In his first public address since taking office on August 22, Prime Minister Hun Manet reaffirmed his government’s commitment to inclusive development, saying his policies and strategies place national interest firmly on top of its priorities

Speaking to some 18,000 garment workers in Phnom Penh’s Por Sen Chey district on August 29, Manet explained in detail his party’s newly launched Pentagonal Strategy to further national development. He said his government intends to maintain the accomplishments of the previous ones, pledging that his new policies will benefit all Cambodians.

Among the previous government achievements, he listed peace, stability, development, national unity and territorial integrity, noting that each of these accomplishments has sustainable value.

He explained that his party policies are comprehensive, clear, firm and stable. The only changes would be the increased benefits that the public enjoyed from one mandate to another.

“When leading a country, we cannot at one point do this and at another point do that, or jump from one thing to another. If we do so, nothing will get done. It takes time for policies to produce results,” he said.

“What’s necessary to enable positive results is stability, including political stability. The Cambodian People’s Party has put a comprehensive and clear policy and long-term vision and action plan in place. All of them aim to ensure our sustainability,” he added.

Without specifying anyone, Manet also hit back at critics and opposition groups who attack and insult government policies, without offering alternatives of their own.

“You have the right to analyse our policy, but if you have never led, or created, implemented and enforced policy of your own, you are not qualified to criticise those who have laid out successful policies for dozens of years,” he said.

Manet also highlighted the inclusion of digital technology in his new policies.

“Previously, we placed a priority on human resources, roads, water and electricity. Now, we are adding technology, in order to ensure our people adapt and embrace modernisation,” he explained.

While praising the previous government’s policies, Manet noted that they had seen poverty reduced from 60 per cent in 2000 to merely 17.2 per cent in 2020. They also increased the workers’ minimum wage from just $40 in 1998 to $200 this year, while negotiations for next year’s wage are currently underway.

“If those policies worked well and drove economic growth – with commensurate benefit for the public – we must not change them, but improve them, so people gain even more advantage from them,” he said.

He also highlighted that in 1997, Cambodia had only 64 factories and large manufacturing enterprises, with around 80,000 workers. The number of factories and enterprises had jumped to 17,000 across the country this year, employing around 1.5 million workers. Among the factories, 1,332 manufacture garments and created some 830,000 jobs.

Manet embraces Winston Churchill quote

Manet also took aim at critics who claimed that the international community, with the exception of authoritarian states, had not acknowledged his government.

He pointed out that he had received congratulatory messages from the leaders of Japan, China, South Korea, Russia, India, Ukraine and Singapore, among others, as well as Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, and Masatsugu Asakawa, president of the Asia Development Bank (ADB).

He acknowledged that amid the widespread support, he had noted protests by opposition groups abroad, some of whom had called for the UN to not recognise his government. He explained that he did not have time to respond to every criticism that sought to provoke, and would only accept criticism that was constructive.

“If I do something, I will take full responsibility. All constructive criticism I will accept. But if you attack me, or try to create a problem out of nonsense, I will not waste my time responding,” he said.

“I remember something Winston Churchill once said – You will never reach your destination if you stop and throw stones at every dog that barks,” he chided.

Yang Peou, secretary-general of the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said he endorsed Manet’s statement on ignoring criticism that lacks any constructive value, noting that the government’s time would be better spent on the development of the country rather than addressing inflated issues raised by critics.

He believed that responding to naysayers is a task that should fall to particular institutions.

“If the prime minister responds directly to criticism, it seems like he is placing value on what has been said. Instead, a technical team or spokesperson should be in charge of issuing a response,” he said.

“If he keeps on responding to every criticism, how will he find time to fulfil his duties? His comments made sense,” he added.