Fitting pick: PM chooses veteran soldier as possible future RCA chief

Prime Minister Hun Sen has made it clear that he has picked a well-experienced successor if Royal Cambodian Military (RCA) Commander Common Hun Manet leaves the navy to affix politics sooner or later.

He mentioned he has chosen a present RCA Deputy Commander Lieutenant Common Mao Sophan to be the brand new military chief, successfully countering  claims that he would choose Lieutenant Common Hun Manith, who was promoted to be a Deputy Commander of the military on March 17.

“I wish to emphasise that in case Gen Hun Manet enters politics, the present Deputy Commander of the RCA, Lt Gen Mao Sophan, will exchange him and never Lt Gen Hun Manith, so please keep away from a baseless evaluation,” mentioned Mr Hun Sen.

“I’ve adequate authority to nominate navy leaders after I’ve mentioned with the Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces and the Minister of Nationwide Defence. This can be a cautious preparation to arrange the following technology of successors,” he famous.

Mr Hun Sen made the remarks, when he presided over a commencement ceremony for practically 5,000 Vanda Institute college students at Koh Pich Middle yesterday.

He mentioned that after Lt Gen Hun Manith was promoted, some analysts and people mentioned that he was planning for him to develop into the Commander of the RCA, as a result of Gen Hun Manet would develop into a politician sooner or later.

Mr Hun Sen added that such criticism was unfaithful and meant to assault his household by way of unsubstantiated hypothesis.

Lt Gen Sophan is the Commander of the Brigade 70 comprising of elite forces.

After the 1993 nationwide election and formation of a coalition authorities between the Cambodian Individuals’s Get together (CPP) and Prince Norodom Ranariddh’s Funcinpec occasion, Regiment 70 turned Brigade 70 and was positioned underneath the command of Lt Gen Sophan.

Certainly one of his pals, who requested to not be named mentioned that he was very well-experienced brigade commander within the RCA.

He mentioned that Lt Gen Sophan has served within the military since 1979 when the Khmer Rouge regime was toppled.

“He deserves to be a commander and might share experiences together with his males,” he mentioned.

Brigade 70 is tasked with defending the Prime Minister, senior authorities leaders and nationwide and worldwide officers.

Lt Gen Sophan couldn’t be reached for remark yesterday.

However in 2019 on the twenty fifth anniversary of Brigade 70 in Phnom Penh, he mentioned that his brigade was dedicated to defend the King, the reputable authorities and the structure after former opposition chief Sam Rainsy introduced his deliberate return to Cambodia on Independence Day, November 9, 2019 in a bid to trigger chaos.

“We’re loyal to the nation, faith and the King. We’re dedicated to safeguarding the structure, the King, the reputable authorities, defend the peace, sovereignty and territory,” he mentioned at the moment.

Gen Hun Manet, who’s serving because the RCA Commander and Royal Cambodian Armed Forces Deputy Commander-in-Chief, was promoted to a full basic by way of a Royal Decree signed by King Norodom Sihamoni.

Gen Hun Manet, 45, has been endorsed by the ruling Cambodian Individuals’s Get together as its Future Prime Minister candidate, which suggests he should resign from his navy place when it’s time for him to develop into the occasion’s candidate and stand for election as a lawmaker, in keeping with the Structure.