5 February 2008.The Mirror, Vol. 12, No. 546
“Phnom Penh: The First Lady of Cambodia, Her Excellency Bun Rany Hun Sen, appealed to the Phnom Penh municipal authorities to examine the nightclubs in their administrative area, and she appealed also to the authorities in other provinces and cities about negative actions, which have an impact on security, social order, and national culture and traditions. She also requested to stop the song “I’m asking for one part of your heart” on television, and to stop showing singers wearing sexy clothes.
“Speaking at the annual convention of the National Committee for the Promotion of Social Morality, aand Cambodian Women’s and Families’ Values on 31 January, as honorary chairperson of the national committee, Her Excellency Bun Rany Hun Sen pointed out that negative social actions, vices, and cases of rape - for example fathers rapeing their daughters, grandfathers rapeing their granddaughters - are on the increase. She stressed that this is really a problem. Such immoral acts were not part of the Cambodian time-honored tradition. She added that this is not a problem that we should ignore, it is a national issue. Some people understand that social developments make people act like that. She raised the question whether society leads the people, or whether people lead the society; whether people educate the society, or society educates the people. If the society leads the people, it means that it is a good society, but people may lead a good society to deteriorate. She continued to say that according to her idea, it is always some people who lead a society to deteriorate.
“She stressed that what she is worrying, ‘We all have to make every effort, because this is not just a problem for the government only. If we do not all try to implement the laws from the beginning, the law cannot be implemented effectively.’
“She appealed that Phnom Penh has to be controlled and examined, especially such places which cause negative activities; there are about 100 nightclubs. But she added that the problem does not exist only in Phnom Penh, but also in the 24 provinces and cities.
“She made a new request by asking the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Information to observe what clothes singers wear to perform on stage and when they are broadcasting live on television. She said that currently singers are often wearing scanty clothes. Previously, Prime Minister Hun Sen had issued an order to pay attention to this problem. It lasted only four or five months. Now it is again the same, when one observes the TV.
“She made a request to stop singing the song “I’m asking for one part of your heart” on TV, because she sees that the song does not contain a positive meaning to educate Cambodian women. She said that she had made a request to stop singing this song. If the song is played on music cassettes at home, she does not object, but now it is allowed that singers sing this song on television. She sees that female singers like singing this song. She said that there are many songs to sing, but why go to ask for anothers’ heart? If the singers have wives or husbands, they can go to ask them. She said that this song is not educational in the traditional Cambodian way, but it provides bad models. She said that if people want to stop domestic violence and other vices, this will include to stop singing this song which does not serve the interests of the society, and to stop singing it is part of the effort to prevent domestic violence.
It can be remembered that in the past, wearing scanty clothes on stage was banned already twice by Prime Minister Hun Sen, but it led only to a short-time improvement. Few years ago, a girl performed on a TV stage without covering her body properly and this was broadcasted live on TV - but later this singer apologized for her mistake. The song entitled “I’m asking for one part of your heart” has been known as a Cambodian song from abroad, sung by Ms. Song Seng Hon. The song was produced many years ago, in which a girl asks for the love of a man who has already a wife.
With regard to the above problem, Mr. Kim Kunvath, the general director of the television station TVK, fully supported Her Excellency Bun Rany Hun Sen’s request. He claimed that in fact, “We are not narrow-minded, but the younger actors seem to forget our Khmer tradition, and as for the clothes they wear, they should wear clothes according to the clothes of Cambodian girls who have a clean tradition.’
“At the same time, he appealed to all the television stations to cooperate in supporting the valuable request of Her Excellency Bun Rany Hun Sen.
“Mr. Kuoch Kevin, the production manager of the television station CTN, also supported Her Excellency Bun Rany Hun Sen’s request, because he agrees that her advice and her opinions are correct for promoting the honor of Cambodian society, particularly promoting the clean traditions and customs of our Cambodian women.
Regarding her request, Mr. Kuoch Kevin said that he was never interested in the song “I’m asking for one part of your heart.” The song was written and sung by Ms. Song Seng Hon in the United States, and publicized in 1990. The song seemes to have a content and a meaning that do not suit society, as it particularly affects the dignity and honor of Cambodian women, as Her Excellency had mentioned.
“Regarding the wearing of scanty clothes by some people on stage, Mr. Kuoch Kevin thought that wearing such clothes is often considered elegant, fashionable, and modern, according to some types of program they attend. However, he also confirmed, “If we participate in a private program in a friendly manner or at home, we can wear the kind of clothes that we want to put on. But if we participate in various programs for the public to be broadcasted on television, clothes should be worn like Cambodian girls wear them, who have honor, dignity, and clean traditions, to be good models for our younger generation.’
“He stated that performers are famous not for wearing scanty clothes, but for their real talents and their capacity.”
Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.16, #4506, 3/4.2.2008
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