Cambodian netizens slam ‘rude’ Duterte in meeting with King

INCENSED Cambodians took to social media to call out President Rodrigo R. Duterte for what they called his “rude” behavior and attire during his meeting with King Norodom Sihamoni at the Royal Palace in Pnom Penh Wednesday, a media outfit there reported.

“Photos and comments with strong criticizing have been made and shared from one to another over Duterte’s dress and his sitting attitude while meeting their respectful King,” Cambodia News said in its report.

The article on the social media outbursts was accompanied by a photo showing Mr. Duterte, in a barong Tagalog with rolled up sleeves and the top button open, as he leans to one side with hands crossed and his left foot turned on its side to show the sole of his shoe, as he talks to the King.

In contrast, the King is seen at the right side sitting up straight with both feet firmly planted together on the floor and his hands on his lap.

A Cambodian journalist whose help was sought by interaksyon. com to explain the context of the anger and translate the social media comments confirmed that Duterte’s informality did rub them the wrong way in a culture where respect, especially for their monarch, has high value.

“According to our tradition,” he said, such informality “is unacceptable even in a workplace job interview.” He added that even expatriates in Cambodia had posted harsh comments about Mr. Duterte.

A former overseas Filipino worker who worked there said the anger was an expected and understandable reaction.

“Culturally, malaki ang premium ng decorum sa mga ganyan ang mga Khmer (the Khmer place a high premium on decorum on occasions like that),” he told InterAksyon.— main report by InterAksyon.com with