Cambodia: Country that is never Forgotten

I have never been to Cambodia before. Never actually set my foot there. But at parts, it seems I recognizes it. I recognize the land, but most of all I recognizes the flag of the country. Not until the last day I realizes it. I have made a research before regarding Health in Cambodia. During the stay there, I was in oblivious until the very last day of my work/vacation there. Then it slowly come to me. I still remember that the statistic given by the WHO and other agencies regarding the health situation in Cambodia is devastating. And this time I get to experienced the life and observes the situation there with my own eyes.

Its not like I visited the hospitals or any clinics. I don't even talk to their doctors and health officers there. In fact I'm there for promoting Malaysia during the Sea Festivals at Kep city. I was dancing around but I never stop observing what was happening there. All I can see was that, everyone and everyone there is working to earn money for their living. Draining every effort and energy just to get food on their plate. But that statement goes to us all but what make differences are that we make enough for our living. Did they? I saw children working, collecting rubbish and become beggars. Asking for money from tourist and then it hit me. Is school compulsory here? Why I see children selling and make a living?

Of course these problems are not easy problems to solve. They are way more complicated than it looks. You can't  just ask children to go to school. What if they are the only one in the family that can actually work and feed the family? That have to be taken as consideration also. Even rural area in Malaysia, I hardly see children as young as 8 or 9 years old make a living, unless when they participated in family business or shops because under age employee is illegal here. I guess it is a bit too soon to judge what I saw back in Cambodia. For sure, I have to come back there again and I want to know more than what I just saw. There must be a solution to whatever the problem is there.

An article wrote in http://www.voacambodia.com/content/cambodia-ranked-most-corrupt-country-in-the-region/1802720.html explained that Cambodia is the most corrupted country in the region. I guess to tackle any problems is by tackling this issues first. No use donating money if the money ended up to the hands of corrupted officials. Like any country also, corruption is never an option. People who are corrupted should punished against the law of act of treason to the country. 

My interpreter said the Petrol there is very expensive and it must be true. During my stay there, I hardly see personal cars. I saw it but only one car I think. Maybe I just didn't look around enough. That was during my stay in Kep City but different things in Phnom Penh. There are a lot of cars and the economy is moving. Everyone is working and I see children riding bicycles to school. Here in Malaysia, almost everything is subsidies by the government and I am thankful for that. At least it lessen the burden on the shoulders of the people. But as people that are fortunate in this country, we can never be feel too dependent to the government. We have to work our own way up and help each other out. That is what we need. Helpful people that think of others, people that love the country and people that give back to the poor.

That is all we need. Sometimes I felt ashamed of myself. I have everything I need but keep complaining whereas there are people out there that still waiting the very first food after weeks of hunger. I guess we all need to change.

ZazaZahidah