The Mirror, Vol. 11, No. 521
“The Ministry of Interior cooperated with Banteay Meanchey authorities to arrest an advisor of Mr. Heng Samrin, the president of the National Assembly and the honorary president of the Cambodian People’s Party [CPP], for involvement in drug trafficking and land disputes.
“Officials of the Ministry of Interior said on Wednesday afternoon that officials of the Information Department of the Ministry of Interior arrested Mr. Oum Chhay, an advisor of Mr. Heng Samrin and of the president of the Chhay Chhay Company in Banteay Meanchey, on the accusation of involvement in drug trafficking and land disputes.
“Mr. Oum Chhay, an Oknha [a title bestowed on a wealthy person who has donated at least US$100,000 to some charitable or socially relevant cause] who had developed the area near to the Khmer-Thai Border, was arrested by the authorities and sent to Phnom Penh to be detained temporarily at the Ministry of Interior. The arrest makes all Ohnhas and advisors of Mr. Heng Samrin’s and Mr. Chea Sim’s faction [within the CPP], who are involved in illegal business, get frightened.
“Mr. Kong Tithea, a former deputy governor of Russey Keo District, who is an advisor to Mr. Heng Samrin, is also involved in many land disputes, especially with 70 families in Mukh Kampul, Kandal, against whom the citizens’ representatives and village chiefs asked Prime Minister Mr. Hun Sen for intervention on Wednesday. Regarding the severe dispute, Mr. Kong Tithea and a Cambodian micro finance company sued a citizen who is the land owner, and he was jailed for nearly a year.
“Mr. Oum Chhay, who has been related to many scandals, is suspected of being involved in the site for producing drugs in Kompong Speu which was raided by the authorities on the night of 1 April 2007, and where several tonnes of materials for producing drugs were seized. Concerning the raid on drugs in Kompong Speu, Mr. Nhek Bun Chhay, the Funcinpec secretary-general, was also [allegedly] involved [in drugs], but he denied the involvement.
“The officials of the Ministry of Interior said that the arrest of Mr. Oum Chhay is a big operation towards further arrests of a number of high ranking officials and Okhnas who do illegal business.
“After the arrest of people at the site for producing drugs and the seizure of a big amount of materials [for producing drugs], there was a document related to Four-Star General Ke Kim Yan, the commander-in-chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces [RCAF]. It is suspected that all this may be the start of Mr. Hun Sen to inflicting harm on the faction of Mr. Chea Sim [the president of the CPP who is also the president of the Senate], Mr. Heng Samrin, and Mr. Sar Kheng [a deputy prime minister and the Minister of the Interior]. However, this would be assuming too much which is not probable – because if he [Prime Minister Hun Sen] dared to remove any influential officials close to Mr. Chea Sim, there would likely explode an internal war within the CPP.
“CPP officials said that Mr. Hun Sen had tried many times to pull Mr. Ke Kim Yan, the commander-in-chief of the RCAF, away from Mr. Chea Sim and Mr. Sar Kheng. However, he was not successful, because Mr. Ke Kim Yan had not betrayed Mr. Chea Sim or Mr. Sar Kheng. The source said that Mr. Hun Sen will link the case of many tonnes of drugs in Traeng Trayueng Commune, Phnom Sruoch District, Kompong Speu, as a pretext to harm Mr. Ke Kim Yan.
“The photocopied document that Sralanh Khmer has received, said that the area for producing drugs is connected to Mr. Ke Kim Yan by a letter of authorization giving special privileges.
“The letter is written in two languages – Khmer and English – and it was signed and stamped by Mr. Ke Kim Yan on 18 August 2001, saying, ‘According to a discussion on 27 August 2001 at the Office for Development of the Headquarters [of the RCAF], represented by Brigadier General Chum Tong Heng and Mr. So Phat, with the company Orient Champion Holding Berhad, represented by Mr. Razali bin Abu Bakar and Mr. Yusof bin Ahmad, about investment in cattle raising in the Kingdom of Cambodia, on behalf of the RCAF, I have the honor to give privileges to the people whose names follow:
1. Brigadier General Chum Tong Heng, director of the Office for Development of the [RCAF] Headquarters
2. Mr. Chea Chung, general coordinator as a representative of the Commander-in-Chief to contact with foreign investors for investments in the Kingdom of Cambodia with the Commander-in-Chief of the RCAF. Concerning all tasks of the cooperation, I hope that all of you are dedicated and with understanding to achieve the goal as future partners.’
“The documents also stated the chart of expenses connected with Mr. Chea Chung, Mr. Nhek Bun Chhay’s former advisor.
“However, some people suspect that the release of the land document in Traeng Trayueng Commune, Phnom Sruoch District, Kompong Speu, which is linked to Four-Star General Mr. Ke Kin Yan, is arranged by an influential antagonist group, in order to force Mr. Ke Kim Yan to withdraw himself from Mr. Chea Sim and Mr. Sar Kheng. However, the document on expenses relates for the arrangement of a site for a cattle farm only, it does not say anything about the site for producing drugs.
“After the raid on the site for producing drugs, there were reports saying that General Nhek Bun Chhay was involved in the case, but he denied it. After that, there is now this document related to Mr. Ke Kim Yan; in the meantime, Mr. Hun Sen and Mr. Chea Sim had confronted each other.
“CPP officials said that after the shooting of the singer Pov Panhapich [and seriously wounding her], a party involved in the internal disputes of the CPP wanted to prepare documents to put the blame on a general who is loyal to Mr. Chea Sim. However, the plot was not successful, because it would have caused the internal situation of the CPP to become more tense; moreover, Mr. Chea Sim and his supporters had made it known that if anyone dared to do something bad against Mr. Chea Sim like in the past, especially if anyone dared to order Mr. Hok Lundy [the director-general of the National Police] to use forces to surround the house [of Mr. Chea Sim] like it happened during the night of 12 July 2004, there would be a response from Mr. Chea Sim’s group. Therefore, if Mr. Hun Sen’s group seeks ways to make the armed forces, who are loyal to Mr. Chea Sim, lose their influence or to remove them like the recent removal of the head of the bodyguards [there would be trouble].
“Nevertheless, Prime Minister Hun Sen will arrest many other corrupt officials, especially from the faction of Mr. Chea Sim, Mr. Heng Samrin, and Mr. Sar Kheng, after Mr. Oum Chhay was arrested on Wednesday evening in Banteay Meanchey, and sent to Phnom Penh during the night.” Sralanh Khmer, Vol.3, #480, 17.8.2007
Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Friday, 17 August 2007
Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.6, #1420, 17.8.2007
- Samdech Hun Sen Recognized as Chartered Diplomat [by Association of Certified Diplomats – London, England]
- Cambodian and American Citizens Will Know Each Other Better and Better through Khmer-Language Website [created by the US Embassy in Phnom Penh]
- Huge Amounts of Wood Transported [illegally] During Flood Season in Kratie
- More Than 200 Died or Are Missing in Floods in North Korea
Khmer Mchas Srok, Vol.1, #5, 17.8.2007
- Heng Samrin’s Advisor [Oum Chhay] Arrested for Involvement in Drug Trafficking
Koh Santepheap, Vol.40, #6120, 17.8.2007
- Indian Embassy in Phnom Penh Marks 60th Anniversary of Independence Day [from Britain]
Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.15, #4365, 17.8.2007
- Chemicals for Producing Drugs Seized in Kompong Speu Were Destroyed [16 August]
- Chinese Company [name not mentioned] Will Start Construction of Hydroelectric Plant Costing Nearly $50 Million in Kirirom in September
- Ministry of Meteorology and Water Resources Appeals to Residents along Mekong River to Be Cautious [about floods]
- Russey Keo District Office Seized 24 Untagged Cars [Phnom Penh]
- 52 Tortoises Seized, Transported in a Car with Fake Military License Plate [Pursat]
Sralanh Khmer, Vol.3, #480, 17.8.2007
- Heng Samrin’s Advisor Handcuffed for Involvement in Drugs
Recent Comments