He Just Doesn’t Get It

The election is over and four opposition parties promptly find themselves united. A little belated, I would say. All four called the election a sham. I can only say, ‘Sore losers’.

The EU monitoring group found flaws that were essentially insignificant to the outcome of the election, in other words the CPP would have won in any event. The reasons are manifold and need not be listed again on this blog.

But let me recount one incident that aptly portrays why Sam Rainsy will never be able to obtain a broad following among average Khmer people.

Sam Rainsy was invited to the wedding of one of his MP’s daughters – a very important and wealthy member of the party. My friend’s wife who is a distant relative was also invited. As usual round tables were set up to accommodate all the guests, but there was free seating. All tables were more or less taken, but there was one empty seat next to my friend’s wife. Sam Rainsy was making the rounds greeting everyone Khmer style. He then looked around for an empty chair clearly seeing the one at the table he was standing at. Somehow, he didn’t like the company, or so we gather, because he moved to another already full table and had a chair pulled up for him there. He also insisted on speaking French to everyone first. Obviously not finding too many French-speakers among the mostly 40-somethings and their children he then understood it might be better to speak Khmer with Khmer people after all.

This is the typical arrogant attitude displayed by Sam Rainsy, not only in private but in leading his party as well; his party compatriots have been complaining about this for a long time.

As it happens, that wealthy MP who had contributed to the SRP in seven-figure amounts left the party a couple of months later and joined the CPP. The reasons for his ‘defection’: Sam Rainsy overruled practically everything the steering committee had passed that was opposed to his own views.

One can only say, “Good luck, Look Rainsy!”