2020-11-04
Prime Minister Hun Sen (C) oversees a signing ceremony between Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto (L) and Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Veng Sakhon (2nd-R) in Phnom Penh, Nov. 3, 2020.
Hun Sen's Facebook page
Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen said Wednesday that he and 17 family members, including drivers and bodyguards, tested negative for COVID-19, after he met with Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto, who tested positive after leaving the country for Thailand.
In a post to his Facebook page, Hun Sen said Cambodia’s Ministry of Health had already gathered everyone who interacted with Hungary’s top diplomat during his one-day visit to test them for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.
“Even though I tested negative for COVID-19, I’ve been placed under a 14-day quarantine, meaning I can’t even see my wife, my children, or my grandchildren,” Hun Sen wrote.
The prime minister said he will be absent from many public ceremonies and donation events but insisted that he will continue to exercise and play golf in isolation.
In a post to his Facebook page, Hun Sen said Cambodia’s Ministry of Health had already gathered everyone who interacted with Hungary’s top diplomat during his one-day visit to test them for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.
“Even though I tested negative for COVID-19, I’ve been placed under a 14-day quarantine, meaning I can’t even see my wife, my children, or my grandchildren,” Hun Sen wrote.
The prime minister said he will be absent from many public ceremonies and donation events but insisted that he will continue to exercise and play golf in isolation.
Those exposed to the coronavirus often do not exhibit a viral load significant enough to register positive in a test for days or even weeks after making contact with a carrier.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Prak Sokhonn refused to provide any comment to RFA’s Khmer Service about Hun Sen’s health and instead forwarded on the prime minister’s Facebook statement.
However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement Wednesday informing the public about Szijjarto’s positive test.
The ministry said in a press release that all Hungarian delegates had tested negative for COVID-19 before arriving in Cambodia. Upon arrival in Bangkok on Wednesday, the delegation tested positive.
“Upon learning about the situation, the government decided to have all government leaders and other officials who interacted with the [Hungarian] delegates tested for COVID-19 and quarantine according to the Ministry of Health’s orders,” the statement read.
Abuse of protocols
Social Analyst Seng Sary criticized Cambodia’s government officials for abusing the Ministry of Health’s protocols by not wearing masks during a signing ceremony on Tuesday.
Hun Sen, Prak Sokhonn, Minister of Water Resources and Meteorology Lim Kean Hor, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Veng Sakhon, and Minister in charge of the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation Mao Havanall did not wear masks.
“The government violated the Ministry of Health’s rules,” Seng Sary said.
“The government has asked its citizens to comply with the Ministry of Health but instead it abused its order. It is unfortunate.”
Seng Sary warned of dire consequences for Cambodia if the country’s government officials contract the disease.
Ministry of Health spokesman Or Vandine refused to comment but said the ministry is working on the issue.
Cambodia has reported 292 coronavirus cases with no deaths.
On Monday, the country opened schools for the first time since March, citing the results of a trial phase in which some schools in the capital Phnom Penh and parts of eastern Cambodia reopened last month.
Class sizes and hours remain limited as the coronavirus continues to rage throughout Europe and the U.S.
Reported by RFA’s Khmer Service. Translated by Samean Yun. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
6 comments:
Hun Sen will always be tested negative. When he's dead, they will just say that he dies from old age.
Play golf in isolation?
This white dude tested positive after leaving the country (Cambodia) for Thailand? Is it possible that he got the virus from Hun Sen?
The other possibility is, if he already got the virus before coming to Cambodia, it is possible that he intentionally came to infect Hun Sen and his gangs with the virus.
'Tested negative' but accepts quarantine just in case? In Hun Sen's case, the truth is usually the opposite of what he says!
Of course no doctors in their right minds would disclose the actual test result if indeed he had been tested positive for Covid-19.
How many times have you guys been saying Hun Sen is dead? Every time he went to Singapore for treatments, you guys spreaded rumor he was gravely ill.
To me, it means the doctors in Cambodia, or even Vietnam can not be trusted. That's bad.
Well, that's the reason why Cambodians and Vietnamese with the means - including Hun Sen and his cronies and Hanoi's Communist leaders and their cronies - travel to Singapore, Bangkok or even Australia and Japan for their medical treatments.
Vietnam's medical care system is slightly - maybe even much better than Cambodia's - but you still wouldn't want to be treated there given the choice!
When Ah Prett Hun Sen said the test was negative that means it was positive.
Likewise when he said one of the CNRP's members was a traitor that means Ah Hun Sen was Khmer traitor.
Just the opposite of what Ah Prett Hun Sen said.
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