Cambodian PM Hun Sen rides motorbike without helmet, gets fined
CAMBODIAN Prime Minister Hun Sen was slapped with a 15,000 riel (about US$3.75) fine for failing to wear a helmet while riding a motorcycle during a visit to the Koh Kong province last Saturday.
According to the Khmer Times, Hun Sen was issued the fine on June 18 by the Srae Ambel district police for violating the traffic law. The motorcycle was also found to be without a number plate.
The traffic police officer, Sun Nem, who issued the fine to the leader said he was merely doing his job when issuing the ticket.
“He didn’t do something wrong seriously, just didn’t wear a helmet and the motorcycle had no number-plate. So I had to fine him to follow the traffic law,” Nem said, as quoted by the Khmer Times.
Nem added the motorcycle owner, Sen Dy, was also fined.
On whether he was concerned about being fired or demoted for fining the prime minister, the officer said he was not as he followed the law. He said he was also acting on orders by his police unit chief.
“I have a role to enforce the traffic law for everyone properly. So whether you are powerful, poor, rich, small or high-ranking, if you break the law, you must be punished the same by the law.”
On his Facebook page, Hun Sen said last night that he accepted the fine, adding he would personally pay for it and for the motorcycle’s owner. The two were fined the same amount.
“I predicted that even though I apologized, the police still fined me because I committed a fault,” he said.
On the incident, Hun Sen also brushed aside parliamentary immunity accorded to him under the country’s constitution which could not stop him from being fined for breaking traffic laws.
“I am responsible for the fine of myself and the owner of the motorbike, though his bike had no number-plate. I am doing that just to help him and let him get the number-plate after that,” Hun Sen said.
“I appreciate Koh Kong province’s Srae Ampel district police who implement the law without discrimination and with independence and without any fear of powerful people, including the prime minister.”
