AKP Phnom Penh, April 10, 2026 -- A senior Cambodian lawmaker and former military Commander-In-Chief called on the nation to safeguard its hard-won stability during a somber memorial service Friday, honouring soldiers who died for the courageous cause of national defence.

H.E. Ke Kim Yan, Member of the Supreme Privy Council to His Majesty the King and Member of National Assembly for Banteay Meanchey province constituency, led the Buddhist ceremony at the Techo Win-Win Park. 

Accompanied by his wife, Mao Malai, the former general presided over traditional prayers and almsgiving to Buddhist monks to dedicate merit to the "flesh and blood" sacrifice of fallen troops and national police.

"The peace and progress we enjoy today did not happen by accident," H.E. Ke Kim Yan said during the ceremony. "It is the direct result of the ultimate sacrifice made by our heroic soldiers and police in defense of our territorial integrity."

The event, held in the provincial capital of Serey Sophorn, served as both a religious tribute and a political reminder of the Royal Government’s "Win-Win Policy," the strategy credited with fully reintegrating the final Khmer Rouge remnants in the late 1990s.

H.E. Ke Kim Yan’s remarks come just days before the Cambodian New Year, the country’s most significant annual holiday. Beyond the official tributes, the lawmaker met with approximately 200 elderly residents, distributing food and essential supplies as part of a traditional holiday gesture.

During his address, he relayed greetings from the country's top leadership – including Acting Head of State Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, National Assembly President Samdech Maha Rathsapheathika Thipadei Khuon Sudary and Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet – emphasising the administration's continued focus on the welfare of veterans and rural citizens.

He concluded by urging the elderly attendees to maintain their health, calling them the "living witnesses" to Cambodia’s modern history of reconstruction and national survival.

By K. Rithy Reak