Prime Minister Hun Manet addresses the April 29 inauguration of completed restoration work on several of the Kingdom’s national roads. AKP
Prime Minister Hun Manet has urged authorities at district and provincial levels to prioritise collective benefits over personal interests when attracting investors to their respective locales.
On the morning of April 29, he inaugurated upgrades to national roads 31, 33 and 41. Valued at $188 million, the work has restored the functionality of the roads, which cross several of Cambodia’s southwestern provinces.
“Building roads without people using them is pointless. Building roads without investors utilising them to generate benefits doesn’t fully realise their potential either. Therefore, the government will continue to encourage investment, and I urge all provinces along these roads and those in the southwest to strive to attract such opportunities,” he said, during the ceremony.
He emphasised that authorities must assess the collective benefits of investments, not individual gains, and encouraged provinces and districts to compete with each other to attract investment by providing excellent services.
“Don’t ask, ‘What’s in it for me?’ Shift the focus from ‘me’ to ‘my province’. Instead of thinking about personal benefits when someone approaches, ask what this brings to my province and the people in your community. If we adopt this mindset, we can provide better services. When our districts and villages prosper, our families benefit too. But if we prioritise ourselves and our families first, investors may leave and everyone loses,” he said.
At the government level, he reiterated that his administration will continue to develop main roads and smaller connecting roads, “until the day when people start getting lost rather than having no roads at all. We’ll push forward until it's completely done.”
Pa Chanroeun, president of the Cambodia Institute for Democracy, agreed with Manet’s emphasis on providing good services. He noted that the prime minister’s remarks should serve as a reminder to officials at all levels to prioritise the collective interests of their communities over personal or family gains.
“As public officials, we are servants of the people and their communities… In a free democratic society, officials are not bosses or business owners like in the private sector, but public servants who must prioritise the public good,” he said.
He added that if all officials follow the Prime Minister’s guidance, service delivery and benefits to the public will improve. As a result, citizens will be more satisfied with the services and benefits they receive.
