The recent unconstitutional lifting of Sam Rainsy's immunity serves as a constant reminder to all of us how this so-called democracy in Cambodia functions today. The country is drifting more and more toward dictatorship where the rules of laws often got trumped and even the rights and privileges of an MP can be violated as in this case. It sets a very dangerous precedent for the future of the country and the people of Cambodia. The National Assembly is now acting more or less as a complete rubber-stamp and any recommendations or concerns from any oppositions need not be responded as legally required under the constitution. Will there be more constitutional violations on the horizon? It seems the road is paving the way for a more authoritarian style.
The government of Cambodia today is arrogantly running the country on a notion that it has the ruling majority and it does not need any participation or contribution from anyone else as far as the country's concerns. Look at the example of how it handles MP Mu Sochua in the case of IPU seminar or the way they responded to the opposition party's concerns regarding the 500m economic stimulus proposal. You would not find this kind of political behaviour in Canada, Australia or any where else out in the West. The government has to answer to all the people not just a segment of the population its represent or pretended to be represented given the flaw of the last election namely ballots control and voters delisting.
As leaders of the world leading economies are struggling to come up with a solution to deal with one of the worse ever economic conditions since the last depression, it is worth to take notice on how Cambodia,itself, is handling the issue. The full impact of this economic downturn has not yet been felt. Of course, The next twelve months will truly be a challenging time for the majority of Cambodians, especially those who has no lands to grow crops. Young professionals or alike who are out of school, looking for works will find their employment prospect very dim. People with small businesses who got stuck with high rents will probably end-up closing their shops as consumer spending slow down to a halt. That affect has already been felt in some shopping centres across the city. Let's hope and pray that this economic recession is not a protracted one, especially for our beloved people. The PM of the country has not accepted the fact that the country is in recession given the number of factories that had been closed and workers have not been paid for months.
The government of Canada has recently taken Cambodia off its financial aids radar screen for political and moral reasons. Of course, taxpayers money has dwindling the government coffre due to recession. It said that it will focus more on supporting good governance. Probably they see something there, a need for major improvement, which we have certainly known for a long time. The response from our minister of information, Khiev Kanhnarith is that we will be alright since our people got used to past hardships before, so we will manage. I was wondering if he realized that a large number of young generations does not have a clue of what life really was under the Khmer Rouge or the decade subsequent to the Vietnamese invasion of the country.
The government of Cambodia today is arrogantly running the country on a notion that it has the ruling majority and it does not need any participation or contribution from anyone else as far as the country's concerns. Look at the example of how it handles MP Mu Sochua in the case of IPU seminar or the way they responded to the opposition party's concerns regarding the 500m economic stimulus proposal. You would not find this kind of political behaviour in Canada, Australia or any where else out in the West. The government has to answer to all the people not just a segment of the population its represent or pretended to be represented given the flaw of the last election namely ballots control and voters delisting.
As leaders of the world leading economies are struggling to come up with a solution to deal with one of the worse ever economic conditions since the last depression, it is worth to take notice on how Cambodia,itself, is handling the issue. The full impact of this economic downturn has not yet been felt. Of course, The next twelve months will truly be a challenging time for the majority of Cambodians, especially those who has no lands to grow crops. Young professionals or alike who are out of school, looking for works will find their employment prospect very dim. People with small businesses who got stuck with high rents will probably end-up closing their shops as consumer spending slow down to a halt. That affect has already been felt in some shopping centres across the city. Let's hope and pray that this economic recession is not a protracted one, especially for our beloved people. The PM of the country has not accepted the fact that the country is in recession given the number of factories that had been closed and workers have not been paid for months.
The government of Canada has recently taken Cambodia off its financial aids radar screen for political and moral reasons. Of course, taxpayers money has dwindling the government coffre due to recession. It said that it will focus more on supporting good governance. Probably they see something there, a need for major improvement, which we have certainly known for a long time. The response from our minister of information, Khiev Kanhnarith is that we will be alright since our people got used to past hardships before, so we will manage. I was wondering if he realized that a large number of young generations does not have a clue of what life really was under the Khmer Rouge or the decade subsequent to the Vietnamese invasion of the country.
There are projects at hands, one is being proposed by our leader and it definitely requires our utmost attention and consideration because it is the way to effectively communicate in real time with our supporters any where, any time, around the world. I am sure you have seen some part of the initial discussion and certain articles on mobile communication. Please see attachement. It's the same device that American political party uses effectively to communicate among themselves and their supporters. For instance, President Obama is a big fan of the Blackberry phone. I urge you to get involved in the discussion, help gathering information, assist us with the plan and/or design, or simply donate your financial assistance to make this project a reality. Another project that can not be overlooked is the SRP-Youth Leadership Development which is critical in moving our cause forward. They are the most likely agents of change. It has been proven times over times, again and again, how important it is for our youth to get involved, spread the message, gathering supporters and turn that wheel of change. They need our encouragement, guidances and supports, morally and financially. We just can't simply overlooked their essential contributions to our works at large. As of today, they represent a very big part of our population, and their livelihood will be impact the most for the next decade or so.
Recent event, lifting immunity, has made me realized plenty, some small things to a larger one. What happened while I was away has reinforced my own commitment to this on-going struggle as a democrat and an SRP. The constitutional violation of my leader's rights and privileges as leader of an opposition has worried many not only inside the land but all over the world. What Sam Rainsy and our people face on a daily basis has indeed re-energized me to be even more focus on our works ahead. It allows me to prioritize my personal world vis-a-vis what SRP and the country are all about. The Big Picture.
