Yes, We Can Win Without the God King

Yes, we can win!

Losing a God King? Let's respectfully mourn and move on.

Stop accepting that we are the victim: the victim of the French colonialist, the past unsuccessful policy of King Sihanouk, the failed policy of Pol Pot, the Vietnamese cruelty and the regime's brutality, etc… because when we think and accept that we are the victim, we are the victim—forever.

We must rise above being the victim for we are not. We were born as Khmer and as Khmer we can become as strong as anyone out there in the world and we have proofs. The proofs are not just thousands of monuments and footprints out there throughout Southeast Asia and the world but they are in our blood, heart, mind and spirit.

Picture: From Travelog.Org

What ever happened in the past can be used as seeds, as stepping stones and as great lessons for us to move forward to rebuild and construct a bright and dazzling Cambodia. We must learn from all factors that have led to Cambodia’s temporary defeats with the understanding that every defeat carries with it the seed of an equivalent or greater benefit when we have the right and positive mental attitude—the attitude of being the victor instead of being the victim.

We have to realize that each defeat is just a temporary setback and not the total failure and we have to understand that it takes many defeats to achieve the final victory—comparing to a baby who needs to learn from his falls… so many times in order for him to stand up, walk and then run.

We must get off our knees and stand up to face all current challenges: immorality, poverty, oppression and foreign control.

To get off our knees is to take possession of our mind and use it. And we must use it … with the positive mental attitude that we are now and will be the victor---we are no longer the victim: No more crying for help, no more self pity, no more belittling ourselves, no more fearing and no more accepting any notion that Khmers are losers and cannot win--- for a loser and a victim are all the same.

From now on we declare that we are the winner and we can do whatever we want to rebuild and construct our own life as well as our country… and we can do it as a person, a family, a society and finally as a great nation.

Take possession of our mind, put our mind and thoughts together collectively and harmoniously and the victory is awaiting just a few steps away.

Yes, we can win! And we can win without the former King.

Timothy Chhim

October 18, 2012

Good-Bye God King....

Good-Bye God King

Picture: Author's record

For those who dislike the former King, the most joyful day is here. Their wishes are fulfilled and yet their hatred will continue from here to eternity. 

Nothing in this world that anyone can do to heal their injuries and hate—for all they see is what the former King has done wrong. They will consume much energy to talk about “evil” things that they think the King had committed.

For those who look for the King’s positive side, they are mourning the passing away of their revered King. Regardless of what the King had done wrong, they will forgive and willing to forget. Their mind will be at peace and there is no hatred left. Perhaps they will be happier than those who possess hatred...

One chapter of Cambodian history is closed. The talk of the town will continue for a while and then Cambodia will move on without the former King.

The future of Cambodia will depend on whether Cambodians can learn how to build a better Cambodia together. Khmer people need to think right. With accurate thinking Cambodians will be able to see things clearly and in order to think accurately Cambodians must not possess negative emotions for such emotions will lead to more confusion. No one in this world can do things right when they are confused.

Universal law permits no one to become successful when he or she possesses negative emotions such as hatred, revenge, jealousy, anger, fear, greed and superstition, etc…For these reasons the best thing that we all can do is to stop the cycle and the recycling of the above emotions.

For me I would say farewell to the former head of State, the former Prince, and the former King…the history will judge you and the law of cause and effect or Karma which rules the Universe will determine your fate.

Yes, I used to love you when I was once a young high school boy who was diving from the crowd to grab your hand under the hot sun; 

...then I used to hate you when I learned that you allowed the Vietcong and North Vietnamese to use Cambodia to fight the Americans; then I despised you when the Khmer Rouge sent me to be executed.  

Then my heart melted when you decided to turn against the Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia in 1979…and the world knows the rest of the story.

Picture: Author's record

…and then the one other thing that we had in common was music. Music has no color and you were a real good musician… And for whatever will happen to Cambodia next, I will always like your music… and I will remember the times when we used to play together…

For yours and my own sake: We are at peace.

R.I.P

Good bye God King!  

Timothy Chhim
October 14, 2012

Cambodian Politics: The true Democratic Party Vs the fake ones

The battles have begun, but who will win the war?

Picture from KI media
The banner in the background in Khmer says: Ture Democracy!

There are 28 months to go for the next general election to be held in July 2013. Cambodia's Democrats or the non-CPP political parties have begun their series of fighting to become the number 2 spot.


Some leaders of the oppositions are hoping to become Hun Sen's partner in the next Cambodian government. It is one of the promises used to string along those gullible members who can come up with large sum of money.

The hot battle this month is the struggle for Kg Cham's province where verbal artillery between Kem Sokha and Sam Rainsy had been launched. Cell phone or personal discussions are unsuitable; thus, both leaders exchanged their punches via open mails.

Kampong Cham belongs to top leaders of all parties. Kem Sokha ran as the number one candidate in 2008 and “won” without having to spend much of his own money. The person who spent most money in that province didn’t win and subsequently defected to the CPP. If you could ask him about the democratic processes inside HRP, he would tell you how much he needed to spend to be listed as a top ranking candidate in that province.

Kampong Cham is the most populated province in Cambodia. It is one of SRP’s strongholds besides Phnom Penh where SRP also holds 5 seats. 18 congressional seats will be up for grab in 28 months. For this mandate, the CPP holds 11 seats, SRP 5, NRP 1 and HRP 1.

CPP’s big gunners Heng Samrin and Hor Namhong and 9 others are in Kampong Cham making this province a must win for the CPP. Meanwhile Sam Rainsy, Kem Sokha and You Hokry, the heavyweight from the Non-CPP parties, are struggling to maintain their presence there. Every ones are hoping to maintain their current seat or to win more votes in July of 2013.
Picture from SRP Website

There is a slim chance for non-CPP parties to get more votes from the CPP's members; hence, it is easier for Kem Sokha to target SRP’s voters, especially when this party’s leaders are in trouble with the CPP.

It is necessarily for HRP to push for a few thousands more votes to get an additional seat. Otherwise, there will be no chance for others besides Kem Sokha to pay for the campaign in Kg Cham. In 2008, HRP got 72,772 votes and won only one seat. Some 30,000 votes were wasted.

The Absence of Sam Rainsy from Kg Cham may have contributed to the internal or personal fighting that caused Mao Monyvan to be expelled and later on defected to the so-called "true Democratic Party." People may wonder if there is such a true Democratic Party, then the rest of Democrats are the fake ones.

In 2013, Mao Monyvan will probably be appointed "democratically" by Kem Sokha to run in Kg Cham. More than likely he will be listed as one of the top candidates for he claims that most of SRP members will follow him. It would be interesting to know what will happen to those hopeful HRP candidates who have already been promised to be listed as one of the top contenders as well.

According to RFA news, the recent reception held by Kem Sokha in Kg Cham before the Cambodian New Year brought in about 500 new members for HRP. They were not all SRP members. It was included those dubious "hidden members" from the ruling party and other parties.

Why such a small number if the majority of SRP members in Kampong Cham were so unhappy about Sam Rainsy? Was it because of the Khmer Rouge styled system (accused by Mao Monyvan) that made SRP members decided not to defect en mass?

As reported by Soy Sopheap, there were about 90 percents of SRP signs were supposedly bought down. People may scratch their head for there must be something wrong with the above figure.

What Party the CPP would use to break up SRP?

The CPP’s interest is to see the fight goes on; especially, between the "true" Democratic and the “fake” ones. The best party for the CPP to support or employ in the fight against SRP is HRP. It knows that Kem Sokha and Sam Rainsy will never get along. NRP and FUN are already tainted as CPP’s allies. Some clues are found with Soy Sopheap's suggestion to Kem Sokha and to Mao Monyvan as seen on Bayon TV's Special program recently. Please click here.

If the CPP and HRP succeed in chopping down SRP, HRP will not hesitate to become a partner of the CPP in the next Cambodian government. This will leave SRP to remain the biggest opposition for the next 5 years.

While the battles between the so-called True Democratic Party and the fake ones go on, the real winner in the political warefare will be the CPP.