenship. The journalists' job is to ask questions and clarify issues so that speculations can be avoided. The Prime Minister should be prepared and welcome this kind of opportunity. The era of following the leaders blindly is over. This applies to all political parties. Government official and party leaders should expect tough questions from constituents and the press.
Although it is your prerogative as citizens to use the way with which you are comfortable, I am not advocating for using of abusive language at all. More often than not abusive language tends to burn bridges and generates harsh responses. Political dialog and political discourses can be done in civilized manner.
I know that decades of wars and conflicts divided us into CPP, Republicans, Democrats, and Royalists. On top of that there are those who are working hard to keep us that way.
But do we have to be divisive? The choice is ours.
We have to change the way we think, the way we vote, and the way we interact with each other if we are to survive as a nation. Make your vote count. Think of ourselves as Khmer as citizens of Kingdom of Kampuchea first before we are as a member of a party.
Remember we, the people, have the power to change the direction of our country. Please exercise your rights and vote responsibly.
Jay
25 comments:
Ahh ... Shut the fuck up. People
don't want no democracy right now.
What they want is jobs, jobs, and
jobs. Once the got job, food, and
some money, then they may
considered some sort of democracy
that will not violate our code of
conducts and manners. They will
never wanted the US, UK, ..., or AU
stupid democracy. Get it?
No!!!!!!! and we just saw The dictator's mentality who doesn't give damm! That is 1:23a.m
Those are the kind of mentality all Khmers should know and be awared of and don't let them walk you blind. Go to vote and vote for a better representative and leader. No wants say that you & I have to put up with this type of abusive government. Is it?
Wrong, vote is not part of Khmer
culture nor tradition. However,
if you get us jobs first, we will
do it. How's that sounds, fair?
2:58AM,i think you've gotten shit for brain. You're hanging around ah Hun Sen too much. Stupidity is contagious among the CPP regime!!! "VOTE IS NOT PART OF KHMER CULTURE NOR TRADITION" This is a great Fallacy, and a very poor uneducated & illogical thinking.
2:58AM, tell one culture/tradition that has voting prior to 1492 or further back. Do you know, what is 1492?
America didn't have the "Bill of Rights" until late 19th century. The Europe,the South America, the Africa, and Asia in the circa 2000BC-13th century A.D., no-one has the right to vote because the Absolute Monarchy Society. It was the tradition or culture.
2:58AM, a culture/tradition that is stagnant -- is a culture of Oppression and Lack progression.
Don't just be a blabber mouth; the Sun don't just shine on you!!!!!
A typical dumb and ignorant citizen. That is 2:58a.m. Very negative and turn off people.
My dear 1:23 A.M.,what altenatives political system should we seek so that people can obtain jobs and food security?
Your elaboration would be most helpful. Jobs, as you might have known, are very elusive in Cambodia,especially for people like my relatives in Ta-hand, Srai-trang, Thmar Kol and Kor Kralor. These are the people that every political party that ever came to power in Cambodia swore to protect and defend.
Please allow me to elaborate. These are not people who are afraid to work or faint of hearts.
Members of our family has always served Cambodia in time of wars. Back in the 1900, my great grand daddy trade his hoe and plow in favor of single shot rifle. He was hung by the French. They did not agree with his politics.
In the 1940s, my grand father too trade his hoe and plow in favor of automatic rifle. He too was shot dead - by the Thai. They did not like to return Battambang to the Khmer.
In the early seventies, three of my unlces on my mother side and their entire families died with their battalion near Ta-hand: they ran out of ammunition and supplies. The Khmer Krahom did not like their bravery.
Not long after, one of my uncle from my father side was shot dead. The Khmer Krahom did not like his stubborness.
...Of course, I can go on enumerating about the death of member in my clan..., but right now...I would like to look to the future and consider the future of my many nieces and nephews who are growing up fast in rural Cambodia without the necessary skills beyond farming to surive the changing economic landscape of Cambodia.
On this note...1:23 A.M., please elaborate a system that will bring jobs and food to my relatives. Please no outbust... or insults...
4:59 and 6:31, we didn't have any
problem with somdach Euv ruling
between 1954-1970, alright. I know
for sure, 90% of the people will
be happy if we can get a similar
lifestyle to those era. We don't
need more, and we don't need less.
We all know somdach Euv aint no
democracy as he claimed to be, but
nevertheless, people were getting
their basic need at that time.
And don't even try to compare the
1954 lifestyle with the 2007
Aussie's lifestyle either. In
1954, there were no color TV in
Cambodia, and hardly anyone owned
a black-and-white TV, or
transistor AM radio for that
matter ... ., but there are hardly
any complaint from the general
public, which is why somdach is
still the star today. Get it?
Now if you want to promote your
stupid democracy here, just tell
us which country that was in
similar condition to cambodia
that had been delivered out
of misery by democracy, fair?
There are two different arguments that one country should develop economic first before democracy, but another tries to convince that economic cannot be fair shared if we don't have democracy.
These two arguments are still proving the the existing trends of Communism and Democracy.
If we look at Cambodia poverty is deterioting democracy. But the government is using this poverty situation to hold the power. This kind of leader is absolutely lacking national patriotism, because if we look at Cambodia, the leader is using all means to prolong their power...he is really ignorant and proud!
Maybe we cannot be extreme with these two things. We have to ballance the reality of letting the dictator to control Cambodia and benefit from poverty and uneducated, or we have to enhance democracy to protect the weak people?
So, the second choice of democratic need is more important than.
Are you sick and tired when 1:23am has preached almost nonstop about job,job and jobs, but folks ,if you think a little deeper behind those tricks it is purely self interests and that's it.And it is well known.
The world knew that ,to invest in Cambodia,one has to go through all kinds of bureaucracy which meant BRIBES big time from A to Z.And who worked in those LUCKY positions(KANLENG KHLANH) ,you bet they are CPP.
In all, when they said; JOB,JOB,JOB it doesn't mean that they care.It's meant purely their own pockets....and who paid the price for these corruptions ? it's the poors who has to work a lot MORE for a lot LESS.
Khmer Young, you have good points. Thank you.
1:23am,2:58am,&8:53am -- your 3 comments above seems to be very bitter toward us abroad. But, if my conjecture is right -- you are in the States as well. YOU NEED TO REALIZE SOMETHING, IT DOES NOT MATTER WHERE YOU ARE. THE COUNTRY NEEDS THE RULE OF LAWS.
I ASSURE YOU; YOU WILL BE JOBLESS IN CAMBODIA AS LONG AS THE CPP RULES. WELL. EVERYONE KNOWS WHY!
THERE ARE A BILLION WAY TO CREATE JOBS. BUT I WANTED YOU TO RESPOND FIRST.
Bullshit, 9:43, if what you said
is true, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and
Singapore would not have been what
it is today. It is all in
Capitalist economy. If you know
how it works, you can succeed
regardless whether you are an
Autocracy or Democracy. On the
other hand, if you don't know
how Capitalist economy works, you
will crumble, regardless wether
you are Autocracy or Democracy.
Therefore, fuck the useless
argument.
And 10:18, we got rule-of-law.
And no, our jobless is not from
the CPP. They had just created
a bunch of jobs with a "direct
flight" deal with burma.
Furthemore, Somdach Hun Sen is
schedule to go to japan in june,
and he will create more jobs from
that as well, ... .
The problem is the CPP is only
about 60% of the government. The
other 40% aint doing shits for
decades. They are only burning up
our taxpayer moneys. And 40% is a
huge fraction, 10:18. I am
accustomed to ignore 10-15% lost,
but not 40%. No way, Jose. We could
had grow twice as fast if everyone
did their part.
Please don't figth for the spilling milk. Think about the country about the Cambodian people, they suffer a lot because they follow to the one that they love without thinking and follow the tradition. We are in the real world we know how big the sky is ;so rethink again and again and look at the developped countries (Wath do the leaders do and wath the people have to do to make the countries progress). Cambodia is a rich country why and why like this?
8:53 you are wrong about the feodal regime between 1954-1970. Who were get killed in that time?
11:17 AM,
You may try to tell me that it is not bad for Capitalist Democracy, Capitalist Peace or Capitalist Communism....yes, those countries you mentioned I agree,
But in case Cambodia, our current government leaders are having willingness only to strenthen the power, not the advancement of the country. They are lacking of national patriotism and sacrificing...
How Hun Sen sacrifice for the sake of national interests when he said "he will be PM till he is 90 years old?".
Finally, Hun Sen will be painful in his heart through this such so ignorant proclaiming...
Cambodia is in need to improve democracy as 75% of national budget is from foregn aids.
The one motherfucker is never making any sense. He needs to admit himself to the psychiatric hospital (only if they have one in Cambodia). He may have multiple disorders, one might be ELIMINATION DISORDER. Ah Lob 7 SunDan!
12:18, PM Hun Sen doesn't travel
around the world for the fun of it.
He's trying to create job by
building relationship with
international community.
And no, we got enough democracy,
it is time to focus on the economy,
and we want those who toke the
taxpayers' moneys to do some work
for the taxpayers.
democracy a la see pee pee?
ah Hun Sen is so dumb fucken stupid. He is so dumb arrogant with no manners no degress. ah hun sen is ah kaun mi samphung. he creates jobs? where? open your skirt to see how many jobs ah hun sen created.
Yes, PM did created jobs, and if
you want to see it, just open your
eyes.
Miss sushi 2:49 PM. I can't read your ESL. Hun Sen created no jobs he chased jobs away with his barbaric behavior.
ah hun kvak created a lot of jobs for his one big family you son of bitch. ah hun sen is a kaun mi sumphang, he is so dumb stupid but wants to be PM.
wowowo 2:54pm, so stagnant words!
we should try to use more simple worlds than this one. Still using that words i swear we never grow up. If a lot of cambodian people still use that terms i have one question, how cambodia still exist like today?
Firstly I want to remind all of you that Hun Sen is not dumb, stupid te... if he is stupid,he won't win the election and control his power very well like today. secondly, we shouldn't say that in Cambodia, current government doesn't creat jobs. We just can say that the jobs don't meed the demand of cambodian labor. ok time to go see u
From khmerdestiny
Another interesting comments, loves it. But, I can live w/o profanity.
11:17AM; Tell me which "Supreme Law of the Land" does Cambodia have and who obey the laws? Most laws that's been enacted so far are to benefit ah Hun Sen regime, so he can be in power for good!!!
There isn't the "Bill of Rights" in Srok Khmer! There is a Defamation Laws that prohibit the people rights to Freedom.
Meanwhile, "Direct Flight" from Burma to Cambodia & you called that creating job? YOU ARE DEFINITLY RELATED TO AH HUN SEN. Did you know ah Hun Sen got "kou khbal chhke"?
CPP is 60% Youns, and 40% Youns' dogs!
Now get this, ah PM HS, wants to create more jobs, but HE MUST CUT SALARY FROM THE GARMENTS LABORERS IN ORDER TO DO SO! HUN SEN IS SURELY MADE IN VIETNAM! STUPID.
Well, how can the current jobs
meet our demand, when 40% of the
government (oppositions) are not
doing anything but eating into
our tax revenues for decades?
We need to reform Opposition's
salary. Let's cut all their salary
and use that to fund our polices
and judges to help them fight
temptation and let Ah Khmer-
Gringoes fund the opposition's
salary instead. We can no longer
tolerate Opposition's corruption
here.
How can anybody expects democracy in Cambodia? The rulers are made by Vietnam. As a matter of fact, Cambodian rulers of the pass 2 centuries were all made by either France, China and now Vietnam.
Apparently the meaning of democracy is not understood. In reality there is no democracy even in the US or Europe. But, there is only law that afford people to fend off aggressors or violators. American Civil Liberty Union (ACLU), Anti Defamation League (ADL) and many other organizations work to protect the right of the people.
But in Cambodia the law is in the hand of ruthless foreign installed rulers. Due process doesn't exits and if it does will serve only to mock international observers.
No one allow to say the truth in Cambodia. Example: National assembly cannot and were not allow to debate Hun Sen's border treaty with Vietnam. What can you make out of that? Hun Sen, Sihanouk, Sihanmuny and the rest of their gangs are traitors of the khmer nation.
Only people power and arm revolution can wrestle power from these vietnamese/chinese slaves and restore national sovereignty so khmer people is free to exercise her will.
Khmers must rise and get rid of these scum royal, hun sen and their entourage in order to save their nation.
My friend 8:53, this comentator is most appreciative of your added note in regard to the period of Cambodia history which was not mentioned at 6:31 A.M., however the question remain in regard to which system can generate the most jobs for Cambodia young of today...?
Again, thank you for that input.
12:32, we don't care about
generating the most jobs right
now. We just care about creating
enough jobs like 1954-1970, and
Sihanouk Autocracy government did
fine. Taiwan Autocracy government
did fine. Hong Kong dit it, and
and Singapore did it. What else
do you want? You have absolutely
no proof that you can do better.
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