PHNOM PENH: Prime Minister Hun Sen has asked the US Ambassador to Cambodia, Patrick Murphy, to help clarify a case where it has been suggested that degrees obtained by Cambodian students from the United States are second-class diplomas or honorary degrees, in order to protect the reputation of education in the United States. He made this request during his speech at the award ceremony for Ouk Srey Mom at the Peace Palace on Wednesday morning.
Prime Minister Hun Sen said during his speech that he always values education and never blames or humiliates any children for their studies, but others are always attacking the learning of his children.
He said, "In general, I encourage all children, even if they are not my children, to study well! I have never blamed or humiliated any of the children of others leader, even if the children of that leader are in the opposition party, I have never blamed or humiliated them. But they never give my children any chances, they attack my children non-stop."
The Prime Minister continued to comment on the recent spat between his son, Hun Manet, and Sam Rainsy, wherein the latter has made accusations that Hun Manet’s degrees are only of a second-class or honorary nature. “Now can you talk about this problem? That West Point degree is limited to second-class or as an honorary degree. Does the United States protect criminals or protect American schools? It is not to protect Manet! It is to protect the school,” he said.
He continued to say that only representatives from the United States and United Kingdom could come forward to prove the quality of the educational degrees from their countries, and that such a confirmation would show that they are protecting their educational institutions and not “corrupt people.”
EAC News has not yet received a response from US Embassy Spokesman, Chad Roedemeier, on this matter.
On 25 December, Sam Rainsy gave an interview to a foreign newspaper broadcast in Khmer, stating that the degrees Hun Manet received from both West Point Military Academy and New York University in the United States and his PhD from Bristol University in the United Kingdom, are ‘second-class’ diplomas or were granted only as honorary degrees.
In response, Hun Manet called for a bet with Sam Rainsy on "political life", saying that if Sam Rainsy could find evidence on his claims about Hun Manet’s degrees, then Hun Manet would resign from his position as future Prime Ministerial candidate of the Cambodian People’s Party. However, if Sam Rainsy cannot find any evidence, then he must resign from politics.
After waiting for two days without a reply, Hun Manet posted another message to Sam Rainsy saying to stop doing politics altogether because he did not have the courage to defend his argument and is not giving an example of being a good citizen.
