Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Kampong Chhnang calls for more vigilance over fraudulence using state land

Kampong Chhnang calls for more vigilance over fraudulence using state land

Content image - Phnom Penh Post
The Kampong Chhnang Provincial Hall. Kampong Chhnang Administration

Kampong Chhnang calls for more vigilance over fraudulence using state land

Kampong Chhnang Provincial Administration has warned people not to be deceived by individuals trying to fraudulently sell state land. Those who have bought state land must show relevant documents to the State Property Management Unit to resolve any issues, otherwise they could be implicated in a conspiracy to sell state land.

A statement issued by the provincial administration on March 5 stated that in the past, an individual had used illegal documents to sell state land controlled by the provincial hall, located in Mong Barang village, Ba’er commune, Kampong Chhnang town.

“According to the documents collected, the perpetrators tricked people to buy shares in exchange for the land,” the letter said.

The letter added that a small number of people participated in the scam. For this reason, the Provincial State Land Management Committee urges people not to buy this land because it is state land being sold illegally and would result in a loss of money.

Mon Vutha, director of the finance office and state property management in Kampong Chhnang province said that in the past, the provincial administration had asked the government to transfer the provincial prison from the centre of the town to the outskirts, about 12km or 13km away, with the government’s approval in 2018. But an individual had been secretly selling its reserved land since 2015 without anyone knowing.

“Only later, when we were preparing the land property title, did we realise what had happened. According to a circular of the Royal Government, even state institutions must process land property titles too. There were complaints when we processed the title. It’s actually state land, but people complained to us, so we searched for relevant documents. We discovered there were irregular activities with one of our officials and the trader,” he said.

Vutha continued that after receiving permission from the government in 2018, an inter-ministerial commission was set up to evaluate the sale of land in accordance with the law and continued to implement the project until 2020. Then the official contract was signed to exchange land with the private party and provincial administration on 42 projects.

He said that once the conditions on the 42 projects are met, the provincial administration can decide to exchange three plots of land which includes one reserve plot, one prison land and one prison office within the 42 projects.

He added, however, the procedure has not been completed yet; the private party who got this work took the state reserve land of 4,351 square meters and split it to sell.

“It’s another mistake like the one we made in 2015 and we only just realised it. We have not yet completed the procedure in accordance with the law. He split the land for sale as an investment deal,” he said.

According to Vutha, in this case, the provincial administration filed a complaint with the judiciary for law enforcement.

“If they [the buyer of state land] do not present the documents and try to conceal it, they will be treated as a conspirator [selling state land]. But if they take documents to the authorities, they will be cooperating with authorities to take care of state land,” he said.

MOST VIEWED

  • Wing Bank opens new branch in front of Orkide The Royal along Street 2004

    Wing Bank celebrates first anniversary as commercial bank with launch of brand-new branch. One year since officially launching with a commercial banking licence, Wing Bank on March 14 launched a new branch in front of Orkide The Royal along Street 2004. The launch was presided over by

  • Girl from Stung Meanchey dump now college grad living in Australia

    After finishing her foundational studies at Trinity College and earning a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Melbourne in 2022, Ron Sophy, a girl who once lived at the Stung Meanchey garbage dump and scavenged for things to sell, is now working at a private

  • Ministry using ChatGPT AI to ‘ease workload’; Khmer version planned

    The Digital Government Committee is planning to make a Khmer language version of popular artificial intelligence (AI) technology ChatGPT available to the public in the near future, following extensive testing. On March 9, the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications revealed that it has been using the

  • Ministry orders all schools, public and private, to close for SEA Games

    From April 20 to May 18, all public and private educational institutions will be closed to maintain order and support Cambodia's hosting of the 32nd SEA Games and 12th ASEAN Para Games, said a directive from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport. Cambodia will host the

  • Wat Phnom hornbills attract tourists, locals

    Thanks to the arrival of a friendly flock of great hornbills, Hour Rithy, a former aviculturist – or raiser of birds – in Kratie province turned Phnom Penh tuk tuk driver, has seen a partial return to his former profession. He has become something of a guide

  • Almost 9K tourists see equinox sunrise at Angkor Wat

    Nearly 9,000 visitors – including 2,226 international tourists – gathered at Angkor Wat on March 21 to view the spring equinox sunrise, according to a senior official of the Siem Reap provinical tourism department. Ngov Seng Kak, director of the department, said a total of 8,726 people visited Angkor Wat to