Dr. Kin Phea: Insulting the King is an attempt to bring Cambodia back to the painful tragedy of the past again
Phnom Penh: Mr. Sam Rainsy, who the Cambodian people call three generations of traitors, always seriously insulted His Majesty King Norodom Sihamoni, the highest esteem of the Cambodian people. Once again at a recent public forum abroad, Sam Rainsy accused the King of “lack of national conscience and [treason].
Mr. Sam Rainsy insulted the King as follows: Khmer to foreigners].
Mr. Sam Rainsy’s serious insult to the King is an act of treason, religion and the King that the Cambodian people cannot accept. This act shows that Sam Rainsy has a Republican tendency and has the idea of overthrowing the Khmer monarchy, which has its roots in thousands of years, in order to serve the corrupt politics of revenge against the person whose father was convicted by the Sangkum Reastr Niyum court. Executed for treason.
It should be reminded that in the historical context, Cambodia has been ruled by a monarchy for centuries, since the establishment of the state, there have been both authoritarian monarchies (rich in monarchy) and constitutional monarchies. But the constitutional monarchy ended on March 18, 1970, when a coup d’état led by Lon Nol, Sirik Matak and Cheng Heng to oust Norodom Sihanouk.
From 1970 to 1993, three political regimes came to power in Cambodia, among them a presidential regime that existed until 1975, when the Khmer Rouge overthrew and took over. Power replaced by cannon. From 1975, the Khmer Rouge dictatorship came to power and committed violence and arbitrary killings throughout Cambodia.
On January 7, 1979, the genocidal Khmer Rouge regime was overthrown by the Kampuchean United Front for National Salvation and with the intervention of the Vietnamese Volunteer Army. Since then, the CPP has begun to reorganize the nation’s administration and finances. The Cambodian People’s Revolutionary Party worked hard to build and defend the nation in difficult situations, with one hand defending the return of the Khmer Rouge genocidal regime and the other hand building the nation until 1993.
After the 1993 elections, Cambodia re-established its constitutional monarchy. The 1993 Cambodian Constitution states: “Cambodia is a Kingdom in which the King abides by the Constitution and by liberal multi-party democracy.” The new monarchy exists to this day.
According to the 1993 Cambodian Constitution, the King reigns but does not rule and is the head of state for life. The King is a symbol of national unity and sustainability, he has a high role as an arbitrator to ensure the regular functioning of public power. Although the King is not in power, he is protected by the Constitution, the King cannot be abused by anyone. At the same time, the Cambodian Penal Code also punishes those who insult the King.
Article 437 of the first chapter of the fourth article of the Penal Code states: Million Riels. “Legal entities can also be fined 10 million to 50 million riels, as well as one or more additional penalties in case the court finds them guilty of insulting the King.”
Therefore, Mr. Sam Rainsy’s serious insult to the King faces four problems:
First, the historical aspects and foundations of Khmer culture and civilization: Insulting the King means trampling on the history and foundations of Khmer culture and civilization. The person who insults the King is a non-religious Tamil and a person who does not deserve Khmer citizenship and Khmer land.
Second, the legal aspect: the person who insults the King is seriously violating the Constitution, which is the supreme law of the nation, has a serious criminal offense that must be punished severely as stated in the Penal Code, and has violated the motto of Nation is nation, religion, king.
Third social aspect: Khmer people throughout the kingdom respect the King and consider him a cool shade for the descendants of the Khmer people throughout the kingdom.
Therefore, the person who insults the King is the one who tramples and insults the people throughout the kingdom is the most painful thing for the people throughout the kingdom.
Fourth, the political aspect: A person who insults the King is a person who can not do politics in Cambodian society, a person who is not welcomed by the Cambodian people. A person who insults the King is a Republican-prone individual and may have conspired with foreigners to overthrow the monarchy in Cambodia. Any trend leading to the overthrow of the constitutional monarchy in Cambodia is an attempt to bring Cambodia back to the painful tragedy of the past.
Therefore, the act of Mr. Sam Rainsy’s serious insult to the King is an act of treason that can not be tolerated and must be severely punished in accordance with the law in force.
By: Dr. Kin Phea, President of the Institute of International Relations of Cambodia, Royal Academy of Cambodia
