Prime Minister Hun Sen was awarded an honorary doctorate in “transformational leadership” by Malaysia’s Limkokwing University on Wednesday, adding to his extensive list of honorary degrees.
During a ceremony at the prime minister’s Peace Palace in Phnom Penh, Mr. Hun Sen said he was accepting the doctorate on behalf of everyone who voted for him to lead the country.
“The honor received today is a credit to all of us,” he told an audience of hundreds of government officials and students.
“I hope the Cambodian people will continue to vote for the Cambodian People’s Party in the commune elections in 2017 and national election in 2018,” he said.
“This degree also encourages me to continue to serve the country and continue to develop society and the economy in Cambodia,” he added.
Raja Aznil, a senior vice president of Limkokwing, said that the university—which has a campus in Phnom Penh—awarded Mr. Hun Sen the honorary doctorate for his commitment to advancing education.
“He has been very instrumental in bringing us [Limkokwing] to Cambodia because he wants to introduce creative industry to the youth here,” Mr. Aznil said by telephone.
Asked whether the award was deserved given the poor state of the country’s school system, Mr. Aznil said: “You have to start somewhere.”
“The prime minister has the vision, and we have to give him full support to make his vision a reality for young people,” he said.
Before receiving the degree from Limkokwing, Mr. Hun Sen already held at least 11 honorary doctorates, according to his personal website.
In 2009, he was given an honorary degree in politics from Korea University for his “courage, wisdom and determination,” the university’s president said at the time.
(Additional reporting by Colin Meyn)
