Sar Kheng, vice-PM and minister of InteriorSar Kheng blasts economic police
22 Nov. 2008
By Mondul Keo
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
Click here to read the article in Khmer
The economic police of the ministry of Interior (MoI) came under scathing criticism for being an entity that does not serve the people, and also of being involved in corruption.
In a speech given during the promotion of high-ranking national police officials in the afternoon of 21 November at the MoI, Sar Kheng, the vice-PM and minister of Interior, directly criticized and scolded leaders of the economic police for not fulfilling their duty to serve the nation and the people, to the contrary, this police department is involved in corruption by sending its forces to seek benefits and fulfill their personal interest only.
Sar Kheng said: “So, I am asking: How much did our economic police participated in the fight against economic offense? None! I never received any report from the economic police, all that I received were complaints brought up against them. There were no reports showing the achievements of the economic police.”
At the same time, Sar Kheng told Neth Savoeun, who was just promoted to a four-gold-star general and national police commissioner to replace Hok Lundy, to review this issue and eliminate such case.
Sar Kheng added: “Besides this (economic police) only spread out their forces to seek corruption money. Now, I am appealing to the people who knew about this problem, we have received this information, if this information is true, we will resolve it. This must stop from now on, any [economic police] forces that were spread out, they must all be called back in. The national police commissioner takes it as his duty to issue this motto: ‘They [economic police] have no rights to spread out their forces to undertake such action.’”
General Run Rathveasna, the director of the economic police, could not be reached this afternoon to obtain clarification on this issue.
During the occasion of his promotion, Neth Savoeun made the following pledge: “In front of your excellencies, Lok Chumteav, ladies and gentlemen, and the spirit of General Hok Lundy, I am pledging that, truthfully, I will made all kind of sacrifices for the nation, the religion and the king, I will respect the constitution, I will respect and apply the law to defend the truth, justice and I will oppose all corruption. I will be always faithful in my mission to serve the nation, to preserve peace and the interest of the people and the Cambodian nation, and I will bring in progress to promote and defend the interest, honor and dignity of the national police.”
It should be noted that in the past, merchants and stall vendors have protested that various government economic departments, as well as the economic police have demanded that they pay bribes, this situation harasses them, and it greatly affects their trade.
In a speech given during the promotion of high-ranking national police officials in the afternoon of 21 November at the MoI, Sar Kheng, the vice-PM and minister of Interior, directly criticized and scolded leaders of the economic police for not fulfilling their duty to serve the nation and the people, to the contrary, this police department is involved in corruption by sending its forces to seek benefits and fulfill their personal interest only.
Sar Kheng said: “So, I am asking: How much did our economic police participated in the fight against economic offense? None! I never received any report from the economic police, all that I received were complaints brought up against them. There were no reports showing the achievements of the economic police.”
At the same time, Sar Kheng told Neth Savoeun, who was just promoted to a four-gold-star general and national police commissioner to replace Hok Lundy, to review this issue and eliminate such case.
Sar Kheng added: “Besides this (economic police) only spread out their forces to seek corruption money. Now, I am appealing to the people who knew about this problem, we have received this information, if this information is true, we will resolve it. This must stop from now on, any [economic police] forces that were spread out, they must all be called back in. The national police commissioner takes it as his duty to issue this motto: ‘They [economic police] have no rights to spread out their forces to undertake such action.’”
General Run Rathveasna, the director of the economic police, could not be reached this afternoon to obtain clarification on this issue.
During the occasion of his promotion, Neth Savoeun made the following pledge: “In front of your excellencies, Lok Chumteav, ladies and gentlemen, and the spirit of General Hok Lundy, I am pledging that, truthfully, I will made all kind of sacrifices for the nation, the religion and the king, I will respect the constitution, I will respect and apply the law to defend the truth, justice and I will oppose all corruption. I will be always faithful in my mission to serve the nation, to preserve peace and the interest of the people and the Cambodian nation, and I will bring in progress to promote and defend the interest, honor and dignity of the national police.”
It should be noted that in the past, merchants and stall vendors have protested that various government economic departments, as well as the economic police have demanded that they pay bribes, this situation harasses them, and it greatly affects their trade.
