P RINCE Sisowath Chivan Monirak resigned as chairman of Royal Air Cambodge in a
shock move on April 28.
A company spokesman said: "His Royal Highness
left the company today" when asked for comment, and referred all inquiries to
the vice-chairman Pan Chanta, who Prince Sisowath - in his last formal decision
- appointed as acting chairman of the national carrier.
Prince Sisowath,
when contacted for comment by the Post, said: "I hope you understand that I
prefer not to comment on what is going on." The Prince also asked that all
questions be put to Pan Chanta.
"To tell you the truth I really don't
know, this is (the Prince's) own personal matter," Chanta said. "I don't know
much about it."
Chanta said Prince Sisowath "mentioned to me on April 20
that he was going to resign at the end of the month, that would mean he gave
about 10 days notice."
When asked whether the Prince's decision was
likely to have been personally or politically motivated, Chanta said "I really
don't know. It is too early to talk about this... maybe these things come out
over time."
Chanta confirmed he worked closely with the Prince, and when
asked if there had been any indication he had been unhappy in his work, said:
"No, no, no."
"Personally, I think his performance was very good, he
handled it well. We are very busy here, and he had a lot of support from the
staff, from everybody... they liked him very much. But lately he decided to
quit, I don't know the reason. He mentioned to me he might try to find another
job."
Chanta said there had been no reaction as yet from the Malaysian
partners of RAC "but it is still early yet, there might be a reaction in the
future maybe, but not now."
Chanta - who had previously worked for "a
long time" for a airline company operating out of Houston International Airport
in Texas - said that the Prince, like himself, was selected for the position by
the two Prime Ministers on July 4, 1994.
Cambodia - as 60 percent
shareholder of RAC - is presently entitled to four directors (three nominated by
the 'Class A' shareholders, one by the 'Class C' shareholders) on the RAC board.
The 'Class C' director - in this case Prince Sisowath - is nominated chairman of
the board with no casting vote. Cambodia also appoints two vice-chairmen, and
Malaysia one.
The only other significant responsibility of the chairman,
as described in the RAC contract, is that he must also chair any general meeting
of shareholders.
