(1) Drugs affect society, economy and youth who are the future of the nation
[…] Online scams, drugs, money laundering and human trafficking are intertwined. Today we raise the topic of drugs (for discussion). In the speeches and meetings for the past two days, there have been determinations and analysis of strengths and weaknesses (regarding this issue). I fully agree and support the discussions, and I would like to encourage the relevant authorities, the Ministry of Interior, the National Police General Commissariat, the relevant authorities, the National Anti-Drug Authority to continue their active duties. This is an important issue related to our society and economy, related to our youth who are the future of our nation […] Our country is going through a difficult period […] By not staying idle, we strengthen ourselves through first cleaning up our weaknesses and secondly put together our strengths. In this, drugs are a problem that we need to clean up, as the authorities have committed to (doing that). (Resolving) online scams is also a matter of cleaning up the house […]
(2) Suppressing and preventing online scams is not new for the RGC
The work of suppressing and preventing online scams is not a new thing for the Royal Government. Of course, there has been impressions by some people regarding the campaign for the past few weeks. We, however, have been doing it since the previous term. At the end of the last term, according to Samdech Techo’s principles to begin implementing the operation of online casinos or online gambling, Samdech Kralahom established a special task force to manage and lead the task and we have continued until the beginning of this term. The core ministry responsible for this task is the Interior Ministry, which has led this task since the beginning of the term. It has achieved a lot of success through the establishment of a special task force led by His Excellency Sok Phal, the Immigration Task Force, and the General Commissariat of National Police’s Task Force. Online scams, security, social safety, and drugs are intertwined in our collective responsibility, and not the separate duty of the Ministry of Interior [….]
(3) A country is clean only when the capital/province, district/city, commune/sangkat is clean – a hierarchical responsibility
Although Interior is the core ministry in charge of social security issues, it is the duty of all of us, including citizens, to participate – firstly, do not engage in it; secondly, educate and guide our children not to engage in it, and thirdly, help cooperate with competent authorities in suppressing it […] A country is clean only when the capital/province is clean. The capital and province are clean only when the district/city is clean. The district/city is clean only when the commune/sangkat is clean. It is a hierarchical responsibility. We have had numerous meetings about SCAM Online. Today I will speak publicly. The other day, in an interview with a foreign television station, I said a lot of things, but they cut it (and left out) by about 10%. Now let’s speak in full […] People ask when will this work be done? […] We are doing this work regularly […] We suppress, clean, and keep our country clean so that our country does not become stained with SCAM Online, which is a problem that affects the image of the nation and/or continues to be misunderstood on us […]
(4) The first line of defense against scam online is the capital/provincial command
Obviously, SCAM Online is not just a Cambodian problem. If you look at the region and the world, it is a problem in many places […] SCAM Online is intertwined. Whatever is committed in Cambodia involves victims abroad […] Sometimes, some foreigners scam other foreigners, but when they get caught (Cambodia is also caught). We accept it, and not that we are not guilty. We therefore need to strengthen the law and implementation so that they would not be able to use our houses (for scam) anymore […] I ask for the participation of citizens. Firstly, the first level of responsibility is the capital/provincial command. Secondly, we have the same internal mechanism, which has a working group of the General Commissariat of National Police. Thirdly, we have the ad-hoc committee. We have a clear division of duties. We are not taking over each other’s work. The first line of defense has full authority and full responsibility, which is the capital/provincial command. Don’t ask when to do it […] you are given the authority to do it, just do it […]
(5) This black economy not on;u destroys the white economy but also the country’s reputation
This operation (of combating against fraud through technology systems) firstly directly affects the black economy, and secondly affects the gray economy […] This black economy will destroy the white economy. Tourism will decrease, investors will not dare to come due to insecurity. Cambodia will be in trouble. It affects not only the economy, but also the country’s reputation […] It is said that the black economy was amount to 60% of the Cambodian economy. It is not true. This black economy revenue does not come to the Cambodian government […] What comes in is the white economy, which is from textile exports, tourism, etc. If we do not take care of the white economy (and allow) the black economy to grow, it will affect the white economy, and it will make our country difficult […]
(6) Cambodia chooses no country as an enemy, scam is small compared to the stability in general
I am asking for a distinction. Some people go so far as to believe that Cambodia considers this/that nationality as an enemy because the scam involves this/that nationality […] Cambodia does not consider any nationality as an enemy. We welcome foreign friends to Cambodia, but please come to work in good faith, help Cambodia, come to visit as tourists, work legally, and help train the locals. Cambodia welcomes you. Please do not come just for high salaries, burn our houses, and give Cambodia a bad name. We do not welcome you. I believe that all of you have the same wish. We welcome friends from any country. We do not choose which country is an enemy, which is a friend. We welcome all […] Cambodia is safe. The Minister for Tourism, HE Huot Hak, may spread the word. The scam related to security is small compared to the stability (in Cambodia,) which is generally true […]
(7) To clean up and enhance national honor on international stage and for Cambodia
We are still working to restore and strengthen (Cambodia’s image from smearing). The way to achieve it is to ensure sustainability in the fight against this online scam. I have received many commitments from the unified command, and the relevant authorities understand all these obligations. Everyone and together work and fight against online scams […] (We) need “one vision, one will”. The vision is to clean up, to enhance the national honor on the international stage. The will is to do it for Cambodia […] No one will help us. Some citizens whose economy is affected by the cleaning up of the black economy, may need to understand it […] We need to eliminate the black economy to expand the white economy so that we have income and a sustainable economy […]
(8) “Cambodia has not abandoned the fight against fraud through technology”
We have laid out numerous measures for participation, but people’s participation is necessary in a number ways […] Firstly, do not join in/with the scam world directly. For example, someone came to ask you to do this for a high salary, but you know that this will create problems for others in other countries or in our country. I think that the competent authorities, as well as the provincial and capital authorities, have the duties to do a wide dissemination […] Secondly, participate in reporting, and thirdly, together take up the right/legal business […] the authorities, especially the relevant ministries and institutions, are encouraged to do a good job, help spread the image of their efforts and measures to friendly parties, especially with some countries and/or some foreign newspapers that have talked about scam online problems in our country […] the fact that we have conducted cooperation with the United States FBI, with Korea, with China […] indicates that “Cambodia has not abandoned (the fight against fraud through technology) […]
(9) Organizing Sangkranta to celebrate national traditions and promote way of life
I would like to bring up another topic – the issue of whether or not to organize the Sangkranta […] There has been a hot debate. Is it wrong for the Cambodians to just celebrate the Khmer New Year? […] (Even) if we don’t organize the Sangkranta, it will still be the New Year. We can’t go and ask Deity to postpone it. Secondly, do we have to lie down with injured limbs? No. The soldiers at the front are trying hard to protect the territory so that the nation at the rear can be strong, function normally, and help strengthen ourselves […] The people who organize (the program) say that it is a cultural, traditional, and socio-economic thing. Each province must have some activities. The fact that people come (to the celebration pf the festival means) there will be economic activity. It’s not wrong to celebrate traditions […] The organization (of Sangkranta) is to celebrate national traditions and promote our way of life […]
(10) Organizing traditional celebration and would not forget the duty to refugees
Even though we are wounded, we must move forward more energetically. We cannot have one wound and lay down crying. No one comes to help us […] We cannot let other parts, in this case, our culture, religion, and economy be overthrown or fall, and does not move forward just because what has happened and is happening. We must strengthen and normalize ourselves, and that would include organizing religious ceremonies and national traditions. It is in this idea that I am in favor of organizing the Sangkranta […] I have given the principle that we organize it appropriately, focusing on the traditions, culture, and strong solidarity of the (people of) Cambodia, especially in the most difficult period, to show the solidarity and strength of a nation […] We organize activities according to national traditions. There is careful consideration, by taking both: organizing traditions for people to enjoy the traditional celebration so that there will be economic flow, but in that, we must not forget (the duty to) refugees […]
(11) Artists and citizens to visit refugees, posters of heroism, and returns from sales goes to refugees and soldiers
I have asked of what will be prepared. The celebration, firstly, will involve organizing an event to inspire artists and citizens to visit refugees […] secondly, all platforms, as far as I know, will prepare posters that show the heroism of the military heroes and the national police in protecting the territory, and […] thirdly, every foundation will organize, for example, the sale of items from the Union of Youth Federations of Cambodia (UYFC), with 100% of the returns will go to help refugees, soldiers, and military heroes […] I would like to encourage, in addition to the programs that the UYFC organizes, if they have time, our brothers and sisters to visit our refugees […] I have asked the committee to organize the former Phnom Penh International Airport for people to exercise in it and organize programs for the coming New Year […]
(12) Some 600 buses to send people from Phnom Penh to home provinces and five tons of sun-dried clams to host visitors in Kompong Cham
Allowing the citizens organize the Sangkranta is (1) a way to bring our entire nation together to gather strength and unity, showing the resilience that despite difficulties and challenges, Cambodia still maintains normalcy and moves forward in solidarity. (2) we also gather to organize a mechanism to give consideration for the refugees, and our troops at the front […] A few years ago, water spraying (during the Khmer New Year) was not very common. Back then, we played a lot of folk games […] let us inspire cultural traditions and activities. Importantly, each province must have activities […] Let us leave out some activities, which are not necessary […] There is no Angkor Sangkrant event in Siem Reap (this year) […] This year, the capital city plans to organize 600 cars to send people from Phnom Penh to their home provinces […] and Kampong Cham is preparing to host visitors with five tons of sun-dried clams […]
(13) Sending students to work and internships are suspended until the situation is appropriate
Another matter of concern is what is going on in the Middle East. I’m not talking about geopolitics. I’m talking for the citizens who have children, nephews, relatives working in the region. Currently, we have accounted for 487 students and citizens studying and working in seven countries in the Middle East. There are 282 students living in Israel […] and more than 200 (have not been contacted). The priority here is their safety. This is the second time (that the region has gone into armed clashes) […] Whether to evacuate, to what extent, and how to do it in a timely manner and consistently […] and if necessary, how to take actions quickly, and we need to follow the principle of not causing problems […] Sending our students to work is suspended until the situation (returns to normal) […] and internships is also suspended until the situation is appropriate […]
(14) Concerned ministries/institutions shall keep abreast of oil data and changes
Secondly, the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Mines and Energy, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, shall keep abreast of data and changes related to oil […] Firstly, what is the import volume? Are there any countries planning to close exports? If the situation lasts for a long time, many countries may close exports, leading to shortages. So, we must closely monitor and take timely measures. The Policy Committee, headed by His Excellency the Deputy Prime Minister (and Minister of Economy and Finance), is preparing to lead this work, as concerned ministries have been working on it regularly. We are keeping abreast of the situation, particularly, the volume in the country. Secondly, it is price control. This morning, I received information from some gas stations in Battambang that they have jacked up the price […] Please take action to manage it and I am appealing to all gas station owners not to take the opportunity to sell at an excessive price […] The import stock issue is one thing, but the matter of taking advantage of opportunities is another issue […]
(15) Solve and heal existing issues to move forward together in 2026 and beyond
As the New Year approaches, our country is going through unprecedented problems, especially that from the border issue, etc. I would also like to thank all our civil servants and citizens, despites their concerns and pains, we have kept our lives moving forward. Today, we must work together to fight drugs, fight online scams, fight against various inactions, promote economic growth, and promote exports. We have not given up. On the contrary, we have moved forward together […] We have cleared away the negative points and strengthened the positive points […] On this New Year’s Eve, let the spirit of unity of our entire nation, whether state officials, civil society organizations, political parties, ordinary citizens, and every religion, as the Cambodian people, come together to celebrate what we have achieved. Let us solve and heal the problems that we have so that we can move forward together in 2026 and beyond […]./.
