Hun Sen is “Cambodia chauffeur” [or is it “chauffard*”?]

Cambodia's one-eye "chauffard*" (Photo: Bloomberg)

22 Dec 2008
By Ky Soklim Cambodge Soir Hebdo Translated from French by Tola Ek Click here to read the article in French

*Chauffard: French word for reckless driver

During a speech given at a distribution of diplomas at the Pedagogy University in Phnom Penh on 22 December, Hun Sen talked about various current issues on internal politics.

While announcing that his speech was the last one for this year, the prime minister talked about various issues related to recent news, and retail gasoline price was also a topic he touched on. “If I yell against high prices, then they will drop. But, if I don’t say anything, they do not move. Therefore, I am asking the national companies Tela and Sokimex to make another effort, a new lowering of the price will be a year-end gift to me. It is more difficult to make the request to foreign companies such as Total and Caltex. I am thinking of negotiating directly with all the companies soon, on the policy of gasoline price. This is important because it influences the cost of transportations.”

Hun Sen then turned to traffic road safety and especially on the application of the law for mandatory helmet use, a law which will be strictly observed by the cops starting 01 January 2009. “I am appealing to all Cambodians, all motorcycle drivers, to wear helmet at 100% to avoid a large number of fatal accidents. Helmet wholesalers should not take advantage [of this issue] to increase their price. The cost of traffic accidents is higher for the state than the fight against AIDS and demining. Civil servants should set example and they must all wear helmets. Each ministry must control its personnel and check that the law is respected. If civil servants do not respect the law, how can we ask others to do it?” Hun Sen said.

Hun Sen also touched upon control and repression measures against gambling parlors. “Since my declarations made in the past weeks, gambling parlors equipped with unauthorized slot machines, i.e. outside of hotels, have been shut down. Now, we are proceeding to the control of the nationality of gamblers who are using these parlors which are prohibited to Cambodian nationals. Some parlors are protected by high-ranking officials. Those who are identified as responsible for these actions will be demoted from their positions,” Hun Sen threatened. He also discussed about the need to control betting parlors and karaoke institutions as the latter are sometimes linked to drug trafficking.

Hun Sen finally talked about his political longevity. “I was the youngest PM, at 32-year-old. I am still the one who remains the longest in this position: 24 years. At the end of this mandate, it will be 29 years. It is certain that I will again be the candidate in 2013 since the opposition is so weak. But, being PM is not simple. If a bad decision is taken, the entire country will suffer from it. Cambodians know that their chauffeur, even with only one eye, he pays attention to his driving,” Hun Sen ended by mentioning about one of his eyes he lost more than 30 years ago.