Selected Comments of Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet, at the RUPP (Royal University of Phnom Penh) graduation ceremony [Unofficial Translations]

Selected Comments of Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet, at the RUPP (Royal University of Phnom Penh) graduation ceremony [Unofficial Translations]

CMF: 21/11/2024

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(1) Promotion brings foreign tourists to the water festival

There has been a large number of (foreign) tourists coming (to enjoy) the water festival […] large planes from Singapore are full of tourists, many of them coming from Europe. They said they were coming to see the water festival in Cambodia, when asked […] the fact that many people (come to our country) means that there is a real appreciation and recognition of the stability and security in Cambodia, and which is still true […] now, an influencer (making content about something) can have millions of people watching it […] especially every person with a Facebook (or a social media access) is the owner of a television in his or her own right. Please help promote good things about Cambodia so that we all can benefit. When tourists come, investment also comes. This is promoting the truth. Let us promote our positive side […]

(2) With a positive direction, we can invest in learning and finish our studies

We talk about a positive perspective. From a pessimistic perspective, there are always obstacles, but they are not taken as things that obstruct us from reaching our goals in our optimistic perspective […] since we have set this positive direction, we can finish our studies. We set this positive future direction, and we invest in education, and finish our studies […] do not have too much negative energy. Let us have more positive energy […] the today’s graduation is a celebration of the success of setting a positive direction for all students. I would like to congratulate firstly the professors and teachers […]; secondly, thank and congratulate the administration and academic staff […]; and finally, not the least important figures are parents, family, and guardians. These figures together help you make today’s success […]

(3) Growing RUPP illustrated management’s commitment, flexibility, long-term vision

The Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP) reopened in 1988, through the transformation process from being a language training school into a university, which is now growing […] with continuing support from the students, RUPP has become the oldest university (in Cambodia). It was the first to open and the largest thanks to the support and participation of students and teachers. This has shown the commitment, flexibility, long-term vision, modernity of the school management, a good reputation at the regional and international levels, and modern infrastructure that has expanded to three more branches […]

(4) Quality ensures sustainability

There has never had any principle of exchanging this state universities (RUPP). I have not approved even the request to use the location of this state university to organize other institutions […] that fact that it grows more […] is a sign of continued support and recognition of quality (of this tertiary education institution), meaning that the school is doing a good job, the management and the professors are working well, with sophisticated, improving and modernizing equipment. We need quality. Quantity cannot give us sustainability. Quality ensures sustainability […]

(5) Investing in education is investing in the future

RUPP will have the ability to expand, and strengthen their capacity, not only to help provide support, but also to help build quality human resources for the nation […] investing in education is investing in the future, because we want for the country a better future, and more opportunities. Investment is based on a positive perspective. Investing and creating a mindset of ownership is an investment in education and training, not just for the government, but also for the community, for parents, for families, as well as for those who are trying to learn […]

(6) Investing in education and training to create independence and ownership

Some of you (have has the challenges on) financial resources, and all kinds of things to take care of in order to (1) have independence and ownership. Knowledge makes us independent […] and capable of turning thoughts into concrete actions […] (that is having) independence in decision-making, […] rather than listening to others […]; secondly, provide equal chances for each student to be able to seize opportunities, expand opportunities, and create opportunities […] because a higher-level job requires higher level of knowledge. Taking a higher-level position requires higher education level and experiences […] where we can expand opportunities. Possessing this level of education foundation allows us either to reskill or upskill […] knowledge, ability, and understanding are qualifications that can allow us to move to the foundation of expanding opportunities, changing skills […], and thus, changing careers. Thirdly, about creating opportunities […] while having skills, a foundation, plus the idea, you are able to ​​create opportunities ourselves. If we are well aware of something, we can create new products […] the term that is in use these days is “innovation,” which means creating something new […]

(7) Knowledge helps promote social equity

The same is true for society as well as individuals that knowledge helps promote social equity […] the fact that it is easy to close the brain gap means it is easy to close the ability gap. Closing the ability gap means closing the gap in seizing opportunities and/or in building one’s livelihood […] This provides an opportunity to promote social equity, which means bridging the gap between rural and urban areas, the gap between the children of those who have not and those who have, or individuals who were not able to do so since childhood, now have the opportunity to develop themselves thanks to knowledge and investment in this effort […]

(8) No longer accept just any investment but think about how it protects and benefits the citizens, environment and society

This evening I will go to the annual review conference of the Ministry of Mines and Energy to talk about sustainable (energy) development. We no longer accept anyone – with this or that much capital – to just invest in anything. We have to think about how the investment would protect our citizens; how it benefits the citizens; how it protects the environment and society […] back in the 1990s, when we still had difficulties, we first opened up the country to investment with rather difficult and heavy negotiations. As of now, we always have a choice. we would not accept the investment proposal if it does not go along with the standards […] we need to further strengthen our competitiveness by introducing concrete policies, and the biggest one is human resources […] our country competes, not only in supplying the necessary skills to the domestic market, but also to markets outside, and not only in agriculture but also in industry […]

(9) Four coastal development efforts; more road and rail infrastructural developments

This year, we are laying out a plan for four coastal provinces, stemming from the Sihanoukville to promote industry. Sihanoukville is a multi-purpose development province, where industry and commerce are the foundations, which aim to expand the logistics special economic zone to promote more industry […] at the same time, as we promote tourism, we need to prepare the environment, set a big goal to promote more industry, commerce and technology in Sihanoukville. we need to expedite these goals in 2025, and start implementing our master plan […] the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of Public Works and the Royal Railway Company are working on the negotiation to conclude the railway development plan to promote logistics.

As for the road system and the air system, we have the Siem Reap International Airport, which is not only a tourist airport, that we launched this year. Now it is the high season and the port is crowded. We want to it to do more. We are expanding National Road No. 6 to solve the travel problem on land. I have instructed studying another rail line. The first railway from the airport to the city has been studied but I suggest the study of another line, which is shorter, from the (Angkor) Kjung Yu road, only 13 kilometers from the existing road […]

(10) Four points for furthering self-development and improvement

I hope you will continue to improve your ability to be self-sufficient and develop a better future. Please continue to learn. (Firstly) Learn everywhere, learn from everyone, and learn from yourself […] there are two foundations to keep in mind regarding learning from yourself – (1) open up your mind that you are not perfect, and with that, set a goal that you need to be perfect in what you do […] if one thinks one is perfect, one does want to learn anything else and/or is not interested in improving and not setting a goal to improve oneself to be perfect […]; and secondly, the lessons you learn here in school are considered lessons in life. Big work can only succeed when small work succeeds […] Discipline is major. Foreigners call it SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) with a checklist […];

Thirdly, one has to have perseverance, persistence, as success takes time […] one has to develop oneself, and use the knowledge one has developed in line with the development of the country. Do not use your knowledge and skills to harm the interests of the country, and/or others […]; and fourthly, use knowledge in making decisions. As an intellectual or a student, everything you do must be thoughtful. We learn to be independent, right? We can research and make our own decisions because we are responsible for ourselves. Though we may take advice from others, but in the end, we are the ones who make our own decisions, and not relying on others to make decisions for us […]

(11) Koh Kut – mixing politics with technology would harm national interests

In the last few days, even on the occasion of the water festival, opposition politicians have not given us any peace. It is about the sea, the island Koh Kut. (They) say why the government has been so quiet. Some who called themselves analysts – including the one who shouted the loudest and who were once imprisoned for posting false information about the border making a promise six years ago that he would stop posting information that lacked consideration about the border anymore (but) now they are doing it again – say the government must have had itself implicated and does not dare to speak out (on the issue) […]

Please allow me to send a message to our compatriots […] the reason why the government does not speak out (about the Koh Kut issue) is based on – firstly, its political maturity and, secondly, its responsibility to the nation and people in protecting territorial integrity and national sovereignty […]

Regarding political maturity, there are three reasons – firstly, we adhere to the principle of not bringing fire into the house […] the opposition party or anti-government group (in Thailand) raises this issue to attack the Thai government […] alleging that the Thai government has lost Koh Kut to Cambodia […]; secondly, the government adheres to the official mechanism as a method of resolving the border issue, and not the Facebook or media mechanism […] based on the agreed mechanisms, such as […] the JBC – the Joint Land Border Affairs Committee, and the JTC, the Joint Technical Committee that negotiates on the border, demarcates the land border and delimits the sea border […]; and thirdly, we will be carrying out actions based on a pragmatic basis, which mean we must research the matter clearly and be practical […]

In particular, the maritime border has not been agreed upon yet. We have negotiated many times, but there is no agreement. If there is no agreement, what have we lost? They keep saying that (the government committed) treason (because Cambodia has) lost the island. What loss is there when there has no agreement yet? How can we sue this matter to the ICJ? If we did, they would ask what would be the matter be? There is no matter […] the Thai opposition group accuses the Thai government of losing Koh Kut to Cambodia. Now they (the Thai government) are arguing. Suddenly, in Cambodia, (the opposition) say that the Cambodian government lost Koh Kut to Thailand. Now let me or us ask, where did it go? There are only two acters here. Or were there a third actor, or did the island sink into the sea? Their accusations are illogical […] the border commission is still negotiating the OCA (overlapping claim areas) issue. I will not explain it this morning. I will leave the topic to the energy and mining annual conference this evening […]

[…] On the second reason, in addition to maturity, we have a responsibility to the nation. The border issue is a long-term issue that requires patience […] therefore, the Royal Government, firstly, is determined to absolutely protect the territorial integrity and national sovereignty of Cambodia […]; secondly, is committed to resolving the issue peacefully through technical mechanisms based on international law, including the use of international law on border delimitation, various treaties, and geographical border techniques […]; and thirdly, through the Secretary of State for Border Affairs, the government is prepared to negotiate […]; therefore, border negotiations take time and responsibility, and we are prepared at all times […] without allowing loss of territory or national sovereignty […]

(12) Some may have to retattoo the land area of Cambodia

Some people say if there is nothing secret, why the government doesn’t release documents and negotiation strategies? Listen to what they said it. It’s like a pure ignorance […] what should we do to maximize the benefits […] to get benefits that can be accepted by both sides […] some people have tattooed Cambodia’s land area of 181,035 square kilometers on their backs. Are there anyone tattooed here? If you do, you may have to change it […] in fact, some of the people have had their backs tattooed […] after the measurement, in 2012, our land area has been recorded a new figure of 181,436 square kilometers, and not counting the islands yet […] this document is not secret. Samdech Techo published thousands of copies and posted it when he did a presentation in National Assembly for 5 hours […]

(13) Using Koh Kut to incite failed because people understand and value stability

Whatever these politicians and/or analysts inside the country are doing, they must not incite protests like the one they did on August 18, aimed at overthrowing so and so. Seeing that some 20,000 boat crews are walking throughout the Phnom Penh city, they have had this idea to challenge them to protest (like what happened in Bangladesh). Their plan is when tens of thousands of people come to celebrate the boat festival, they use that time to hold a demonstration. They tried to talk about Koh Kut and all this nonsense, but they couldn’t […] they have failed because our citizens understand and value stability and the time when the country needs to be united. It is not the time to think about fighting each other for no reason. Don’t bring fire from outside to start it in and burn down your own house without any national benefit. I thank our citizens […]./.