Interior Minister Sar Kheng has scolded Ratanakkiri Provincial Governor Thang Savun for pretending he had an appointment with him to avoid meeting ministers on a visit to the northeastern province.
Savun had told Chea Sophara, minister of land management, Uk Rabun, minister of rural development, and Say Sam Al, environment minister, that he could not attend a requested meeting with the senior officials because he already had a scheduled appointment with Kheng, the interior minister said.
“But when they [the ministers] arrived in Ratanakkiri province, the governor or his deputy reported that he [Savun] came to meet with [me]. I never saw him coming to have a meeting with me in the last few days. I didn’t have any meeting,” he said.
Savun declined to comment.
Chhay Thy, provincial coordinator for local rights group Adhoc, said the move showed that Savun was shirking the responsibilities of his office and should be “blamed”.
Savun is the son of Bu Thang, a ruling party senator, and nephew of Bu Lam, a ruling party lawmaker in Ratanakkiri.
