HENG CHIVOAN
Hun Mana, director of Bayon TV and Radio and daughter of the PM seen in a file photo.
HUN Mana, the daughter of Prime Minster Hun Sen and the director general
of Bayon Radio and Television, lashed out at a journalist with Beauty
magazine in a letter submitted to Minister of Information Khieu
Kanharith, accusing the writer of defamation and asking the minister to
take action.
The letter, dated last Thursday, accused San Bunthoeurn of
defamation stemming from a story he published in the August 15-31 issue
of his publication. In the story, he described an alleged love triangle
between Bayon programme manager Tit Thavarith, actress Sim Solika and a
second man, Por Sam Oeun.
The letter did not detail the substance of the defamation but said
the claims made were untrue and were intended merely to damage the
honour and popularity of Bayon. It added that San Bunthoeurn had tried
to extort money from actors and high-level staff at the station and had
previously tried to get a job there.
San Bunthoeurn had been given permission to interview Bayon staff
members but he misled them about the subject of the story he was
writing and later demanded US$3,000 from Tit Thavarith to stop the
article from running, the letter claimed.
Hun Mana could not be reached for comment on Tuesday. Bayon's
deputy director general, Rith Chetra, told the Post he knew nothing
about the matter and that it has nothing to do with him or with the
station.
San Bunthoeurn defended his story against criticisms raised in the
letter. "I based it on anonymously sourced comments of staff and
actors," he said. He added that he had not asked for money, but said
Tit Thavarith tried to stop publication of the story. Khieu Kanharith
said he would not pursue legal action against the magazine as it was a
private matter.
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