By Duong Sokha
Ka-set
Unofficial translation from French by Luc Sâr
Click here to read the original article in French
Click here to read the original article in Khmer
With the normalization of the situation in the country, Cambodians are approaching the 27 July ballot rather calmly. Midway into the election campaign, the relatively good atmosphere was upset by the assassination of a journalist working for a newspaper close the opposition SRP on Friday 11 July, except for this, Cambodians easily return to their daily problems and their expectations. The complaints expressed are often the echo of the political platform presented by the opposition party. Regardless of their political affiliations, all those asked by Ka-set in the streets swore that they will go to vote, but nobody dares confide about whom they will vote for. Everybody assured that they will closely look at the pertinence of the political programs promoted but the 11 parties running for the election, in order to make their decision, rather than blindly following a political leader.
A quiet campaign
Thach Sothon, a 37-year-old monk at the Moha Muntrey pagoda, is happy to see that political discriminations are lesser this year. “Parties do not create problems like the previous election campaigns. Before 2003, when two parades cross each others, we can see insult exchanges.”
Ieng Chuor, a 50-year-old farmer from Prey Veng, also observed the same thing. “Everything is going well this year, we only hear the loudspeakers of the political parties blaring their messages, but there was no confrontation,” he reported. Students, police officers met on the streets, all appreciate the peaceful climate which prevails during this campaign.
The general relief does not wipe entirely all the concerns. Some, like young monk Sum Wathakna, are concerned about the contest of the election results by the losing parties: “There are risks of trouble the day after the election … Several rumors are reporting this.”
Inflation: the major illness
The next government is highly expected by the population which saw its living condition in free fall since the beginning of last year because the inflation was deemed out of proportion. Whatever their jobs and political affiliations, people surveyed place inflation at the top of the next government’s priority, as well as the return to a more affordable cost of living.
Pross Mao, a 27-own newspapers kiosk owner, said that he did not care who will win: for him, the importance is for the price to decrease: “We cannot increase the price of the publications we sell, otherwise we would lose customers. Our incomes are low, inflation must be controlled,” he called.
Tuk-tuk drivers and other transporters are unanimous with the assertion above. “The government must call for a new price bidding and break up the monopoly for gasoline distributors,” an anonymous forty something man suggested. “How can we get out of it? Why the price of gasoline is cheaper in other countries?”
Chan Veasna, a 50-year motodoop driver, is also making the same complaint. “Price of gasoline is skyrocketing but customers are not ready to adjust to the travel fares…” he cursed while calling on the winning party to lower the price of goods in order to assure a better living condition for the citizens.
Kao Som Ol, a 38-year-old cop, is puzzled by the high cost of living, and, in front of us, he started to enumerate the price of basic goods while comparing them to their “past” prices, in order to underscore the scandalous situation. “I only earn 100,000 riels ($25) per month. We, cops, are fed up of working for such low salaries. The upcoming government must re-evaluate our salaries.”
Mao Vanna, a 51-year sugar cane juice seller, the situation is bitter: “Prices are climbing up, but our incomes do not! We ended up living on a day-to-day basis and pulling our children out of school to send them to work! This is unacceptable!”
Salary increases and jobs for the youths
“The current situation forces civil servants to find another job on the side, and students are sometimes forced to return to agriculture when they exhaust all the possibilities! Once graduated, they have no jobs, they couldn’t enter the job market!” According to Chun Singath, a student in tourism, the winning combination would be to increase the salaries of teachers and civil servants, and to provide jobs for the youths. Then, everything will be normal again, he promised.
For Dek Sovannthea, an English language teacher, the solution would be for the government to collect more revenues “by better collecting taxes and by fighting more efficiently against corruption.” Furthermore, he regrets to see the disparity between the number of job offers – “very numerous in the newspapers” – and the specializations undertaken by the students. He suggested imposing a quota system for the number of youth recruits in each company. On the other hand, Sum Wathakna, a young monk, was asking: “Why do they give more value to foreign engineers than to Cambodians?”
Sor Phanna, a psychology student, like her classmates, is concerned for her professional future. “To create jobs, the clan spirit must end, and civil servants reaching their retirement age must vacate their positions for the youths. I will support the party which will provide jobs for the youths!”
Immigration, again and always…
The presence of Vietnamese in Cambodia continues to bring concerns. Phon Ravy, a Pali student, demanded for an actual “control of Vietnamese immigration, as well as the control of smuggling from Vietnam.” “They (Vietnamese) are free to do business in our country, without being subjected to tax payment, unlike the Cambodians! Furthermore, those (Vietnamese) who live along the rivers pollute the environment. Not only do they invade us, but they also import their own culture. I want a government that is capable of protecting the territorial integrity!” he said. Kren Bopha, a psychology student, shares Phan Ravy’s concerns, while saying that she is reinvigorated by the recent listing of Preah Vihear temple as a World Heritage site. “Whoever can protect our territory will be able to put to an end the illegal immigration,” she learnedly pronounced.
Thach Sothon, a 37-year-old monk, even said that the Vietnamese “steal jobs from Cambodians.” He added: “Furthermore, whoever speaks their language (Vietnamese) always earns a better salary!” On the other hands, students were not as harsh in condemning the Vietnamese, some don’t understand “why they have the right to vote in Cambodia,” others suspect that they want “to populate Cambodia by giving birth through the Vietnamese prostitute ring and spread AIDS in Cambodia”…
… Other desiderata (needs)
Access to reasonably price – or free – healthcare for the poor is on the list of wishes people living in Phnom Penh want to see when they were asked. “When we arrive in the hospital, even before we are examined by a doctor, they ask if we have money!” said Sok Sol, a 34-year-old tuk-tuk driver, in anger. Chhi Samomeun, a factory worker from Svay Rieng province, called for the creation of hospitals and schools, and wished that the authorities take care of the development in remote areas.
The resolution of land disputes is also raised by some people, like So Vanna, who see in this issue a lack of solidarity among Cambodians. He also estimated that the issue has an impact on the economy, this social instability will “chill” potential investors.
Others, like Hasarat Karasan, a 50-year-old Cham seller, still remember the KR regime, and their principal wish is not to see the return of a “Pol Pot regime.” Sok Sophy, a 43-year-old garment factory worker, said that she mainly wants to see peace: “War must not return to trouble us again…”
A busy seller of second-hand clothes on Sihanouk Boulevard, is more direct and said that she has no interest whatsoever in politics: “I will sill go to vote, but I don’t know who I will vote for yet. My motto is: ‘God will help those who help themselves’. So, I work everyday from 7AM to 7PM, and I don’t expect anything from the parties!”
A quiet campaign
Thach Sothon, a 37-year-old monk at the Moha Muntrey pagoda, is happy to see that political discriminations are lesser this year. “Parties do not create problems like the previous election campaigns. Before 2003, when two parades cross each others, we can see insult exchanges.”
Ieng Chuor, a 50-year-old farmer from Prey Veng, also observed the same thing. “Everything is going well this year, we only hear the loudspeakers of the political parties blaring their messages, but there was no confrontation,” he reported. Students, police officers met on the streets, all appreciate the peaceful climate which prevails during this campaign.
The general relief does not wipe entirely all the concerns. Some, like young monk Sum Wathakna, are concerned about the contest of the election results by the losing parties: “There are risks of trouble the day after the election … Several rumors are reporting this.”
Inflation: the major illness
The next government is highly expected by the population which saw its living condition in free fall since the beginning of last year because the inflation was deemed out of proportion. Whatever their jobs and political affiliations, people surveyed place inflation at the top of the next government’s priority, as well as the return to a more affordable cost of living.
Pross Mao, a 27-own newspapers kiosk owner, said that he did not care who will win: for him, the importance is for the price to decrease: “We cannot increase the price of the publications we sell, otherwise we would lose customers. Our incomes are low, inflation must be controlled,” he called.
Tuk-tuk drivers and other transporters are unanimous with the assertion above. “The government must call for a new price bidding and break up the monopoly for gasoline distributors,” an anonymous forty something man suggested. “How can we get out of it? Why the price of gasoline is cheaper in other countries?”
Chan Veasna, a 50-year motodoop driver, is also making the same complaint. “Price of gasoline is skyrocketing but customers are not ready to adjust to the travel fares…” he cursed while calling on the winning party to lower the price of goods in order to assure a better living condition for the citizens.
Kao Som Ol, a 38-year-old cop, is puzzled by the high cost of living, and, in front of us, he started to enumerate the price of basic goods while comparing them to their “past” prices, in order to underscore the scandalous situation. “I only earn 100,000 riels ($25) per month. We, cops, are fed up of working for such low salaries. The upcoming government must re-evaluate our salaries.”
Mao Vanna, a 51-year sugar cane juice seller, the situation is bitter: “Prices are climbing up, but our incomes do not! We ended up living on a day-to-day basis and pulling our children out of school to send them to work! This is unacceptable!”
Salary increases and jobs for the youths
“The current situation forces civil servants to find another job on the side, and students are sometimes forced to return to agriculture when they exhaust all the possibilities! Once graduated, they have no jobs, they couldn’t enter the job market!” According to Chun Singath, a student in tourism, the winning combination would be to increase the salaries of teachers and civil servants, and to provide jobs for the youths. Then, everything will be normal again, he promised.
For Dek Sovannthea, an English language teacher, the solution would be for the government to collect more revenues “by better collecting taxes and by fighting more efficiently against corruption.” Furthermore, he regrets to see the disparity between the number of job offers – “very numerous in the newspapers” – and the specializations undertaken by the students. He suggested imposing a quota system for the number of youth recruits in each company. On the other hand, Sum Wathakna, a young monk, was asking: “Why do they give more value to foreign engineers than to Cambodians?”
Sor Phanna, a psychology student, like her classmates, is concerned for her professional future. “To create jobs, the clan spirit must end, and civil servants reaching their retirement age must vacate their positions for the youths. I will support the party which will provide jobs for the youths!”
Immigration, again and always…
The presence of Vietnamese in Cambodia continues to bring concerns. Phon Ravy, a Pali student, demanded for an actual “control of Vietnamese immigration, as well as the control of smuggling from Vietnam.” “They (Vietnamese) are free to do business in our country, without being subjected to tax payment, unlike the Cambodians! Furthermore, those (Vietnamese) who live along the rivers pollute the environment. Not only do they invade us, but they also import their own culture. I want a government that is capable of protecting the territorial integrity!” he said. Kren Bopha, a psychology student, shares Phan Ravy’s concerns, while saying that she is reinvigorated by the recent listing of Preah Vihear temple as a World Heritage site. “Whoever can protect our territory will be able to put to an end the illegal immigration,” she learnedly pronounced.
Thach Sothon, a 37-year-old monk, even said that the Vietnamese “steal jobs from Cambodians.” He added: “Furthermore, whoever speaks their language (Vietnamese) always earns a better salary!” On the other hands, students were not as harsh in condemning the Vietnamese, some don’t understand “why they have the right to vote in Cambodia,” others suspect that they want “to populate Cambodia by giving birth through the Vietnamese prostitute ring and spread AIDS in Cambodia”…
… Other desiderata (needs)
Access to reasonably price – or free – healthcare for the poor is on the list of wishes people living in Phnom Penh want to see when they were asked. “When we arrive in the hospital, even before we are examined by a doctor, they ask if we have money!” said Sok Sol, a 34-year-old tuk-tuk driver, in anger. Chhi Samomeun, a factory worker from Svay Rieng province, called for the creation of hospitals and schools, and wished that the authorities take care of the development in remote areas.
The resolution of land disputes is also raised by some people, like So Vanna, who see in this issue a lack of solidarity among Cambodians. He also estimated that the issue has an impact on the economy, this social instability will “chill” potential investors.
Others, like Hasarat Karasan, a 50-year-old Cham seller, still remember the KR regime, and their principal wish is not to see the return of a “Pol Pot regime.” Sok Sophy, a 43-year-old garment factory worker, said that she mainly wants to see peace: “War must not return to trouble us again…”
A busy seller of second-hand clothes on Sihanouk Boulevard, is more direct and said that she has no interest whatsoever in politics: “I will sill go to vote, but I don’t know who I will vote for yet. My motto is: ‘God will help those who help themselves’. So, I work everyday from 7AM to 7PM, and I don’t expect anything from the parties!”
13 comments:
If the Cambodians want to tone down the inflation then they should vote for SRP.
Vote for SRP, Cambodian will have better living conditions.
To control inflation, a party must work well with its neighbors, and others. Thus, the CPP is the obvious choice. Everyone just loves them!
7:47,
You're entitle to your own opinions.
Vote SRP!
To 7:47AM
What the fuck are you saying by working well with its neighbors to control inflation? Are you saying that the Thaicong and the Vietcong control Cambodian central bank?
Hmmmm! When did the Thaicong and the Vietcong hijack Cambodian banking system? Ahhahhahahhah
Vote for SRP and give MR. SAM RAINSY a chance to fight for Cambodian sovereignty, for peace, and to fight against inflation, and to fight for accountability and transparency, to fight against joblessness, the poverty, and the hopelessness, to fight against corruption, to fight against dictatorship, and to fight against economic exploitation, and to fight for true democracy in Cambodia!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If the Thai army invade to Cambodia, Hun Sen has a good reason to prolong his term in office without election. It is according to Cambodian Constitution.
Cambodian people need to learn and are needed to be educated like what Mr Mam Sonando and many NGO leaders in Cambodia have made to elect only good leaders to lead Cambodia. CPP and their leaders have led Cambodia for so long and have destroyed Cambodia for too much and they are should be rejected for this election. China and Vietnam have elected their new leaders in every 6 years. Regardless good or bad, they will not keep the old leaders at all because these old leaders have no more new ideas to prospere the country and their vision have been blanked by their exhaution. Cambodian need to elect New people with full energy to help them. The old leaders can only getting older and their body will be decomposed by their old rotten ideas. Areak Prey
The mood of the people surveyed indicate that they will be voting for the SRP. If teh NEC does it job unfairly, the CPP will have no chance for cheating this time round.
Mr. Hun Sen must sent the troop more this border!!
Hun Sen must spend all cost including diplomacy by calling back our khmer ambassador from Bankok, complaint to ASIAN, UN, ICJ and fighting to protect our land from A Siam thief!! if you do like this, you will become a hero of Cambodia. My vote for you if you follow this idea.
Now our country faces the biggest problem with A Siam thief. Please all khmer people joint with us to make demonstration infront of Thai Embassy to protest this problem!!
Boycott the thai production!!
Down A saim!!
khmer neak snea ha cheat,
8:20, Cambodia is not the west. Therefore, it's economy does not followed the EU or US theory. It's heavily depend on its neighbors to prosper as it has been since day1.
Therefore, CPP is the only choice.
If you want the neighborsto stop lookingdown Khmer, vote the CPP dogs out. Simple.
Hello fellow 10:21AM,
Please do not provoke any violence at all. At present, we can only solve problem with dialogues and with diplomacy. We cannot solve with force at all. Even Hun Sen is calling for a unity behind him to solve problem with Thailand, please stay away from Hun Sen. He is only using that trick to keep him in power. We must stay as friend with Thailand for as long as our country is still in existance. We should not repeate our old mistake with our dummy leaders. Only idiots will go to war. Good people will not use force as a mean to resolve all disputes. Areak Prey
hun sen and cpp leaders have been destroying Cambodian almost 30 years long by letting and welcoming hyenas vietcong into Cambodia.hun sen owes vietcong and he pays them by let them pollute Cambodia and hun sen and his clans like sok kong protect them behind whatever they have done to kill Cambodian.
hun sen must take action to send all illegal vietnam from Cambodia because it is his responsible.
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