PHNOM PENH: The Spokesperson of the Ministry of National Defense has said that the armed forces will not allow anti-government groups to incite citizens to cause social instability.

Speaking at a press conference at the Council of Ministers on Tuesday morning, 18 October, Defense Ministry Spokesperson Chhum Socheat supported a statement made by the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) General Command condemning Sam Rainsy and defending the Royal Government. The Spokesperson added that those who attempt to incite an uprising against the government would be immediately shut down.

"Overall, we do not allow it! We will manage to find a way to get rid of anyone who tries to [cause an uprising]," he said. "The Prime Minister has already said, ‘come one, we destroy one, come two, we destroy two!’”

The Spokesperson’s statement comes two days after opposition leader Sam Rainsy released a statement calling on the Cambodian people and the armed forces to make major changes in Cambodia by 2023.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony for students of the National University of Management on Monday morning, the Prime Minister said Sam Rainsy's call was made with malicious intent to destroy peace, stability and the 2023 democratic elections in Cambodia. At the same time, next year also marks the 20th anniversary of Sam Rainsy declaring that “if Sy (Rainsy) stays, (Hun) Sen must go, and if Sen stays, Sy must go,” hence, the Prime Minister announced that he will be abolishing the ideology pushed by Sam Rainsy from now on.

“I will completely change and eliminate the extremist political ideology of the three generations of traitors," said Prime Minister Hun Sen. "You came to talk about the Hun [family], but the Hun family are not the same! The Hun family never knows how to betray [the country]! Hun clans have contributed to the country's development. It's Sam's (Rainsy’s) family that is a betrayal, from grandfather to father to son."