Written by Sophan Seng
Letter to The Phnom Penh Post
Security is a central claim for the next five years in power for Hun Sen. He says Cambodia in future decades will not worry about terrorism, civil war and social chaos. But the core issue of security here is not terrorism - it is food security, social equity security, democratic security and especially government officials who should be security-checked before being sworn in.Dear Editor,
I refer to your article "New CPP-dominated Assembly sworn in" [Phnom Penh Post, September 25.] The recent swearing-in is a historical moment for Hun Sen's political leadership - his way to premiership was smooth and democratically legitimised. Previously, his path to premiership had experienced some hardships. For instance, in 1993 he was the second prime minister with Prince Norodom Rannaridh as first prime minister; in 1998 there was the coup that allowed him to consolidate his sole premiership; in 2003 parliament was stalled for almost one year before his premiership was given to him again.
I appreciate the fact that this 2008 assembly mandate has been smoothly, legally sworn in, and in particular the participation of the Sam Rainsy Party's 26 representatives who endorse Hun Sen's premiership for another five years as mandated. But the successful ascent to premiership through parliament does not warrant the level of centralisation in the executive branch. His government comprises far more high-ranking members than before, especially those from the dominant CPP party.
The challenges ahead are daunting - such as ensuring national security. Key issues to address this mandate are security, illegal immigration, the high rate of corruption under the current system of crony capitalism, land price speculation leading to land grabs and the ongoing border dispute with Thailand.
Security is a central claim for the next five years in power for Hun Sen. He says Cambodia in future decades will not worry about terrorism, civil war and social chaos. But the core issue of security here is not terrorism - it is food security, social equity security, democratic security and especially government officials who should be security-checked before being sworn in.
Many countries have different methods of ensuring lawmakers meet certain security standards, such as checking the background of persons to ensure that they are not abusing their position and mandate in government to do harm to their country.
This new approach of security should be amended by the parliament checking the background of any person who will be employed as military, police or state officials. Achieving this security clearance stabilises the government's leaders as well as the whole nation.
Crony capitalism has been widespread in Cambodia. After the civil war, the open horizon of market-based economics in Cambodia swiftly and horrendously embodied itself in a type of crony capitalism. Cambodia has significantly evolved itself a "national crony capitalism", which means all national economic mechanisms and dynamics are controlled by just a few businessmen. This kind of emergent economic trend will hinder the emergence of economic equity and will widens levels of inequality in the Kingdom.
Sophan Seng
PhD student in political science
University of Hawaii at Manoa
10 comments:
There are too many terrorist hiding in Cambodia. It's time to route them out and bring them to justice.
Hela luya!
I can see your points. It is obvious, but everyone knows about it. What we need is a mechanism to change the current situation...
Cambodia's problem is that there are too many ppl who know how to speak the problem, but not how to solve it. The opposition has done like that for 15 years, and they has achieved almost nothing.That is why Mr. Hun Sen win another 5 years term...
I agreed that there are frauds, vote buying, or maybe sth behind the front door in this election. But this problem can't change the majority of vote for CPP.
No doubt that opposition should win more seat, but they themselves know that they can't win the majority. SRP also acknowledged that they can win up to 40 seats. So still CPP get the majority. But we should accept the fact that majority of Cambodian ppl are boring with those who only talk..
The words, the promises of the opposition such as building hospital, creating social welfare fund so that jobless and retiring people can earn up to 1000$/month...., have became practical jokes in the rural area..Do not think that those farmers know nothing coz Funcinpec under Prince Ranariddh has brought so many disbelieves to those ppl..15 years of promises without doing anything is really a suicidal move.
I think you should go there and see the reality, do not just seat from another side of our country and speak.
You can say that CPP also has done nothing, I agree and I believe the same thing. But a strong CPP money and commitment of their officials for their party is the key that they win the majority...You also can say CPP has tried to weaker or destroy the opposition by attract top their top officers...It is true and the opposition wanna do the same, but they don't have the capability to do so...
So now it is time for the opposition to accept the FACT and change their attitudes and their policy...By saying or criticizing the govt as VN slave, VN puppet..no not enough. It cannot bring them any success, but it only make the ppl more boring and annoying with them..They should turn to constructive criticism..or simply say, HIT THE HAMMER ON THE NAIL...And pls, never try to compare our country situation or democracy to US, France, UK, or Japan, it is exactly different.
My response is quite far from the meaning of your essay. But it replies to other comments or views on this blog.
Sopheak,
Bachelor Student,
Royal University of Phnom Penh.
Thanks to both the Bachelor and PhD,
Your Comments are very descriptive. You give some unproductive comments to the political and party leaders. You may not have taken a deeper study on the mentality, ideology, and tendency of the Present-Day Khmers. In Cambodia, now, they are Khmers by name only, not by all blood, race or spirit anymore.
Khmers as a whole is a broken society and we cannot expect khmers to be khmers. They are only humanity living on earth. No one can fix this problem.
Many high-educated persons have to kowtow many times a day to those leaders with poor-education background for what?
No one can change the change, and only the change will change.
Simple Khmer Peole will accept the change rather than to try to change the change.
from a job less guy.
if put this way, SRp win the majority of the vote, so will srp capable enough to lead? to eliminate and put the red light for the rampant corruption?
It will do nothing if srp donot hit the point and just do the talking. You want people to change then you have to introduce, role model and provide assistance, physically and financially. And sometimes people realize that srp is no better than a good talker, but raised no better solution for the victims or concerned people.
Hit the point and act is the key.
SRP failed to win absolutely by the vote fraudulence. If CPP played fair election, SRP will have chance. However, there are some degrees of sound policy from CPP especially the donation they have tremendously donated to build temples, roads, pools, bridges, schools, and so on. This patronage culture has been popular among Cambodian population. Whenever, Khmer peoples understand this cheating activity, and they are strong enough from PTSD, they will vote for change...but until SRP has played confident role to ensure those peoples also.
SRP has been strong for its stable and transparent leader, but not for its flexible and sound policy. Up to now, Cambodians still see SRP as their alternative. But Sam Rainsy himself needs to change his attitude, or SRP should have new PM candidate, and the SRP will win absolutely.
Hun Sen has tirelessly tried to divide SRP, but may be he cannot achieve like he played with monarchical pawns.
I still keep cross fingers and flagship for SRP to the near future.
I do appreciate all your comments though some are descriptive or constructive or destructive. To me, as a person with very low education, I think the most important is that; are comments, expressed out practical, relevant, actionable and above all listened to or not?
A good society must comprise of different people with different characteristics and ability/capability. This is the law of humanity nature. Some people are good at talking (talkative), some are good in doing (doers) and some are good at listening (thinkers). All of them are inter-related.
A "give and take" rules applied very well as people from all walks of lives do benefit from each other.
However the long historical problem with Cambodia leaders had been, to their own nation "they've never learned how to give but only take", yet to their foreign boss "they could only say how much you want in exchange of power"
As a result, the leaders offer everything including their own relatives and even the whole nation to their boss. But they squeeze their own people to death for power.
I am agreeable in a certain extent with some comments listed above. However some comments are too much and as a khmer citizen, I can never accept that.
If we look deeply into the khmer society, there are many people looking/requesting for CHANGE yet because their lives are under strict control and political intimidation and therefore they can do nothing but to say "yes" to whatever the leaders wishe.
A few simple examples, people are being chased away from their proper home in hundred of thousands land dispute cases, the issue of sovereignty of the country, relatives/friends are harmed by high ranking officers and uncountable other cases. What can people say? It is either to pretend ignorant and keep quiet or "yes sir" to the leaders otherwise they will be in big trouble. This is the real democratic senario in Cambodia presently and many years to come!
Cambodia have gone so many bad experience in life for generations. They are forced to live their lives with intimidation,deceivers and killers. And as the result, they are totally lost and never dare to do anything against the leaders. And therefore those traitors take on this advantage to rule the country.
Cambodia is no different from the government of military junta in Myanmar. It is just that Cambodia is diplomatically better represented by those betrayors.
But I am giving my hope and and I still believe optimistically that One day my beloved fellow's bravery will come back to trigger the real change then we all will see how smart all these bastards can be?
Oh shut the fuck up, Ah Pleu (1:13). Before you complaint about us, why don't you get your people out of the roach infested government housing first, huh? Do you think breathing those stinky air is healthy for you or something?
1:33, what the hell are you from?
remember to work together, united, we will be strong. please come together for the good of the nation. god bless cambodia.
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