More than 300 workers from the shuttered Great Honor Textile Factory in Kandal province yesterday stood outside Prime Minister Hun Sen’s house and asked him to expedite the sale of the factory’s assets following the disappearance of the owners.

Daun Penh governor Kouch Chamroeun met with the group and accepted their petition, adding that provincial authorities, who the group complained had been slow to deal with the matter, would be instructed to find a solution for the problem.

Nov Rotha, a unionist with the National Union Alliance Chamber of Cambodia, said Kandal authorities had indicated in early August that they would file a complaint with the court to liquidate the factories assets, but had yet to do so.

“Some of the workers said that they cannot endure this wait for much longer because they need their wage and severance pay,” he said.

He added that workers hadn’t been paid since July.

Workers first voiced concerns about the factory closing in March after their work days were curtailed and client orders started drying up. At the time, the factory claimed it wasn’t going under and was only experiencing a seasonal lull in orders.

Separately, in Sihanoukville, 500 workers from Cambrew distillery continued to protest the dismissal of their manager, Lim Roath, while at the same time asking for the firing of YK Wong, a Chinese-Malaysian national, who they claim mistreated them.

“As of Monday evening, we are still protesting and want the company to allow Roath back,” said factory worker Kheng Moa. “But the company has yet to give us a solution for this.”