The Ministry of Interior has sent a stern warning to its officials found to be collecting salaries from other organisations, including private sector actors: stick to your day job.

The ministry issued a letter on Friday, signed by Interior Minister Sar Kheng, saying that research conducted by the ministry found that many employees have taken on other positions outside of the ministry.

The letter stated that civil servants at the Interior Ministry must work exclusively in the role in which they’re employed and fill out a salary document stating they are only receiving money from one place.

“[For] those officials that do not comply with the letter and keep salaries or mission money from two places, the ministry will take measures directly on the individual in accordance with the regulation,” the letter said.

Interior Ministry spokesman Khieu Sopheak said that the letter was issued as a preliminary measure to prevent such practices.

“In fact, this might not exist,” he said. “We just want to prevent it in advance.”