Former Bar Association president and Interior Ministry official Bun Honn was given additional powers at the ministry to act as a signatory for Minister Sar Kheng in matters relating to NGOs and associations.

Honn was promoted to undersecretary of state at the ministry in February 2017 and was given an additional role as a member of the government’s newly created “Civil Society Forum”, which was given powers to formulate policy governing NGOs.

A Ministry of Interior document, dated March 12, gives the former Bar Association president additional responsibilities to help Kheng in legal issues, human rights tasks and matters surrounding NGOs, associations and political parties.

“And [he has] the right to inspect and sign for the minister all documents relating to associations and NGO tasks,” the document reads.

Reached yesterday, Honn declined to comment, instead directing queries to ministry spokesman Khieu Sopheak, who could not be reached.

Interior Ministry official Pol Lim, who previously held the same responsibilities, yesterday said he had been transferred to work at the Senate, but said he did not know whether Honn had been tapped to replace him.