By James Welsh and Pin Sisovann
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
Two passports that SRP lawmaker Son Chhay claims were illegally issued to foreigners are counterfeit and were not issued by the Phnom Penh Passport Office, an official said Tuesday.
"The two passports were fake," said Tep Sovann, deputy chief of administration at the office, which issues all Cambodian passports inside the country and is run by the Interior Ministry. They could not be from this department," he said.
Son Chhay submitted a letter dated Oct 27 to the Interior Ministry requesting that measures be taken to stop the illegal issuance of Cambodian passports to foreigners. He also claimed foreigners are paying Cambodian officials thousands of dollars to obtain passports. With his letter, Son Chhay attached two photocopies of Cambodian passports belonging to people he claims are Chinese nationals.
Tep Sovann said that he did not know where the two passports came from, but declined further comment.
Son Chhay, however, insisted on Tuesday that the passports are real.
"They are genuine passports, not fake passports," he said. "[They are] produced by the officials in the Ministry of Interior by people producing the passports everyday. It is a legal document but produced illegally."
National Police Commissioner Hok Lundy, whose signature appears on all Cambodian passports, said Monday that Son Chhay should back up his allegations with evidence.
US Embassy spokesman Jeff Daigle said his embassy is vigilant against illegitimately issued Cambodian passports receiving US visas.
"We have not seen a pattern of fraudulent passport issuance, but we remain alert to the possibility of individuals obtaining passports under false identities or non-biological children added to passports due
"The two passports were fake," said Tep Sovann, deputy chief of administration at the office, which issues all Cambodian passports inside the country and is run by the Interior Ministry. They could not be from this department," he said.
Son Chhay submitted a letter dated Oct 27 to the Interior Ministry requesting that measures be taken to stop the illegal issuance of Cambodian passports to foreigners. He also claimed foreigners are paying Cambodian officials thousands of dollars to obtain passports. With his letter, Son Chhay attached two photocopies of Cambodian passports belonging to people he claims are Chinese nationals.
Tep Sovann said that he did not know where the two passports came from, but declined further comment.
Son Chhay, however, insisted on Tuesday that the passports are real.
"They are genuine passports, not fake passports," he said. "[They are] produced by the officials in the Ministry of Interior by people producing the passports everyday. It is a legal document but produced illegally."
National Police Commissioner Hok Lundy, whose signature appears on all Cambodian passports, said Monday that Son Chhay should back up his allegations with evidence.
US Embassy spokesman Jeff Daigle said his embassy is vigilant against illegitimately issued Cambodian passports receiving US visas.
"We have not seen a pattern of fraudulent passport issuance, but we remain alert to the possibility of individuals obtaining passports under false identities or non-biological children added to passports due
1 comment:
Mr. Son Chhay you go again the strongest man in cambodia!
Salute your bravery!
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