The president of an NGO, forced to retract a corruption complaint against National Election Committee officials, has turned his attention to the opposition party, saying he plans to ask the Anti-Corruption Unit to probe the finances of deputy president Kem Sokha and senior lawmaker Eng Chhay Eang.

Ros Sarom, director of Victory Intelligent Standard Association, which claims to represent intellectuals, said the group would meet today to discuss moving forward with a request for the ACU to open the two politicians’ asset declarations.

Sarom said they wanted to know how Sokha afforded his pepper farm holdings and similarly how Chhay Eang was able to buy a house last year in the capital’s Sen Sok district.

He noted that between 2013 and 2014, when the Cambodia National Rescue Party boycotted parliament, the men were without an official income.

The NGO head – who in June apologised to senior NEC officials after his corruption complaint against them was thrown out for lack of evidence – said the group was concerned with transparency and also planned to lodge complaints against ruling CPP members.

Chhay Eang and a spokeswoman for Sokha did not respond to requests for comment yesterday.

ACU President Om Yentieng, who previously threatened to open Sokha’s asset declaration amid an investigation into his alleged affair in March, declined to comment.