The little-known Farmer’s Party has filed a complaint to the Ministry of Interior against Roumkamlang news agency for publicising misinformation.

Farmer’s Party president Meas Bopov said on Wednesday the news agency had published fake news on its Facebook page that undermined the party’s honour and dignity.

The complaint was filed a day after the news agency posted a “breaking news” story on Facebook on Sunday accusing senior party official Lay Thol of being involved in drug dealing.

“Kampot provincial Military Police have arrested a political party leader for drug trafficking,” said the post.

The story was posted along with a copy of Thol’s party identification card and a letter nominating him as chairman of the party’s provincial committee for Kratie.

“The article on Roumkamlang News Facebook page is intended to defame our party leadership because Lay Thol was not among a number of suspects arrested in a drug crackdown by Kampot Military Police on that day,” Bopov said.

On Sunday, he stressed, Kampot provincial Military Police arrested two suspects and seized more than half a kilogramme of methamphetamine, also known as “ice”.

The raid was conducted in Teuk Chhou distict’s Chum Kriel commune. The duo has since been placed in pre-trial detention.

“In order to protect the party leadership’s honour and dignity and our officials from such groundless allegations, we have decided to file a complaint against Roumkamlang News to the Ministry of Interior seeking legal action,” Bopov said.

Roumkamlang news publisher Chea Piseth could not be reached for comment on Wednesday. But the agency’s Facebook page manager, Thuon Phanna, acknowledged to The Post on Wednesday the news story was not verified before publication, but he claimed it was not intended to spoil Lay Thol’s reputation.

“I just copied the news and photo from another Facebook page and published them on Roumkamlang News page without changing anything at all.

“I posted a clarification acknowledging my fault about an hour after the party requested a correction and a public apology. I will clarify further if summoned by the Ministry of Interior for questioning,” he said.

The Farmer’s Party has competed in three national elections but never won a single seat since its establishment in 1991.