By:
• Leang Delux

• September 16, 2024 , 1:00 PM

PHNOM PENH– In a statement that may be interpreted as a response to the recent U.S. sanctions against tycoon Ly Yong Phat, Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister Hun Many sent a message that could potentially strain relations between the two countries.

The sanctions, imposed by the U.S. Treasury Department for alleged human rights abuses related to forced labor in online investment scams, have prompted criticism from Cambodian officials and organizations. 

The Foreign Affairs Ministry, the ruling Cambodian People’s Party, and the Oknha Association (a prominent business group) have slammed the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control’s report on business tycoon Ly Yong Phat, stating that the allegations are unfounded and that the U.S. is interfering in Cambodia's internal affairs.

On the afternoon of September 15, those familiar with Deputy Prime Minister Hun Many and his political overtones were not surprised by his message on his official Facebook page, which featured a photo of tycoon Ly Yong Phat accompanied by a pointed statement.

"One can't just shake someone's hand while stepping on the toe!" he wrote, without directly naming any country. However, many in the public interpreted the remark as directed at the U.S., given the inclusion of Ly Yong Phat’s image.

While Hun Many made no explicit mention of the U.S. Treasury Department’s recent decision, his post seemed to underscore his emphasis on a balanced and respectful bilateral relationship, one based on "equality and honesty."

“Do you really want to be a good friend of Cambodia as a sovereign state or just ‘act/say’ as if you want to be a good friend? Because your actions do not reflect what you say,” he wrote.

This is not the first time Hun Many has voiced his opposition to perceived violations of Cambodia’s sovereignty by foreign actors. He has a history of defending the nation's independence through both his words and actions.

In a previous instance, he criticized a former Singaporean diplomat who had suggested removing Cambodia and Laos from ASEAN, condemning the diplomat's disparaging remarks about Cambodia.

In his biography ‘Hope of Hun Many’ the deputy prime minister tells his biographer a captivating story in the form of a two-person conversation as follows:

Person 1: Do you want to be our friend?

Person 2 answered with excitement:

• I am more than happy to be your friend.

Person 1 showed a long list of conditions to person 2:

• These are the conditions if you want to become my friend.

Person 2 felt a bit surprised and confused. He then asked person 1:

• Do you even bother asking me about myself and the obstacles that I face before reaching where I am right now? Why do you not even want to listen to my dream and my hope for the future?

Person 1 answered with little attention:

• Your life or your dream has nothing to do with me.

Hun Many is a member of the standing committee of the ruling Cambodian People’s Party, who was then appointed a deputy prime minister and the minister of Civil Service.

Hun Many’s biography highlights a foreign policy centered on protecting Cambodia’s sovereignty and values, especially amid escalating U.S.-China tensions, with a strong focus on putting the nation and its people first.

Originally written in Khmer for Thmey Thmey, the story was translated by Teng Yalirozy for Cambodianess.