If you read the previous post, you would know who starved on the snow, homeless. Experiencing life difficulties, Mom Sonando knew that poor people need help the most– whether it’s a little thing or whatever– they need to survive– There have been ups and downs in his life, being a DJ in his discotheque–being a worker who could not afford a big black coat when he wanted to go outside, being a prisoner of (political) conscience, and now being a media owner. Wearing a necklace around his neck, Mom Sonando now looks very fashionable— but what I can see through him is that he’s always the same– though he wants us to believe he changes.
Many people now think that he sells himself to the government after he was released from prison twice on charges of incitement and misinformation along with other prominent activists in Cambodia. But his media business now is prospering– he sells a lot of his airtime to different NGOs and radio programs like VOA (Voice of America) and RFA (RAdio Free Asia). I guess, the best way to make Cambodian media much more independent is to privitalize them. To earn your own money, to use your own money, to pay your reporters with your own money, you’re sure independent— just like what the New York Times in the US and many other famous media in the world have done— this sounds like a solution to get out of control from any influential side.
Asking me what I think of him? He has a good sense of humor– He jokes with you calling you a corrupt person– Haha– that’s funny. But he makes me think… Even though I am not 100% sure if he’s corrupt now, my sixth sense tells me that he’s 100% a businessman and he has not sold himself to anybody– and he earns money through honest means: selling his airtime to many organizations. That sounds much better, doesn’t it? But the thing he makes me think is “Will I be clean no matter I’m with devils who suck blood and money from aids and whatsoever?? I’m asking myself, “Will I do it if I happen to do a government job, being a civil servant?” Many people assure me that I’ll be the same- and doing a government job requires corruption skills- Really???- but I don’t know why– there’s something heavy inside of me– it’s something I cannot describe but want to ask you– Have you ever seen a person who refuses to drive a car but ride his bicycle anywhere? If you see the person, you know what I mean… I’d rather have nothing– rather than becoming something which I may enjoy for a while but leave a remorse for the rest of our life. Why don’t we do an honest job? The only answer which helps sustain our business is if you want to be rich, you have to work real hard for it. And if you think of corruption before you even work, you can never be happy– but fooled by money for milli-seconds.
In Cambodia, now there’s no trust in corruption-less jobs to be rich– though you don’t commit corruption and are a businessman, you need nepotism to survive your business– if you don’t know any powerful man to back you– you’ll collapse soon. What about you? Will you always be determined to remain corruption-less no matter what situation you are in? Will you be my soul and thought that we’ll together do nothing but an honest job to survive regardless of any possibility that we are in that situation??? At least, what I want to hear from you is that ‘we try’.
Many people now think that he sells himself to the government after he was released from prison twice on charges of incitement and misinformation along with other prominent activists in Cambodia. But his media business now is prospering– he sells a lot of his airtime to different NGOs and radio programs like VOA (Voice of America) and RFA (RAdio Free Asia). I guess, the best way to make Cambodian media much more independent is to privitalize them. To earn your own money, to use your own money, to pay your reporters with your own money, you’re sure independent— just like what the New York Times in the US and many other famous media in the world have done— this sounds like a solution to get out of control from any influential side.
Asking me what I think of him? He has a good sense of humor– He jokes with you calling you a corrupt person– Haha– that’s funny. But he makes me think… Even though I am not 100% sure if he’s corrupt now, my sixth sense tells me that he’s 100% a businessman and he has not sold himself to anybody– and he earns money through honest means: selling his airtime to many organizations. That sounds much better, doesn’t it? But the thing he makes me think is “Will I be clean no matter I’m with devils who suck blood and money from aids and whatsoever?? I’m asking myself, “Will I do it if I happen to do a government job, being a civil servant?” Many people assure me that I’ll be the same- and doing a government job requires corruption skills- Really???- but I don’t know why– there’s something heavy inside of me– it’s something I cannot describe but want to ask you– Have you ever seen a person who refuses to drive a car but ride his bicycle anywhere? If you see the person, you know what I mean… I’d rather have nothing– rather than becoming something which I may enjoy for a while but leave a remorse for the rest of our life. Why don’t we do an honest job? The only answer which helps sustain our business is if you want to be rich, you have to work real hard for it. And if you think of corruption before you even work, you can never be happy– but fooled by money for milli-seconds.
In Cambodia, now there’s no trust in corruption-less jobs to be rich– though you don’t commit corruption and are a businessman, you need nepotism to survive your business– if you don’t know any powerful man to back you– you’ll collapse soon. What about you? Will you always be determined to remain corruption-less no matter what situation you are in? Will you be my soul and thought that we’ll together do nothing but an honest job to survive regardless of any possibility that we are in that situation??? At least, what I want to hear from you is that ‘we try’.
There are some very important questions you ask here, Kounila. Unfortunately once corruption has became common in a country, it is very difficult to get rid of. It takes a lot of effort over a long time – and certainly needs to be supported by strong grassroot movement.
Don’t follow the herd my friend because it’s corrupt to the bone. Again, stay clear of any position- it’s a toxic investment.