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(1) Japan helps develop Sihanoukville Port in forms of loans, technology and management
[…] Today is not just a normal annual gathering, but a celebration of the 30th anniversary of the development of Sihanoukville Port […] We are proud that this port has grown significantly and even has a plan to develop until 2050. Traditionally, (meeting with civil servants, staff, workers, employees of the Sihanoukville Autonomous Port on the occasion of celebrating the anniversary of International Labor Day on May 1 and the anniversary of Japan’s official development assistance for the Sihanoukville Autonomous Port) has been done since (the time when) Samdech Techo (was the Cambodian Prime Minister). I have been here for the past two years […] I am grateful for Japan’s continued development assistance, which over the past 30 years, if we talk about infrastructure, has been (developed) to serve long-term strategies (and the Cambodian endeavor to achieve) ownership […] (Japan) has not only provided financial assistance in the form of concessional loans, but also technical assistance in construction and management. This is a long-term thinking […]
(2) RGC continues to carry out long-term development plan to serve centuries of transportation and logistics development
We have a long-term plan for building physical infrastructure and ports. Furthermore, we have land here (to consider developing) logistics […] There is still a lot of potential. We need to expand logistics strategically, linked to the port, because this is the future of Sihanoukville. Tourism is a potential, but I think what might be the sustainable and has great potential for Sihanoukville is the port, tourism and industry […] There are deep-water areas in Kampot and Koh Kong, etc. Why did they choose this place? Initially, France helped. Japan also thought about this place […] Transforming such strategic location, capturing the great potential for the nation, is what the Royal Government has done since 1996 or for 30 years […] The Royal Government of this mandate and subsequent mandates will continue (to carry it out) because we have a development plan until 2050 […] to serve centuries of development, especially in the field of transportation and logistics in Cambodia […] If the transportation sector is expensive, we will have to spend a lot, and the competitiveness of agricultural, industrial, and manufacturing products will be difficult […]
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(3) Make sure all ports complement rather than compete with each other
We have a number of international ports in Cambodia, such as in Kampot, Koh Kong and Sihanoukville. I have previously issued a policy to suspend the issuance of licenses to build more international ports in order to help them develop potentials […] In order for these ports to be effective, we need to make sure all of them complement each other rather than compete with each other. (There needs to be) further study on the organization of what each port has to do? […] In Kampot, we can look at the (possibility of having a) port for mining related activities. We are studying another place as a base for building an oil-related activities. The war in Iran has caused a crisis in the energy sector, requiring us to think and work hard to build the cstorage apacity of oil and gas reserves. In the future, if we have oil development inland, it must be linked to the industry that serves oil refinery. We need to think about dividing it up and where all the work zones are […] We should not build oil rigs or oil refineries adjacent to the port […]
(4) Well-connected Sihanoukville Port not only helps shipping company or the port but also relevant sectors, including agricultural products
Sihanoukville Port needs to be connected to other provincial ports. In freshwater, we also have Phnom Penh Port. We are building multi-purpose ports in Kampong Chhnang and Kratie […] In the master plan, we are building the Funan Techo Canal, which will be connecting the river to the sea to transport goods from the north and northeast by water in addition to land, rail, to create options and find ways to reduce costs […] Sihanoukville Port is working on connectivity […] to ensure well-connected flow of goods from outside to inside and from inside to outside, from the saltwater port to the freshwater port inside […] The logistics and transportation sector is not only helping the shipping company or the port to make profits, but also helping promote all sectors, including agricultural products. We are preparing a cashew industrial park to promote cashew (production) in Kampong Thom province. We are working on a master plan for the (cashew) sector to grow. Why did we choose Kampong Thom province? The location is close to the river that we will be able to transport down to Kampong Chhnang multi-purpose port […]
(5) The modernization of port is strengthening our capacity towards partnership of the same capability
A number 2 port in a superpower country requests to be connected as Sister Ports (with the port of Sihanoukville) […] If their port is electronically controlled, and if our port is not capable to match with them, it would be difficult to work with them and they would not shake hands with us. However, if we have the same capability – it helps clear everything. So, modernization is strengthening our capacity to move towards partners at the same level. If we have Sister Ports, we can negotiate about reducing costs and other things […] This is an expansion and increase in capacity that not only integrates ourselves internally, but also the port of Sihanoukville is a major port through which all the goods transported from the freshwater port cannot go directly to countries, for instance, the United States. They have come to the deep-water port, and the most active deep-water port on certain type of goods is (the Sihanoukville port) […]
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(6) Building human resources in all state institutions – army, police, and civilians
This is key. Technology helps us to make the workflow more efficient, but if there are no sophisticated people, the technology will not work. No matter how modern a phone is, if we only know how to dial a number, we can only make a call. Other functions, such as sending pictures, etc., if we don’t know how to do it, they won’t work. It is the same for technology […] It will not be efficient. Secondly, it is difficult (for us to lack capacity) to adopt an international standard work system using technology. So, attention should be paid to building human resources, not only in the Sihanoukville Autonomous Region, but in all state institutions, including the army, police, and civilians, to strengthen their capabilities […]
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(7) Even with talented people, the procedures need to be simple and effective
This point (regarding the “Dynamics of a Single Actor System” to improve the service management system in all areas of the Sihanoukville Autonomous Port) is one of the keys to competitiveness. (Even) having modern infrastructure, equipment, and talented people, if the work procedures or work system are complicated and/or overlapping, (it would take) a long time (to process) and we cannot compete (with others). Even with talented people, if the procedures are complicated, we will not win […] Secondly, the overlap and complexity of some procedures (should be) eliminated. Modernization is modernizing the work system itself. In order to compete (successfully), we need to make the procedures simple but effective […] Increasing investment in new technologies such as Scanners has helped a lot. It not only helps reduce time, but also maintain the value […] (for which, goods that) leave us or with a seal from us, not only are being transported to ports around the world, (but also) are well received. This is to reduce (obstacles) and increase capacity and trust […]
(8) SEZ responsible for EIA for the type of factory that does not affect environment
Thirdly, about the procedure […] I have signed (a paper) regarding the environment. As we had to ensure environmental standards (Environmental Impact Assessment – EIA), we must look at the procedure […] Normally, making an investment, a company must pass the standards, comply with our laws, including the environmental impact assessment […] The CDC explained that “for companies that are not involved in environmental pollution, we do not need to do it” […] Each special economic zone, before we give the license to operate, has a master plan specifying environmental management such as toxic waste, etc. […] I agreed in principle that for companies that enter a special economic zone, where there is a clear master plan, then (the special economic) zone is the guarantor (of EIA) […] i.e. for the type of factory that does not affect high risks and the environment, there is no need to do an EIA again. Let the special economic zone be responsible […] If it is a type of high-risk manufacturing factory, on which the special economic zone does not have all the skills, we have had to check again […] This does not mean that the Ministry of Environment does not have the right to go and check from time to time. It is the law that they have the right to check […] It’s the same here. If there are many institutions involved and there are overlapping duties, and/or overlap in functions, someone should be designated with the task to take the leadership […]
(9) While state of the world and trade is changing, transportation must not remain stagnant
We are in the process of preparing CamDX so that when someone register a company, they don’t have to go bring along every document to every institution, but the documents shall keep flowing through […] The day before, I have instructed the tax office and the Ministry of Commerce coordinate (their procedures) and coordinate with the agent […] This shall create clarity, in which there is predictability of prices, times, and procedures. So, every institution, every place where there is inter-institutional cooperation should do this. I see that at the Sihanoukville Autonomous Port, a lot has been done on this issue, and this work must be constantly reformed […] We are also studying the reform of the customs system and are studying some other (functions) to (improve) competitiveness […] which requires both people, infrastructure, equipment, procedures for leading and solving problems, and procedures for cooperation […] Even if there are good buildings, modern ports, automated electronics, and talented people, but the procedures are still complicated, it will not be enough […] Based on the changing state of the world and of trade, the transportation sector must not remain stagnant. It must constantly evolve and use the private sector to partner with the state in doing (all these works) […]
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(10) If the laws allow, juvenile delinquents would build concrete slaps for frontline trenches
Regarding this issue of figuring out how to send delinquent people to help work at the front lines. I don’t know how come they heard it differently […] I have assigned the task to (Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice) HE Keut Rith, (the Commissioner-General of National Police) HE Sar Thet, and (the Commander-in-Chief of the RCAF) Vong Pisen to review the existing laws if there is any point that we can base our decision on […] There are human rights laws, labor laws, juvenile laws, that is, existing laws […] That’s the first point […] secondly, I have said that we could consider taking them to do works for the front lines, not to send them to (fight at) the front lines […] allowing juvenile delinquents to have gun would disrupt the order of the nation’s army on the front lines […]
We would review firstly, the arrest, detention or punishments are based on the existing laws, and there are no instructions to draft new ones. Secondly, we look at the existing laws regarding the punishment on prisoners […] If the law allows, we will arrange for them to be under the supervision of the police, either keep them in a detention center where they have or send them to some detention centers, like in Preah Vihear province, to work on building concrete cover for trenches for the front line […] If there were any mountains there, let them exercise by climbing those mountains, so that they know how soldiers of similar age to them work to protect the nation. How would they feel […]
(11) A nation needs human resources, especially disciplined, capable, and willing young people to strengthen themselves
Sometimes explaining through text is difficult to understand. we had to explain through the microphone. It is a quick way to do so that they would quickly understand the principles. However, a national society progresses only when people are strong and disciplined. So, the preparation of laws and obligations, the organization of work in all places, plus in institutions/ministries, in the private sector, everything must be disciplined. The same is true for the port, if the staff is not disciplined, I think HE Lou Kim Chhun, (Delegate of the Royal Government of Cambodia in Charge as Chairman & CEO of Sihanoukville Autonomous Port), would be miserable and there would be no quality of products, work, and no one would come to work with us. Only when there is discipline, will, and responsibility will the port progress. It is the same for a nation. It needs human resources, especially young people who are disciplined, capable, and willing to strengthen themselves, because when each person progresses, their family progresses, and the national society will also progress […]
(12) Transforming juvenile delinquents from being burden into resource for family and nation
This is our goal, whether it is investing in infrastructure, the logistics, the transportation system, education, or health, it is to strengthen the national economy, for our people to have a strong life, so that we can be stronger. In any given context, no one helps us more than we help ourselves. We have friends who help us, but friends also have their own issues to deal with. The necessity here is that Cambodia must help Cambodia, every person must become a national resource, not a national burden. The juvenile delinquents must be reeducated, and enforced by the law, to transform them from being the burden into the resource for the family and the nation. It is by no mean an inhumane act, but an act to direct them to the country’s good future or for the whole nation […]./.
