According to Defense Studies, Royal Cambodian Army Commander Lieutenant General Hun Manet (elder son of Prime Minister Hun Sen) on 22 June defended the purchase of 290 Genlyon military trucks from China, saying the government did not use “a single riel” from the national budget. The order to purchase the trucks was made mid last year and they were expected to arrive early this year. They only arrived this month due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
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Handover ceremony of the 290 Chinese-made trucks in Phnom Penh’s Olympic Stadium (Picture source: Khmer Times)

A total of 290 Genlyon military trucks arrived in the Kingdom on a cargo ship from China last week. The vehicles were handed over to the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces and the National Police on June 22. Speaking during the handover ceremony in Phnom Penh’s Olympic Stadium, Lt.Gen. Hun Manet, RCAF’s deputy commander-in-chief, said the trucks were purchased by the Kingdom through a fundraising effort initiated by Prime Minister Hun Sen. He said the money was donated by Cambodian companies and Cambodian people. “I wish to clarify that we did not use even a single riel [national currency] of the national budget, but used money from the fundraising with local charities,” he said. “The initiative by Samdech Decho [Hun Sen] to appeal to generous people to support the army is nothing new. He has been doing this for many years.”

Lt.Gen. Hun Manet denied reports that the vehicles were donated by the Chinese government. “We do not need to lie. If they were donated by China, then we would say it is a Chinese donation,” Lt Gen Manet said. “If it was a Chinese donation and we said we purchased the truck, would they agree?”

Lieutenant General Hun Manet, RCAF deputy commander-in-chief, said the Genlyon vehicles were purchased to strengthen the armed forces (Picture source: Khmer Times)