The Mirror, Vol. 12, No. 549
“The Khmer society has been dominated by the influx of foreign cultures and drugs which cause young people, who will become the future pillars of the nation, to forget taking responsibility for the fate of the country. Khmer culture and Buddhism are trampled down and degraded by a number of opportunists.
“Acts of insulting Buddhism in Khmer society resulted from the violence which many policemen imposed upon about 40 Khmer Krom monks on 17 December 2007, when those monks tried to submit a protest motion to the Yuon [Vietnamese] government through the Yuon embassy in Cambodia.
“Moreover, politicians from the currently ruling party have used money and benefits to persuade monks who follow the teaching of Buddha to become propagandists for their party, and to use pagodas as forums to propagandize for the ruling party, the Cambodian People’s Party [CPP].
“According to a general observation, top-ranking monks and head monks in provinces and cities are all activists who serve the CPP. The top leadership of Buddhism is [the Patriarch] Tep Vong, and he is using Buddhism as a political tool for the CPP, as if he would consider that Buddhism was born on 7 January 1979 [the liberation day from the Khmer Rouge regime by the early leadership of the CPP].
“Mr. Son Chhay, a Sam Rainsy Party [SRP] lawmaker from Phnom Penh, and a leader of the SRP lawmakers, said on 25 February 2008 through the Candlelight radio program [Sam Rainsy’s radio program], that it is the politics in our society and the mistakes of the leaders of the country that lead neighboring countries to influence Khmer people very easily.
“Mr. Son Chhay referred to the strategy of the attacking Thais in the 16th century [in 1594], throwing Duong silver coins [as bait] for the poor people into the bamboo protection around Lungvek, and the people cut the protecting bamboos around the military outpost, to get the Duong coins – this kind of foreign influence destroyed Lungvek.
He added that after Cambodia was invaded by Yuon troops [in 1979], the influx of the way of ruling and training in the new society made Khmer citizens forget about their national interests by thinking only about seeking pleasure – for example television and radio stations broadcast only dancing and singing programs. The society is full of gambling, drugs, sex, and alcohol, which drive Khmer young people crazy.
“Mr. Son Chhay said that Khmer citizens have to be careful and not to indulge anymore in these things, even though foreigners intoxicated Khmer society with intoxicants, drugs, and gambling. Khmer citizens have to admonish each others to understand what is important and of advantage for Khmer society, by not letting themselves fall into a death pit because of such indulgence and its attractions.
“Mr. Son Chhay added that Khmer leaders should stop letting foreigners make storm and rain [= to stir up turmoil and trouble] according to their wishes, because Cambodia has a citizenship law, and an immigration law to apply.
“Mr. Son Chhay said when the SRP will have won the elections in July 2008, he will create a fund which will be recognized by King Norodom Sihamoni, to offer honorary medals to those who contribute to serving the country, for example, doing social work and doing good deeds to promote the society. He added that government officials will not need to implore the powerful to be promoted. When the SRP wins the elections, it will ensure that citizens have appropriate employment, to live with dignity in the society, appropriate to their living standards. Therefore, when the SRP leads the government, it will help citizens and government officials to have better living standards.
“Mr. Son Chhay added that leaders must not use insulting and immoral words, because such actions can spread to the whole Khmer society.
“So far, Hum Sen, the Prime Minister of Cambodia, often uses inappropriate words, such as ‘…these guys….’ Such expressions have drawn much criticism from some scholars. Having said so, Hun Sen is not suited to be a leader.
“Regarding drug trafficking, Cambodia has become a transit-point for drug export into third countries, and it is also a place of secret drug production, even though there were some crackdowns. But the important ringleaders who produce and traffic drugs could not be arrested.
“If there would not have been a crackdown on the big location of drug production on 1 April 2007 in Phnom Srouch in Kompong Speu, the products from synthetic drugs, using nearly 6 tons of raw materials, would have been put into circulation by criminals across the country.” Khmer Machas Srok, Vol.2, #117, 27.2.2008
Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Wednesday, 27 February 2008
Deum Ampil, Vol.3, #58, 27.2-4.3.2008
- Deputy Prime Minister Sar Kheng Agrees with Action against [Ou Chrov District] Police Inspector Ing Song You Who Committed Misdeeds [he collude with smugglers]
- Funcinpec Should Merge with Cambodian People’s Party
Khmer Amatak, Vol.9, #561, 27.2.2008
- [Director of Sambok Khmum Radio] Mam Sonando Tells Sam Rainsy and Kem Sokha [presidents of the Sam Rainy Party and of the Human Rights Party] to Board a Ship Together with Samdech Krom Preah, but not a Ship Built only from Banana Trees, to Cross the Sea [= democrats should join together]
- Corruption System Will Not Allow Cambodian People’s Party to Get 81 Seats [as it expects]
Khmer Machas Srok, Vol.2, #117, 27.2.2008
- Son Chhay: Social Morality Declines Due to Attitude of Current Leaders and Foreign Culture
- National Assembly Replaces Six Parliamentarians from the Sam Rainsy Party and from Funcinpec [who had left their parties]
- Rong Chhun [president of the Cambodian Independent Teachers’ Association] Says Teachers Have Not Been Paid for Nearly Two Months
Koh Santepheap, Vol.41, #6282, 27.2.2008
- [Former Khmer Rouge head of Toul Sleng torture prison] Duch Cried in front of Choeung Ek [Killing Fields Memorial – 26 February 2008]
- Canada Satisfied with Smooth Process of Khmer Rouge Tribunal
Moneaksekar Khmer, Vol.15, #3398, 27.2.2008
- Mr. Sam Rainsy Calls for Pressure on Burma While US Provides Assistance to Association of Southeast Asian Nations
- Garment Sector Declines because of Corruption of Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of Labor
- Khiev Samphan Does Not Cooperate with Khmer Rouge Tribunal [as he does not want to be tried]
- Appeal [by Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights] for the Creation of an Independent Committee to Inspect the Cambodian Courts
Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.16, #4526, 27.2.2008
- Sam Rainsy: Krom Preah [Price Ranariddh] Is Not Stable; It Is Difficult to Merge [our parties: the Sam Rainsy Party and the Norodom Ranariddh Party]
- [South] Korean Prime Minister Will Visit Cambodia This Year
- Former President of Japanese Senate [Tsuchiya Yoshihiko] Promises to Bring More and More Investors to Cambodia
- Thaksin [Shinawatra, former Thai prime minister] Will Return to Thailand on 28 February [according to his close friends]
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