Thank you for publishing such an informative article about Keat Chhon’s personal life and remarkable political career, “A Man for All Regimes” (12 May).
Your article provided an insightful account of Mr. Chhon’s amazing background and political journey, which has so far been mostly unknown to the general public at large.
As you pointed out, he is a rare career public servant and politician who prudently managed to retain favor with several regimes, and safely navigate through arguably the most trying times in Cambodia’s recent history.
As a survivor of the Khmer Rouge regime myself, I hold tremendous respect for his abilities, and think highly of him as a humble and low-profile individual with gifted talents and extraordinary luck.
On that note, I wish Cambodia had many sons like him. His accomplishments as a private citizen and influential politician merit being a national case study for Cambodians at home and abroad, particularly for those aspiring to hold public office.
His ability to stay focused, make calculated decisions and act on them, based on lifelong convictions and co- herent reasoning rather than temperamental gut feeling, should make him be a model for other politicians on both sides of the aisle.
Some skeptics have branded him as an opportunist, while a few have gone as far as calling him a traitor.
The truth is that he devoted over five decades of his life to humbly serving the country the best he could within the boundaries of his position through good times and bad times.
For that, Cambodians across the entire political spectrum owe him a debt of gratitude.
He’ll certainly be missed, and I’d like to wholeheartedly wish him a well-deserved and fulfilling retirement.
