Cambodian Leader Says Officials Must Master Mobile Internet

Read the article below.

Hun Sen, the long-reigning prime minister of Cambodia, said on Monday that he would not nominate someone to be a provincial governor if they were not familiar with social media and smartphones. Hun Sen an avid Facebook user, stated at a hospital inauguration in the capital Phnom Penh that for officials to efficiently carry out their duties, including setting up online meetings, they must be able to use programs like WhatsApp, Viber, LINE, Telegram, WeChat, and Zoom.

Since taking office as prime minister in 1985, when the internet was still in its beginnings and mostly restricted to academic institutions, Hun Sen has been in charge of Cambodia. Additionally, Hun Sen asked the members of his cabinet, some of whom joined the government more than 30 years ago, to become proficient with smartphones and associated apps. Nearly daily, Hun Sen updates his Facebook page with comments and pictures. He also routinely utilizes Facebook Live to broadcast speeches and other major events. On his page, users may also send complaints about interactions with law enforcement.

Sam Rainsy as the biggest opposition figure in the country and Hun Sen have previously competed to have the largest Facebook following. Hun Sen's page presently has 13 million followers, whereas Sam Rainsy's page lists 5 million. Rainsy has been living in self-imposed exile since 2015 to avoid pressing criminal charges that he claims are politically motivated. However, Hun Sen's detractors claim that he increases the number of his supporters by purchasing them in bulk from dubious businesses that offer such services. The claim has been refuted by Hun Sen.