Vol. 11, No. 494, Monday, 5.2.2007
“Samdech Euv [the Father King] Norodom Sihanouk, the retired King, who is currently receiving medical care in the People’s Republic of China, said that he supported that members of the royal family should stay out of politics. In his royal message, posted on his website on the 2 February 2007, the Father King said: ‘If any day a current leader in our country decides to do the same as Thai leader by providing each prince or princess with pensions in exchange for members of the royal family to agreeing to stay out of politics. ‘It would be best if the current leaders in our country would decide to do the same as Thai leader do, that is to provide each prince and princess with a pension in exchange for the members of the royal family agreeing to stay out of politics.
“It is timely and appropriate for the Khmer Kingdom to imitate other great kingdoms of the world (the United Kingdom, Thailand, Japan, the Northern European royal kingdoms, Belgium, and so on) by seeing to it that the members of the royal family stay out of politics.
“It was also noted that in the recent past, that the leaders of the CCP leader and of the Sam Rainsy Party had hinted that they too wanted the members of the royal family to quit politics, but each leader did not dare to say that they do not want to be the initiators – let the members of the royal family themselves be the initiators – and then they would support them. However, the members of the royal family did not agree to this idea until there were some words that could be attacked, when some people said that the members of the royal family violate the rights of the citizens, which is contrary to the constitution. It was known that Samdech Krom Preah was the person orchestrating the actions of the members of the royal family, and he had even said that he would leave the royal family in order to stay in politics. In addition to Samdech Krom Preah, also Prince Sisowath Thomico, the former secretary of the Father King, who recently set up a new party to participate in the upcoming 2007 Commune Council elections, said: ‘If they want me to quit politics, then will they really respect the royal family, and not intend to dethrone the royals?’
According to what Prince Sisowath Thomico said, it becomes apparent that he had not listened to Samdech Hun Sen last week, who delivered a formal speech in the Government and Private Sector Forum, stating his support for the monarchy. Even so, according to members of the royal families of Prince Sisowath Thomico and the Norodom Prince, it is obvious that the majority of princes are addicted to doing politics. But their political actions were too week. Because they all stay far away from the people, and their moral level is degrading. However, according to the Khmer retired King, it is known that the princes are addicted to politics, and Preah Moha Vireakksatr [the Great Heroic King Norodom Sihanouk] gave the advice that ‘if the princes want to do politics, they should not declare that their parties are against the ruling Cambodian People’s Party [CPP], because the CCP never declared such a position against their political parties.’
The retired Khmer King also advised that he is not against political parties to write into their principles to assist the poor people, or to fight against this Oknha or that foreign people. That should be possible.
These statements of the Great Heroic King were consistent with Samdech Hun Sen’s speech that he delivered, appealing to the various political parties to act like a commercial advertiser who is praised, but his products do not downgrade other products. Doing so is only to avoid political violence in Khmer society.” Meatophum, Vol.50, #629, 5.2.2007
Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Monday, 5 February 2007
Khmer Amatak, Vol. 08, #449, 5.2.2007
- The CPP Is Using Tricks to Maintain a Power-Hungry System Through the Delay of the Retirement Age
- Isn’t Touch Naroth [Phnom Penh Police Chief] Behind Illegal Large Gambling Club in Orussey II Quarter?
Koh Santepheap, Vol. 40, #5958, 5.2.2007
- The Contempt Shown by Keng Vannsak, Who Accused King Jayavarman VII of having Cham Blood [from the Muslim minority] Is Unacceptable
- Leang Huor Hotel [renamed from the Chhay Huor-II Hotel human trafficking scandal allegations in 2005] Owner Is Sinful, as His Business Is Probably the Most Abominable
- Penis Enlargement Injection Suspected as Reason of Death [of 35 years old man in Battambang]
Meatophum, Vol.50, #629, 5.2.2007
- Samdech Euv Wants Members of the Royal Family to Stay Out of Politics, But If They Are in Politics, They Should Not be Named as the Opposition to the CCP, Because the CCP Never Does So to the Royals
Moneaksekar Khmer, Vol.14, #3080, 5.2.2007
- Is Kun Kim [Royal Cambodian Armed Forces Deputy Commander-in-Chief] Behind Illegal Loggers to Clear 12,000 Hectares of Land Under the Pretext of Growing Sandal Wood?
- Yuon [Vietnamese] Troops Banned from Engaging in Commercial Activities; How About Generals in Hun Sen’s Regime?
- Khmer Rouge Tribunal Builds More Detention Cells During the Time of [procedural] Trouble
Neak Cheat Niyum, Vol.02, #26, 5.2.2007
- Royal Families Should Be Banned to Enter Politics; Being Involved in Politics Can Cause Royal Families in Cambodia to Fall into Decadence and Destruction
- Father King Appeals and Requests All Royal Family Members to Leave Politics: Who Will Follow the Advice of the Father King? [this advise. not welcome by many members of the royal family, especially not by Prince Thomico. This advice is to measure the loyalty to the Father King]
Samleng Yuvachun Khmer, Vol. 14, #2961, 5.2.2007
- Students and Moto Taxi Drivers Compare Samdech Krom Preah with Hun Sen and Sam Rainsy: ‘If Prince Norodom Ranariddh Became Prime Minister, Our Country Would Be Prosperous’
- Internal Problems of Sam Rainsy Party Is Getting More Controversial after Mu Sochua Became the Party’s Secretary General [Mu Sochua had been selected by the Steering Committee members who hate factionalism. But she seems to follow internal group lines. Human Right Watch, New York, noted that the party is no longer seen as an opposition]
- The US Reveals its Reasons for Not Yet Engaging in Khmer Rouge Trial. [US is concerned that trial is under political pressure. US officials have frequently warned that US only participates if the trial follows international standards]
- The International Trade Union Confederation Asked the Cambodian Government to Re-Try Born Samnang and Sok Sam Ouen
- The Ministry of Public Works and Transport Requests Vehicles with Pagoda Number Plates and License Plates from Foreign Countries to Remove Them
