HENG CHIVOAN

Hun Mana, director of Bayon TV and Radio and daughter of the PM seen in a file photo.

HUN Mana, the daughter of Prime Minster Hun Sen and the director general

of Bayon Radio and Television, lashed out at a journalist with Beauty

magazine in a letter submitted to Minister of Information Khieu

Kanharith, accusing the writer of defamation and asking the minister to

take action.

The letter, dated last Thursday, accused San Bunthoeurn of

defamation stemming from a story he published in the August 15-31 issue

of his publication. In the story, he described an alleged love triangle

between Bayon programme manager Tit Thavarith, actress Sim Solika and a

second man, Por Sam Oeun.

The letter did not detail the substance of the defamation but said

the claims made were untrue and were intended merely to damage the

honour and popularity of Bayon. It added that San Bunthoeurn had tried

to extort money from actors and high-level staff at the station and had

previously tried to get a job there.

San Bunthoeurn had been given permission to interview Bayon staff

members but he misled them about the subject of the story he was

writing and later demanded US$3,000 from Tit Thavarith to stop the

article from running, the letter claimed.

Hun Mana could not be reached for comment on Tuesday. Bayon's

deputy director general, Rith Chetra, told the Post he knew nothing

about the matter and that it has nothing to do with him or with the

station.

San Bunthoeurn defended his story against criticisms raised in the

letter. "I based it on anonymously sourced comments of staff and

actors," he said. He added that he had not asked for money, but said

Tit Thavarith tried to stop publication of the story. Khieu Kanharith

said he would not pursue legal action against the magazine as it was a

private matter.