Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Government calls for PM ‘fake news’ correction

Government calls for PM ‘fake news’ correction

Content image - Phnom Penh Post
Prime Minister Hun Sen was at the event commemorating the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Royal Cambodian Army’s headquarters on Thursday last week. Heng Chivoan

Government calls for PM ‘fake news’ correction

The Cambodian government on Friday strongly urged Singaporean outlet Channel News Asia (CNA) to issue a correction to an article it published on Thursday, claiming Prime Minister Hun Sen had called on the military to destroy the country’s political opponents.

The statement, issued by the government’s Press and Quick Reaction Unit of the Council of Ministers, was also sent to Singapore Ambassador to Cambodia Michael Tan.

The statement was made in response to a CNA article entitled Hun Sen calls on military to destroy opponents. It said the article misled the public about the prime minister’s statement.

“Destroying opponents does not refer to the now-dissolved opposition party [the Cambodia National Rescue Party or CNRP]. Therefore, the title of your article, intentionally or unintentionally, gives a very wrong message, making the public misunderstand the correct wording of the Cambodian prime minister,” the letter read.

The Press and Quick Reaction Unit also said that the news outlet wrongly quoted the prime minister on a number of issues, and demanded that a correction be issued immediately.

“We strongly urge Channel News Asia to correct immediately your article with the above-mentioned transcript so as to avoid confusion among the public on the Cambodian government position,” it read.

International Relations Institute of Cambodia director-general Kin Phea said that foreign media attention on Cambodia was increasing in light of what they regard as the Kingdom’s political turn towards China, as well as its increasingly complex internal politics with the dissolution of the CNRP in November 2017.

He also questioned whether CNA’s publication of the article was ill-intentioned or simply a misunderstanding through translation.

“When Prime Minister Hun Sen says something that is sensitive, their reasons for publishing it could be two-fold. The first is that they have bad intentions. Or alternatively, it might be a misunderstanding of the translation, which means that it is important for us to pay close attention to what is written,” he said.

Club of Cambodian Journalists president Pen Bona said that foreign media using Khmer news agencies must be careful about translating from Khmer to English as the languages are so different, causing confusion.

“As journalists, we should not quote any words that are different from their original, causing the public to misunderstand what is said. It is tantamount to a lack of professionalism,” he said.

On his official Facebook page yesterday, Prime Minister Hun Sen once again hit back at critics for ignoring the progress Cambodia has made while creating lies about the Kingdom.

“As we have seen with our own eyes, Cambodia is progressing towards a better development day by day."

“Foreign tourists coming to Cambodia are also increasing every year, while investors have more confidence and believe in our political and social stability which is favourable for both small and large investments. But despite all our efforts, there are still lies about our country,” he wrote.

The government has begun taking measures to combat what it has increasingly referred to as the growing problem of ‘fake news’.

On January 21, Minister of Information Khieu Kanharith announced that the ministry would launch a live broadcast news programme on TVK to provide accurate and up to the minute news to address inaccurate rumours from the day’s events.

MOST VIEWED

  • Joy as Koh Ker Temple registered by UNESCO

    Cambodia's Koh Ker Temple archaeological site has been officially added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List, during the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on September 17. The ancient temple, also known as Lingapura or Chok Gargyar, is located in

  • Famed US collector family return artefacts to Cambodia

    In the latest repatriation of ancient artefacts from the US, a total of 33 pieces of Khmer cultural heritage will soon return home, according to the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts. In a September 12 press statement, it said the US Attorney’s Office for the

  • Cambodia set to celebrate Koh Ker UNESCO listing

    To celebrate the inscription of the Koh Ker archaeological site on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, the Ministry of Cults and Religion has appealed to pagodas and places of worship to celebrate the achievement by ringing bells, shaking rattles and banging gongs on September 20. Venerable

  • Kampot curfew imposed to curb ‘gang’ violence

    Kampot provincial police have announced measures to contain a recent spike in antisocial behaviour by “unruly’ youth. Officials say the province has been plagued by recent violence among so-called “gang members”, who often fight with weapons such as knives and machetes. Several social observers have

  • Manet touches down in Beijing for high-level meetings

    Prime Minister Hun Manet arrived in Beijing on September 14 for his first official visit to China, where he is slated to attend the 20th China-ASEAN Expo and meet other leaders including Chinese President Xi Jinping. Upon his arrival, Manet laid a wreath at the Monument

  • Cambodian diaspora laud Manet’s UN Assembly visit

    Members of the Cambodian diaspora are rallying in support of Prime Minister Hun Manet’s forthcoming visit to the 78th UN General Assembly (UNGA 78) in the US’ New York City this week. Their move is an apparent response to a recent call by self-exiled former