PM appoints own daughter to assist him in new govt

The Phnom Penh Post – September 11, 2008

Written by Cheang Sokha

Hun Mana, the director general of Bayon Television and Radio, will help her father to make ‘proper reports’

 

HENG CHIVOAN

Hun Mana, shown in a file photo, has just been made assistant to the PM.

PRIME Minister Hun Sen has appointed his daughter, Hun Mana, as an assistant to his office in the new government, one of her colleagues at Bayon TV said Tuesday.

Rith Chetra, deputy director general at Bayon TV who was also appointed an assistant to the prime minister, said that during the fourth mandate of the government, Hun Sen “will have a lot to do and needs more assistants”.

“I don’t know what kind of job I will help him with until the new government is formed,” he added.

The new government is expected to be formed on September 24.

Government spokesman Khieu Kanharith said that the appointment of Hun Mana was based on her position at Bayon and that she would help the prime minister in writing “proper reports”.

“The public dare not comment to government officials, so they use radio and TV [to] bring their issues to the prime minister,” Khieu Kanharith said.

Cambodian People’s Party ministers have in the past appointed their relatives as assistants. Both Foreign Minister Hor Nam Hong and Social Affairs Minister Ith Samheng sent their sons to work at the Ministry Cabinet offices.

Hun Sen has previously come under fire for appointing multiple advisers and assistants – the distinction between titles pertains to whether the appointee helps with idea generation or workflow.

Opposition Sam Rainsy Party spokesman Son Chhay said that the ruling party wastes a lot of state budget on advisers and assistants, adding that Hun Sen has roughly 1,000 people helping in those positions.

He claimed that most of them do little for their official capacities.

Ho Sothy, Hun Sen’s Cabinet chief, declined to comment.