On August 5, 2007, the new World Bank President: Robert Zoellick, arrived in Cambodia. On such an occasion, he visited garment factory, small business enterprise, land-titling ceremony, and met donors, finance advisors and Samdech Prime Minister Hun Sen;
Cambodia has mostly been catalogued as one of the most stigmatized countries in almost every social aspects; thing was not the same during Robert’s visit. Robert told advisor to Samdech Prime Minister Hun Sen: “the nation’s economy is sound with strong growth, achievement in poverty reduction and improved approach to public finance.
The next day (August 6, 2007), Robert declared it is time for Cambodia to move to the next level of development. Why it is now? And what is the philosophy behind Robert’s statement?
Why it is now?
Cambodia is quite young; just a real states in the 1990s. So up to 2007, Cambodia is just over 20 years old. In this 20-livelihood, Cambodia has reached where it is today; acceptable peace and stability, quite solid political and economic structures, participation in the regional organizations, and other sustainable social development; these are all the arms and tools for the Cambodian leaders and its fellow citizens to make even a better Cambodia.
What is the philosophy behind?
So far, Cambodian leaders and its citizens seem to be endowed with what we call “sit-and-wait” attitude; moreover, we seem to rely too much on others to come and help us. I hereby call this: “passive thinking attitude.” We are now come to the point of not just thinking, but realistically doing what we think we deserve and even to achieve the impossible.