Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sar Kheng on Saturday said while the Kingdom is at peace, its political stability is being threatened by ill-intentioned politicians who aim to topple the legitimate government through mass protests.

Sar Kheng was apparently referring to Sam Rainsy, the “acting president” of the Supreme Court-dissolved Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) who has reportedly threatened to lead a popular movement to arrest Prime Minister Hun Sen.

Speaking during a groundbreaking ceremony of a temple at Wat Thmey pagoda in Prey Veng province, Sar Kheng said the government would not tolerate any outlawed armed forces of any form.

“Cambodia has experienced instability [caused by outlawed armed forces] in the past. There can’t be harmony in such a situation. If there is such resistance, our country will be divided again, and there’s no knowing when we will be able to reunite and reconcile."

“Now what we should do is pursue development. What we have not achieved, we’ll try hard to accomplish through hard work rather than by removing [the incumbent government] and rebuilding the country from scratch. Do they want to rebuild the nation from scratch?” he said.

Sar Kheng called on unnamed politicians to either join the government in developing the country or step aside.

“If you do not help row the boat, please don’t obstruct others from paddling it to the shore,” he said.

Sar Kheng also urged the opposition to brand themselves nationalists while calling others traitors.

“Your groups are not the only patriots. We are all patriotic,” he said.

Government spokesperson Phay Siphan could not be reached for comment on Sunday.

Kin Phea, the director of the Royal Academy of Cambodia’s International Relations Institute, told The Post that attempts to overthrow the government through a “colour revolution” tend to come from none other than Rainsy.

He said Rainsy had used patriotism as a tool to call for a popular uprising.

“First, he always called on the people to stand up against the government. Second, he always urged the armed forces to topple the government. Third, he called on the international community to exert pressure on or oppress the government."

“That constitutes a threat against the government. We are so lucky that our people and armed forces do not fall for Rainsy’s incitement. The government has managed to keep the situation under control,” he said, adding failure to control the armed forces or popular movement could result in a social crisis.

“Only a handful of foreigners have bought into the incitement by leaders of the former opposition party,” he stressed.

Former CNRP vice-president Mu Sochua told The Post late last month that at least six European parliamentarians and other supporters from the US, Australia, New Zealand and some other Asian nations had expressed their support in accompanying CNRP leaders to the Kingdom.

Through his Facebook page on Tuesday, Rainsy also posted videos of what he claimed were speeches by international political figures and parliamentarians claiming to accompany the CNRP leadership to Cambodia.

“We will post such videos continuously until the CNRP leaders return to the country,” Rainsy wrote on Facebook.

On Saturday, he repeated his claim during a ceremony to announce to the CNRP leadership in France and other European nations that he would return to the country.

“Over the next year, if the leaders of CNRP European branches work hard together, we will achieve our target and return to Cambodia together,” he said.