Kampot (FN), Apr. 21 – Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet stated that he does not have time to wait for prolonged negotiations between ministries and institutions. To speed up progress and ensure efficiency, he said he must take decisive action or what he metaphorically referred to as "surgery" to push forward reforms and deliver results.

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

“Before the New Year, I will perform a ‘surgery’ on the two ministries. Minister Aun Pornmoniroth and I discussed this. There is nothing wrong with having overlapping responsibilities, but when roles are not clearly defined, it affects implementation. So we need to clearly separate them. That’s how we operate.”

Samdech Thipadei added, “I will call both ministers in, sit them down, and ask which ministry should take the lead in coordinating the work. When surgeries are necessary, we must decide how to divide responsibilities. The leadership discussions have gone on for nearly a year. I spent just two hours in a ‘surgery’ session with a piece of paper, and after the New Year, work could resume because I do not have time to sit and wait. I want results.”

Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet acknowledged that such interventions might be seen as interference, but he is willing to accept criticism from officials if it means avoiding criticism from the people due to slow progress.

At the same time, the premier urged the development of a new mechanism to facilitate negotiations, trade, and export processes, especially those that have faced delays. He underlined the need to accelerate the export of Cambodian agricultural products to China, which has been hindered by complex procedures.
=FRESH NEWS