Kampot (FN), Apr. 21 – Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said that he is willing to accept criticism from government officials for intervening in their work, but firmly stated he will not tolerate being blamed by the public for the government's slow performance or lack of results.

The premier spoke on Monday (Apr. 21) during the inauguration of the Kampot International Tourism Port.

Reflecting on the decision to delineate the responsibilities of two ministries, he recalled that prior to the Khmer New Year, Samdech Thipadei summoned both ministries—one being the Ministry of Economy and Finance—for a discussion. The premier noted that the roles and responsibilities between the two had become overly entangled and had yet to be clearly separated. As a result, Samdech Thipadei decided to clarify and divide their responsibilities before the New Year.

“I called the two ministers to brief me. Now, which ministry is most interconnected, and when operations are underway, how should cooperation and division of tasks be arranged? We held an operational meeting that had not taken place for nearly a year. I called them in, we met for around two hours, outlined the plan, and ensured operations could commence smoothly after the New Year,” the premier underscored.

The premier stressed that prolonged indecision and unresolved discussions have hindered Cambodia’s progress. He noted that for several years, negotiations and workflows had been conducted in the same ineffective manner, resulting in a lack of tangible outcomes.

Samdech Thipadei added, “If someone claims that the prime minister is interfering in everything—whether I interfere or not, that is for me to decide. Just keep me informed. If matters are delayed too long, I will intervene directly and coordinate. If anyone wishes to blame me, then so be it. I am willing to let officials accuse me of interference, but I will not allow the people to accuse me of inaction or failure to deliver results.”
=FRESH NEWS