Siem Reap (FN), Feb. 25 – Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said that the greater the responsibility, the more meticulous one must be with even the smallest details. As a prime minister, a single misplaced word could be interpreted as an official order, and when working abroad, one wrong statement could lead to a policy breach.

The premier spoke on Tuesday (Feb. 25) at the graduation ceremony of students of the University of South-East Asia in Siem Reap province.

"They say powerful people should not worry about small matters. That is incorrect. The more powerful a person is, the more carefully they must consider even the smallest tasks. As Prime Minister, if I say one word wrong, it becomes an order. And it is not just me—my assistants also bear this responsibility. If they mistranslate a word or miswrite a single term during a meeting, it can create significant difficulties," the premier underscored.

Samdech Thipadei recalled a past meeting with the United Nations (UN) where he had stated that the Khmer Rouge archives should be organised as an institution for management. However, a recording error resulted in it being written as an "institute." When the report was submitted to the Cabinet, it was mistakenly prepared as a sub-decree to establish an institute—an outcome completely different from what he had intended.

The premier further highlighted the risks of international negotiations, stating: "When negotiating abroad, a single mistake in wording can lead to a flawed policy. When signing agreements with other countries, one misplaced word can cause serious complications. In diplomacy, certain words carry significant weight—if misunderstood or misused, they can alter meanings entirely. Therefore, the greater the responsibility, the more carefully we must think through every detail."
=FRESH NEWS