A lawmaker and a Ministry of Interior Immigration Department official are each crying foul after a February encounter during which both say the other spoke in a rude manner.

Cambodia National Rescue Party parliamentarian Um Sam An sent a complaint to the Interior Ministry on Tuesday. The letter claims that when he joined demonstrators protesting in front of the Immigration Department against the detainment of activist Alex Gonzalez-Davidson on February 23, Nouv Leakhena and a companion came out and used derogatory language towards him.

But Immigration Department head Sok Phal yesterday said that Sam An had, in fact, been insulting department staff, and had incited the gathering.

“We did not intend to start trouble with him, but now he started it with us,” Phal said. “We will sue him back . . . We are doing public work, and he brought hundreds of people there who surrounded [the building] and screamed.”

Sam An yesterday denied leading protesters there.

Interior Ministry spokesman Khieu Sopheak yesterday said the issue will be investigated and resolved.