PM Urges for Attention to Original Form of National Culture

Prime Minister Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen has called for attention to maintaining the original form of the national culture to avoid long-term impact.
The Premier made the appeal in a voice message this morning, after a disagreement between the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts (MOCFA) and Mrs. Try Dana, a famous online jewelry seller, went viral on social media network in the past few days.
Mrs. Try Dana blamed the MOCFA of being too strict to her request to take promotional photos at Angkor during the forthcoming Angkor Sankranta in Siem Reap, while the MOCFA rejected the blame, explaining that the ministry required some changes to make sure that the dresses and decorations are conform with the original form to avoid public criticism and in favour of the next generations.
“Showcasing the Khmer culture is good, but if it does not follow the original form, it is tantamount to cultural destruction,” stressed Samdech Techo Hun Sen in the voice message.
Mrs. Try Dana should not blame MOCFA, it is the ministry’s obligation to protect the national culture, if not it will be accountable for its mistakes to the Royal Government and the National Assembly, he added.
The Prime Minister said the explanation of the MOCFA is right because cultural representations that are different from the original would not only affect our culture, but we could also be accused by neighbouring countries of copying their culture.
Samdech Techo Hun Sen thus asked Mrs. Try Dana to cooperate with the MOCFA while the latter can dispatch specialists to assist the former if requested for the success of her cultural promotion plan.

Source: Agence Kampuchea Presse