SAM Rainsy's sacking as finance minister prompted several people in an informal Post street survey to ask: "What has an 'honest' minister done wrong?"

Monks, laymen, students, teachers, vendors, civil servants and farmers seemed moved and angry at Rainsy's removal.

"I voted for Funcinpec to eliminate corruption in the country... now one of the Funcinpec ministers who tried to beat corruption has lost his job. Why? Please explain to me," said Doeurng Sary, a teacher at Prek Kampes primary school.

He said his family and relatives all voted for Funcinpec on an anti-corruption, pro-democracy stance.

"Your Royal Highness, could you reveal what mistake Sam Rainsy and others made please... was he corrupt or commit treason? Did you dismiss him?" Sary asked.

Meas Sok Sim, a lay man at Tonle Bati Pagoda, 29 km northeast of Takeo, said: "I wondered when I heard that Sam Rainsy was removed from his post why he was dismissed.

"I saw him try to speak against some parliamentary members in the debate for our nation's interest, especially for me and other people living in the countryside.

"He did not want to jeopardize the prospect of peace and the National Reconciliation proposals put forward by His Majesty the King...I believe he did not support the Khmer Rouge" Sok Sim said.

Son Touch, a teacher at Kampot High School, said: "He was dismissed because he was not corrupt.

"Good persons could not stay and work with bad persons.

"Sam Rainsy is clean and honest so bad people have to sack him, otherwise they could not be corrupt any more."

Lay Kunthy, a rice and soup seller at Takeo railway station, said: "It is very bad for the poor people but it is good for the rich."

She was worried that the prices of goods would increase.

Sovanmony Cheymara, a monk at Krek Hou pagoda, 15 km south of Phnom Penh capital, said: "I was shocked when I heard Rainsy's boss, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, read the list of the cabinet reshuffle in the last assembly session."

Mony Rethy, a student of the Faculty of Medicine, said he regretted that Ranariddh decided to remove Sam Rainsy from his post.

"The Prince is killing himself... you know Sam Rainsy is the heart of Funcinpec."

Student Mom Mony was moved to write to the Post, saying: "Rainsy has been working hard for the people of Cambodia."