By Yun Samean
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
A Funcinpec official claimed Sunday that he has been fired from his position as undersecretary of state at the Ministry of Rural Development because a newspaper he edits criticized Interior Minister Sar Kheng earlier this month.
Keo Visatsotthea said he received a royal decree ordering his removal on Friday, but that the decree did not specify a reason.
"I suspect my removal was because of the publications about the deputy prime minister," he said.
Keo Visatsotthea said that early this month, the pro-Funcinpec Voice of Khmer Youth newspaper, which he edited before taking office last year, had questioned how Sar Kheng could afford a Battambang province villa which it claimed cost $1 million.
"We didn't criticize the government. We only criticized individuals," he added. "It was constructive criticism."
Sar Kheng, government spokesman Khieu Kanharith and Interior Ministry spokesman Khieu Sopheak could not be reached for comment on Sunday.
CPP lawmaker Cheam Yeap said officials sacked from the government were either unqualified or had conflicts of interest. He also denied the newspaper's allegations against Sar Kheng.
"He joined the government and was also editor in chief to criticize the government," Cheam Yeap said.
Cheam Yeap also denied that the government had specifically targeted Funcinpec members when removing officials it claimed were unfit.
Koul Panha, executive director of the Committee for Free and Fair Elections, said the government has no culture of tolerating criticism. "The government never accepts any frank information," he said.
Earlier this month, the editor of Pro-Sam Rainsy Party newspaper Moneaksekar Khmer was questioned at Phnom Penh Municipal Court over an article about Cabinet Minister Sok An.
A government lawyer had filed a lawsuit against Dam Sithek under an Untac-era law relating to "disinformation," which provides for prison terms of up to three years.
Keo Visatsotthea said he received a royal decree ordering his removal on Friday, but that the decree did not specify a reason.
"I suspect my removal was because of the publications about the deputy prime minister," he said.
Keo Visatsotthea said that early this month, the pro-Funcinpec Voice of Khmer Youth newspaper, which he edited before taking office last year, had questioned how Sar Kheng could afford a Battambang province villa which it claimed cost $1 million.
"We didn't criticize the government. We only criticized individuals," he added. "It was constructive criticism."
Sar Kheng, government spokesman Khieu Kanharith and Interior Ministry spokesman Khieu Sopheak could not be reached for comment on Sunday.
CPP lawmaker Cheam Yeap said officials sacked from the government were either unqualified or had conflicts of interest. He also denied the newspaper's allegations against Sar Kheng.
"He joined the government and was also editor in chief to criticize the government," Cheam Yeap said.
Cheam Yeap also denied that the government had specifically targeted Funcinpec members when removing officials it claimed were unfit.
Koul Panha, executive director of the Committee for Free and Fair Elections, said the government has no culture of tolerating criticism. "The government never accepts any frank information," he said.
Earlier this month, the editor of Pro-Sam Rainsy Party newspaper Moneaksekar Khmer was questioned at Phnom Penh Municipal Court over an article about Cabinet Minister Sok An.
A government lawyer had filed a lawsuit against Dam Sithek under an Untac-era law relating to "disinformation," which provides for prison terms of up to three years.
1 comment:
Don't accuse us, ah Visatsotthea!
You have not enough education to take this position
ah Krom Pret could not save you, he will be in jail when returning to Cambodia
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